Serbia vs Montenegro prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-10-16 18:45.
Occupying second spot in Group G, Serbia cannot officially book their trip to Germany here, but a win would go a long way in their efforts to do so ahead of a final day clash at home against basement boys Bulgaria next month. The only team to beat Dragan Stojković’s side so far in this qualifying campaign are leaders Hungary, the team who beat Serbia 2-1 in Budapest on Saturday night, leaving them with ten points so far.
The Eagles haven’t been to a European Championship since becoming an independent nation in 2006, and now go up against the country they split away from back in 2006, Montenegro. Serbia are at the least guaranteed a play-off spot thanks to their UEFA Nations League ranking, but will fancy their chances of getting there automatically this time around, especially if they can come up with a win here against the only side who can realistically displace them from the top two.
Headed up by Miodrag Radulović, Tuesday night’s visitors sit hot on Serbia’s tails and hold an all important game in hand on their opponents. Just two points adrift of Serbia in second, victory in Belgrade would see them leapfrog their former compatriots and move up into the automatic spots, turning the tide firmly in their favour.
It’s worth noting that the Brave Falcons are not guaranteed a play-off spot, so automatic qualification into a first-ever Championships as an independent outfit is their only aim. Still to face Lithuania, who harbour an outside chance of catching them, and a game against table toppers Hungary to come in November, defeat at the Stadion Rajko Mitić could be fatal. And ominously, Montenegro have lost all three of their previous clashes with Serbia since parting ways, including a 2-0 home defeat back in March.
Players to watch: Over the course of his career, Aleksandar Mitrović has averaged a goal every 118 minutes for Serbia and already has three to his name against Tuesday’s opponents. Another former Premier League striker in Stevan Jovetić could be Montenegro’s best route to goal, creating the highest number of their chances in this qualifying campaign to date (8).
Hot streak: None of Serbia’s last 15 internationals saw fewer than two goals scored.