Gibraltar will face Montenegro in a World Cup qualifying match on Friday at Europa Point Stadium. Both teams are already out of the running for qualification, which diminishes the stakes and excitement for their supporters.
Current Standings
In Group 5, Gibraltar sits at the bottom with no points from their matches, while Montenegro occupies the fourth spot with six points. With only two matches left, Gibraltar is 13 points behind the leaders, making a victory crucial to avoid finishing last.
Recent Form
- Gibraltar has yet to win a World Cup qualifying match.
- They have gone winless in their past 11 games across all competitions.
- A loss against Montenegro would mark their ninth consecutive defeat.
- Gibraltar has failed to score in six of their last eight losses, conceding at least two goals six times during that span.
In their recent home matches, Gibraltar managed to be competitive initially. Interestingly, 13 of the last 14 goals conceded occurred in the second half. They enjoyed a brief period of success at home from June to November 2024, but have since lost all five matches at Europa Point Stadium.
Montenegro’s hopes for World Cup qualification were dashed following a 3-0 defeat to the Faroe Islands on October 9. Their initial two wins quickly faded as they have struggled in their next matches, securing only a friendly victory against Liechtenstein (2-1) out of their last six games. They have lost four times during that stretch and have failed to score in four matches.
Team News
For Gibraltar, goalkeeper Jaylan Hankins aims to finish the qualifiers strong. The potential lineup includes:
- Hankins
- Kian Ronan
- Bernardo Lopes
- Louie Annesley
- Dan Bent
- Jeremy Perera
- Tjay De Barr
- James Scanlon
- Carlos Richards
On the other hand, Montenegro has striker Milutin Osmajic available despite a recent nine-match suspension over allegations made while at his club. The anticipated lineup for Montenegro includes:
- Petkovic
- Milic
- Tuci
- Vukcevic
- Kostic
- Andrija Bulatovic
- Marko Simun
- Vasilije Adzic
- Perovic
- Osmajic
- Krstovic
Match Prediction
Experts predict a scoreline of Gibraltar 1 – Montenegro 3. Both teams have struggled defensively, making it unlikely that either side will keep a clean sheet. Given their historical matchups, Montenegro is expected to secure another victory over Gibraltar.
