Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
On Sunday, one of the matches from the third round of the UEFA Nations League group stage will take place in Yerevan, where Armenia will host North Macedonia. Here’s a preview and prediction from the expert team at Dailysports.
Armenia
Armenia made a strong start in the current Nations League campaign, convincingly defeating Latvia 4-1 in their opening match. The hosts took an early lead in the 6th minute, though Latvia managed to equalize. However, three more goals, including strikes from Zelarayán, Spertsyan, and an own goal, secured Armenia’s first three points.
In the second round, Armenia faced North Macedonia away, suffering a 0-2 defeat. Last Friday, Armenia traveled to the Faroe Islands, expecting to come away with a victory. Instead, they had to battle back twice, with a crucial equalizer scored in the third minute of added time.
North Macedonia
The Balkan side is rightly considered the favorite in Group 4 of the Nations League, and so far, they’ve lived up to expectations, sitting atop the group after three rounds, three points ahead of their nearest rival.
Their only slip-up came in the opening round when they drew 1-1 against a resilient Faroe Islands team. In the second round, North Macedonia comfortably defeated Armenia 2-0 at home. This past Friday, they secured another dominant 3-0 victory in an away match against Latvia.
Match Facts
- Both teams have scored in only one of their last five matches.
- Over 2.5 goals have been scored in two of their last five matches.
- In three of North Macedonia’s last five matches, there have been over 2.5 goals.
Head-to-Head
In the reverse fixture, North Macedonia triumphed 2-0 at home. This marked their third consecutive victory over Armenia.
Likely Lineups
- Armenia: Chancharevich, Chalishir, Haroyan, Arutyunyan, Tiknizyan, Iwu, Spertsyan, Ohanesyan, Serobyan, Bichakhchyan, Zelarayán
- North Macedonia: Dimitrievski, Alioski, Manev, Musliu, Ashkovski, Atanasov, Bardhi, Alimi, Babunski, Miovski, Elmas
Prediction
Bookmakers slightly favor Armenia, offering odds of 2.45 for a home win. However, we believe North Macedonia has a strong chance of avoiding defeat in this matchup. Our prediction is “North Macedonia not to lose” with odds of 1.62.
