Montenegro vs Faroe Islands

When the Faroe Islands visit the Gradski stadium in Niksic on Tuesday night, Montenegro, who are currently leading Group L of the World Cup 2026 Qualifying, want to win two straight games.

The visitors' heroic efforts were in fruitless as they lost 2-1 to the Czech Republic, while Robert Prosinecki's overcame an early scare to upset Gibraltar 3-1 in their first encounter.

When Los Llanis midfielder Dan Bent scored an unexpected opening goal after 13 minutes, Montenegro, who were playing against Gibraltar, who had lost all 20 of their prior World Cup qualifying games, had a chance to create unwelcome history.

Veteran striker Stevan Jovetic swiftly equalized for Montenegro, sparking a second-half revival. Marko Tuci’s header then put them ahead before Lazio defender Adam Marušić sealed the comeback with a late goal, securing a hard-fought victory for Prosinečki’s squad.

Despite narrowly avoiding disaster against one of Europe’s weakest teams, Montenegro now sits atop their group, edging out the Czech Republic on goal difference. However, their path to a historic World Cup qualification—as an independent nation—faces another major hurdle. Croatia, after losing their Nations League quarterfinal to France, will soon join Group L, adding another tough competitor to the mix.

Defensive struggles continue to haunt Montenegro, as Gibraltar’s early goal on Saturday extended their winless streak to nine matches since their last clean sheet—a friendly against North Macedonia on March 25, 2024.

Meanwhile, the Faroe Islands, still chasing their first World Cup appearance, nearly pulled off a stunning draw against the Czech Republic. Gunnar Vatnhamar’s 83rd-minute equalizer briefly raised hopes, but Patrik Schick’s second headed goal just two minutes later crushed their dreams, denying them what would have been only their ninth-ever World Cup qualifying win.

The Faroe Islands, currently ranked 137th in the world, are in poor form, having lost their last five matches in the preliminary qualifying phase. Their most recent victory dates back to September 2021, when they secured a 2-1 win over Moldova. Under the management of Eydun Klakstein, the team has managed just one win in their last 10 matches across all competitions.

Despite their struggles, they managed to maintain their position in UEFA Nations League C. However, their away record remains concerning, with six losses in their last seven matches on the road. The silver lining? Their last four defeats were all by just a single goal.

Historically, the Faroe Islands have only ever won World Cup qualifying matches away from home against Latvia, Luxembourg, and Malta—a stat that doesn’t inspire much confidence ahead of their first-ever senior men’s international clash against Montenegro.