On Thursday, Cyprus and Estonia will square off in the second leg of their Nations League C relegation playoffs, with the tie finely poised after a 0-0 draw in the first leg last week with kickoff at 7 pm.
Cyprus has finished bottom of Group 1 in Nations League C. It has won just once in six matches, and its recent results have been poor, with no wins in the last six games. The position can be improved, though, as Cyprus has only lost two of their last six home games, which may give them some hope that they can stay in League C.
In their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign, Kostenoglou’s team finished fifth out of six in their group, finishing ahead of bottom side Malta only on goal difference.
The manager of Estonia, Thomas Haberli, succeeded Karel Voolaid after they failed to win any of their six group matches and finished bottom of Group 1 in League C. Haberli, a Swiss native, has won only four of his 14 matches. Thursday’s first leg draw ended a run of three successive defeats.
Estonia drew 0-0 with Wales in Cardiff as they secured four points from their eight World Cup qualifiers, finishing fourth in their group. Four of the last six meetings between these nations have ended all square, so this tie has the potential to go to penalties.
Cyprus vs. Estonia Head to Head
Both sides have three games against each other, with hosts winless while visitors with two wins. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- Estonia 0-0 Cyprus
- Slovenia 2-1 Cyprus
- Russia 6-0 Cyprus
- Cyprus 2-2 Malta
- Cyprus 0-3 Croatia
Away
- Estonia 0-0 Cyprus
- Czech Republic 2-0 Estonia
- Belgium 3-1 Estonia
- Estonia 0-1 Wales
- Estonia 2-0 Belarus
Cyprus Team News
The most likely hero of Cyprus is still 29-year-old striker Pieros Sotiriou, who is currently the country’s highest-scoring player with 11 goals in 52 appearances. However, the star striker is having a tough time as he has netted just one goal in his last 14 caps.
Estonia Team News
Estonia will hope to have defender Artur Pikk available after he missed Thursday’s first leg while recovering from injury. Midfielder Bogdan Vastsuk was also absent on Thursday due to a positive test for Covid-19, though his B sample could confirm his eligibility for this match if he is cleared.
Prediction and Odds
We think Cyprus will win this match, but it may go extra time and possibly even penalties. We’re backing Cyprus to make the most of home advantage and win the match.
- Cyprus Win
- Goals Under 3.5
- Both Teams to Score
