Match Preview: Cyprus 0-3 Croatia Prediction and Betting Tips | World Cup – Qualification

Cyprus – Croatia Prediction Prediction and Tips for today, October 8, 2021

Cyprus – Croatia Match Preview

• World Cup Qualification (WCQ) Group H is proving too tough to handle for Cyprus who sit rock-bottom after six matchdays after returning just four points from a possible 18 (W1, D1, L4). Scoring just once during that run, their problems continue to emanate in attack as the hosts have now been kept at bay in eight of their last nine international matches!
• What may be a cause for optimism for Cyprus though is their recent competitive home form which has seen them lose just one of their last four such matches (W2, D1). That run includes their only previous win during this edition of WCQ (1-0 v Slovenia), and although now only likely playing for pride, that’s a feat they’d love to replicate again here.
• Croatia arrive joint-top of the group as they go in search of making the World Cup finals for the sixth time in seven attempts as an independent nation. The 2018 World Cup finalists hold an impressive record in this WCQ cycle to date (W4, D1, L1), owing largely to a defence that has conceded just once in those six outings.
• The visitors have recently slipped from being FIFA’s fourth-ranked nation to 17th, predominantly as a result of a poor UEFA Nations League showing, but they’ll still expect to take the three points here. That could be crucial to topping this group ahead of Russia (who they play in the very last round), although a tight affair could be in store as five of their last eight victories have come via a one-goal margin, including the last H2H.
• Players to watch: Although Cyprus’ Ioannis Pittas scored his country’s last goal five internationals ago, he has notched five club goal contributions in five league appearances this season (4G, 1A). Mario Pašalić has netted twice in his last four appearances for Croatia, the midfielder also netted in the last WCQ H2H.
• Hot stat: Cyprus have completed a HT/FT double just once in their last 18 internationals.