Bulgaria collide with Cyprus in League C Group 3 of the UEFA Nations League on Saturday night. Bulgaria go into the fixture atop the group with six points from six. Meanwhile, Cyprus have had a good showing so far taking three points from two matches.
After being beaten by Norway in their opener, Cyprus defeated Slovenia on matchday 2 for their first win in the competition. Saturday night’s match could either see Bulgaria solidify their place in Group 3 or Cyprus move level with their rivals on points. Both nations have a lot to play for.
Manager Petar Hubchev will be happy with Bulgaria’s play thus far. Both Norway and Slovenia were expected to be the heavyweights in Group 3. However, Bulgaria have already won both fixtures against the two perceived more powerful nations. There is still a lot for Bulgaria to work on. They concede possession easily and allowed their opponents too much time on the ball.
On paper, Bulgaria’s squad is unassuming. Nearly all of Hubchev’s players ply their trade in Eastern Europe. Radoslav Vasilev, who plays for Cherno More Varna in Bulgaria, scored the team’s winner against Norway.
Midtjylland midfielder Bozhidar Kraev scored both goals in their win over Slovenia. While the players’ names aren’t impressive, the results have been and player development is why the UEFA Nations League was created.
Ran Ben Shimon’s Cyprus team is mostly made up of domestic players. However, there are some squad members playing outside the country. Grigoris Kastanos is in Juventus’ reserve team, Konstantinos Laifis plays for Belgium’s Standard Liege, and Pieros Sotiriou in a part of Denmark’s Copenhagen team.
There is quality in the side and Cyprus’ individuals show they may be much stronger than many believe. Shimon’s team may not defeat Spain, but it can hold its own in Group 3.
Cyprus do give up goals. They are yet to keep a clean sheet in the competition. They also have trouble keeping possession and lose it frequently. Inexperience at the international level could be the team’s biggest weakness.
Saturday night will not be the first meeting between Bulgaria and Cyprus. Bulgaria won the last two head-to-head matches by a 1-0 margin. The same scoreline is set to occur on Saturday. Cyprus will give the ball away cheaply allowing Bulgaria to have the lion’s share of possession. The fixture will end in favour of Hubchev’s Bulgaria as they will tighten their grip on the group.