Battling it out for the chance to go top of their UEFA Nations League group, Balkan neighbours Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina meet in Podgorica on Saturday.

While the visitors have enjoyed an unbeaten start to the new campaign, and are level on points with early League B Group 3 leaders Finland, their hosts lost away to the Finns on Tuesday.

Match preview

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Continuing an action-packed summer schedule, Montenegro return to home soil in search of a second win at Podgorica City Stadium this weekend.

Having fallen lost to Finland in midweek - when they were unable to find a reply to two first-half goals in Helsinki; managing only one shot on target - Miodrag Radulovic's men sit third in their group with three points from two games.

Previously 2-0 winners over Romania, in their first Nations League contest since promotion from League C, Montenegro have beaten Greece and held the Netherlands to a draw in two of their last three home fixtures, so will surely not fear the visit of their more established regional rivals on Saturday.

Like Bosnia, the Montenegrins came up short in their attempts to reach a first-ever World Cup finals at Qatar 2022, as Radulovic's side took only one point from three matches towards the end of the process, which ultimately killed off their challenge.

The Brave Falcons fared far better against more modest opposition in their last Nations League campaign - finishing top of League C Group 1, ahead of Luxembourg, Azerbaijan and Cyprus - but are now amid a completely different echelon as they adapt to life in the competition's second tier.

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After settling for a 1-1 draw in Finland on the opening day, Bosnia managed to go one better on Tuesday, as they edged out Romania at Zenica's Stadion Bilino Polje.

Substitute striker Smail Prevljak broke the deadlock midway through the second half, and the home side hung on to claim three valuable points in their bid to return to League A.

The former RB Leipzig man struck for the second time in a matter of days, having scored a late equaliser in Helsinki, and helped his side to just their fourth victory since the resumption of international football in September 2020.

Relegated from the top bracket of the Nations League at the end of that year - with only two points accrued from six matches against Italy, Poland and the Netherlands - the Dragons also finished a distant fourth in their World Cup qualifying group.

Given such a tough time of it in recent months, then, head coach Ivaylo Petev will be keen to take advantage of facing less fancied opposition over the coming games.

Team News

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After an away defeat - and only days before their last match of an opening quartet in the Nations League - Montenegro could make changes on Saturday, but Miodrag Radulovic is still set to name an experienced side.

While captain Stevan Jovetic has yet to feature this month, Lazio full-back Adam Marusic is expected to return to the starting XI after a rest in midweek, with 53-cap Zarko Tomasevic helming the hosts' defence in the absence of Atletico Madrid's Stefan Savic.

If Jovetic remains unavailable, Stefan Mugosa - a goalscorer in the win over Romania - will vie with record cap-holder Fatos Beciraj for a place up front.

Meanwhile, Bosnia should retain the core of their victorious side from Tuesday evening, with captain Edin Dzeko leading the line up front and Anel Ahmedhodzic of Malmo starting in central defence.

Should 36-year-old Dzeko be given a day off during such a busy period, Smail Prevljak may be asked to add to his two goals so far this summer from the start, as alternative option Kenan Kodro previously withdrew due to injury.

Both Miralem Pjanic and Rade Krunic are set to be involved again, after the former dropped to the bench in midweek and the latter sat out the visit of Romania entirely.

Montenegro possible starting lineup:
Petkovic; Vesovic, Vujacic, Tomasevic, A. Vukcevic; Marusic, Jankovic, Raickovic, Jovovic; Haksabanovic; Mugosa

Bosnia-Herzegovina possible starting lineup:
Sehic; Susic, Hadzikadunic, Ahmedhodzic, Kolasinac; Gojak, Pjanic, Besic; Stevanovic, Dzeko, Krunic

We say: Montenegro 1-2 Bosnia-Herzegovina

Having achieved better results away from home than back in Bosnia over the past 12 months, the visitors will expect to take at least a point from their trip across the border.

With greater depth of experience at top-level European clubs, they should have the edge over Montenegro this weekend, and could even take top spot in Group 3 depending on how Finland fare in Romania.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Jonathan O'Shea

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