Our prediction for this World Cup 2026 match:
Cyprus
Match Time & Date:
08/10/2021
01:45 PM
Prediction: 0-2
Croatia
Croatia will be aiming to cement top positiopn in Group H when they take on Cyprus at AEK Arena on Friday evening. The Croats did well to crush Slovenia 3-0 in their last group game, and it is no wonder the bookies see them as favourites to beat the Cypriotes in Larnaca. The good news for the visitors is that Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric returns from injury, while Borussia Dortmund defender Marin Pongracic has been included.
Cyprus, on the other hand, are stuck at the bottom of the table, and given their three-game losing run in the 2022 WC qualifiers, anything but a routine away win would be a major surprise. When the two teams met in Rijeka earlier in the process Croatia defeated Cyprus 1-0 thanks to Mario Pasalic’s goal, which is yet another reason why away win should be considered.
Highlighted Player (Georgios Efrem):
Born in Limassol, Cyprus on 5 July, 1989 Georgios Efrem played for his hometown club Apollon Limassol during his youth career, but in 2004 he joined Premier League club Arsenal at the age of 15. In 2007 he moved to Rangers, but he didn’t see any game action with the Gers at senior level.
The pacey winger, who is capable of playing as an attacking midfielder as well, returned to Cyprus in 2009, signing a deal with Omonia. After scoring 25 goals in 134 league appearances for the club, the 171-cm-tall footballer joined fellow Cypriot outfit APOEL on 6 June, 2014. Efrem made his debut for the club against Helsinki on 30 July, 2014 in the Europa League qualifying match.
It has to be noted that he was named the best player of the 2015/2016 Cypriot First Division campaign. The APOEL winger made his Cyprus debut on 3 March, 2010 in a goalless draw with Iceland. Four years later he scored his first ever hat-trick for the Cypriot national team in a 5-0 triumph over Andorra.
Highlighted Team (Croatia):
While the national football team of Croatia also played international matches between 1940 and 1944, they only resumed their duties in 1990 after the country gained independence from Yugoslavia. Vatreni enjoyed a remarkable start on the international stage, winning the third place on their first ever World Cup appearance in France in 1998, while crashing out in the group stage at the 2002, 2006 and 2014 tournaments.
Croatia also reached the quarter-finals at the 1996 and 2008 European Championships, proving they are rightly considered one of Europe’s top sides at the start of the 21st century. Long-serving captain Darijo Srna is their most capped player with over 130 appearances for the national team, whereas former Real Madrid striker Davor Suker is one of their most famous players and top scorer with 45 goals.
Other notable footballers to have played for Croatia include Luka Modric, Zvonimir Boban, Robert Prosinecki, Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic. Miroslav Blazevic and Slaven Bilic are the coaches that have been behind team’s biggest success stories up to date.
Celta Vigo 
Barcelona 
Southampton
Liverpool
Ipswich
Manchester United
Napoli
AS Roma
Leganes
Real Madrid
Lazio 
Bologna 
