Romania vs Cyprus, FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, Today Match Prediction

Romania vs Cyprus Match Prediction & Analysis

Romania will face Cyprus in Bucharest on Tuesday, with both teams seeking their second victory in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Romania currently sits second in Group H with three points from three games, six points behind the leaders. 

Romania enter this match after a 2-1 defeat to Austria, though their home record is strong, with only two losses in their last ten matches and six clean sheets.

Cyprus, positioned third on goal difference with a game in hand, aims to improve their World Cup qualifying prospects, having never reached a major tournament. 

Cyprus have a win and a loss in their two qualification matches, beating San Marino and losing to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Cyprus's away form is a concern, as they are winless in their last four road games and have only two wins in their last twelve away fixtures since March 2023.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Romania Preview

Romania aims to rekindle their World Cup 2026 qualifying hopes against Cyprus after a rocky start to their campaign. Despite winning promotion from League C in the Nations League, including two victories over Cyprus. 

Mircea Lucescu's side has lost two of their opening three World Cup qualifiers. This includes a narrow 1-0 defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina and a recent 2-1 loss to Austria, where Florin Tanase's late goal was a mere consolation.

Their only victory so far was a 5-1 thrashing of San Marino. Romania knows they cannot afford to drop more points if they are to realistically challenge for a World Cup spot, a tournament they haven't reached since 1998. 

They will draw confidence from their perfect five-game winning record against Cyprus. However, they will be without captain Nicolae Stanciu due to suspension, a significant blow, although key player Răzvan Marin, despite a recent sub-par performance, remains vital, having excelled in the last Nations League campaign.

Romania Probable Starting Lineup: Moldovan; Ratiu, Popescu, Burca, Bancu; Man, Marin, Chiriches, Tanase; Birligea, Dragus

Cyprus Preview

Cyprus, aiming for their first major tournament appearance, faces a significant challenge against Romania. Despite a 2-0 home win over San Marino to kick off their World Cup qualifying bid, they subsequently lost 2-1 away to Bosnia. 

Their recent form includes a 2-2 friendly draw against Bulgaria, showcasing resilience by twice coming from behind, with goals from Nicolas Koutsakos and Konstantinos Laifis.

However, Cyprus's away record remains a concern, extending their winless run on the road to four matches. They haven't beaten Romania since 2000. Under Apostolos Mantzios, Cyprus seeks to build on their positive mentality. 

While their squad lacks top-tier talent, with Grigoris Kastanos from Serie A being an exception, they've shown flashes of competitive spirit. Unfortunately, they'll be without injured Rafail Mamas and their top scorer, Ioannis Pittas, due to a red card suspension. Mantzios may rotate his squad, with Laifis and Giannis Satsias potentially featuring in defense and Loizos Loizou and Andronikos Kakoullis bolstering the attack.

 Cyprus Probable Starting Lineup: Mall; Satsias, SielIs, Laifis, Pileas; Kastanos, Kypriakou; Loizou, Kosti, Kakoullis; Koutsakos