Cyprus vs Serbia Prediction: Serbia to secure high-scoring win

Serbia lost their first game of this international break but expect a stronger side to take the field for Monday’s friendly clash with Cyprus. 

The Serbians are building up to their Euro 2024 opener against England in Gelsenkirchen and this tournament is likely a final shot at glory for many of their players following an underwhelming World Cup in 2022. Here are our Cyprus vs Serbia predictions which include match odds and team news.

Team News 

Cyprus will hope to stick with the side which claimed a 1-1 draw against Latvia last time out. Winger Ioannis Pittas scored in his second consecutive international in that draw and the AIK Solna man should feature from the start. 

Serbia have an ageing squad, but they named a rotated side for their 4-0 loss to Russia last week. The likes of Fiorentina’s Nikola Milenkovic, plus Al Hilal pair Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Aleksandar Mitrovic should all return here. 

Match Odds 

Serbia are 2/7 to secure a victory on their travels, with a home win for Cyprus as long as 10/1, while the draw is available at 9/2. 

Both teams to score and a Serbian victory may appeal at 21/10. 

Both teams to score @ 11/10 

Serbia have a talented side, but their defensive record is a serious concern heading into the Euros. While their 4-0 defeat can be explained away by changes, that was their ninth successive international without a clean sheet. 

Serbia have managed only three clean sheets across their last 19 games and they let in a goal in their final six games in Euro 2024 qualifying. 

This Cyprus side finished 2023 by scoring against Spain and Lithuania, while they drew 1-1 with Latvia in their first game of this year. While the Cypriots were awful in qualifying, they come into this game having scored in four successive friendly games, with both teams scoring in three of those. 

Serbia have the attacking talent to trouble the hosts, but their defence can’t be trusted and that makes both teams to score appeal at 11/10. 

Over 2.5 Serbia goals @ 11/8 

While Serbia should struggle at the back, they should have little trouble at the other end of the pitch. Many of their key forward players were missing in their last game, but Serbia have a lot of talent to recall for the Cyprus clash. 

Mitrovic should lead the line again, with the former Fulham man scoring 57 goals in 88 appearances for his country. 

Milinkovic-Savic left Lazio to team up with Mitrovic at Al-Hilal and the 29-year-old remains a quality midfielder who can cause problems bursting forward. 

Captain Dusan Tadic is another quality option for Serbia, who also have some young players desperate to make an impression. Udinese’s Lazar Samardzic and 20-year-old Partizan forward Samed Bazdar give Serbia depth in the final third. 

This Cyprus side played eight games in qualifying for Euro 2024 and conceded three times in seven of those contests. Only Georgia failed to hit that mark, claiming a 2-1 win. 

Scotland, Norway and Spain have each blown Cyprus away in visits since and Serbia should rack up a few goals of their own.