SportsMul previews Sunday's Nations League clash between Armenia and North Macedonia, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
leading the race for automatic promotion from League C Group 4Second place Armenia and undefeated leaders North Macedonia will meet at UEFA Nations League On Sunday.
The hosts return to Yerevan with a point salvaged from Thursday's trip to the Faroe Islands, while their visitors Latvia cruised to victory.
Competition preview
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Despite dominating both possession and shot count in Dorswall, Armenia grabbed two draws to avoid losing their third game to the Faroe Islands – the second in second-half stoppage time. Group 4 Competition.
Lucas Gelarayan First he leveled them before half-time, before the substitution Gore Manwellian With time ticking away, the tie was leveled at 2-2.
Oleksandr PetrakovThe team started with a promising 4-1 win over Latvia in their first Nations League match of the 2024-25 campaign played in early September, but three days later they lost 2-0 in North Macedonia.
All this leaves Armenia on four points so far and currently occupying a promotion playoff spot; However, slipping to last place between now and mid-November could lead to relegation.
So, following a three-game losing streak against Sunday's opponents, Havacagan can't afford to slip up again against their Macedonian counterparts.
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North Macedonia not only won the meeting 2-0 at home last month, but scored five times without reply to take four points from Armenia in the last set of World Cup qualifiers.
Also, the Lions won the friendly this time last year by 3-1.
They have also dominated Group 4 in their half after beating Latvia 3-0 in Riga earlier this week. Elgif Elmas Third net in second half stoppage time.
Having recorded back-to-back wins in the same Nations League campaign for the first time since 2018, North Macedonia are in pole position to claim top spot next month and secure automatic promotion to Europe's second tier.
Captain Ennis Bharti And the Girona striker Bojan Miovski Both were on target in September's win over Armenia – despite going 10 men down throughout the second half – and if Blagoja MilewskiThe main men may return to the lead this weekend, and they may lose the top spot.
Armenia Nations League Format:
Armenia Form (All Matches):
North Macedonia Nations League Format:
North Macedonia Form (All Matches):
Group messages
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North Macedonia may recall Joko Zajkov The centre-back is now serving a one-match suspension for being sent off in the reverse fixture against Armenia on Sunday.
If selected, he will join a 78-cap defense Ejjan Alioski At left back, Elgeef Elmas and Enis Barthi will control the action in midfield. The latter scored in the Lions' first two Nations League matches this season, taking his international tally to 18.
Elsewhere, head coach Blagoja Milevski is without two wide men this week, as Darko Surlinov And Alexander Drajkowski Both left the team due to injuries.
Meanwhile, Armenia will return to Al-Fateh attacker Lucas Gelarayan and Borussia Monchengladbach forward Grand-Leon Ramos for inspiration in the final third.
Following his strike from a midweek free-kick, Argentina-born Gelarayan found the net five times for his adopted country, making him their joint-top active scorer.
Young forward Gore Manvelyan of UEFA Conference League participants FC Nova grabbed a late leveler in his second senior appearance and will be confident of breaking into the hosts' starting XI.
Armenia Probable Starting Lineup:
Concaverick; Haroyan, Muradyan, Arutyunyan; Hovhannisyan, Ivu, Spertsyan, Harutyunyan, Dignisyan; Ranos, Jelarayan
North Macedonia Possible starting line-up:
Dmitrievsky; Babunsky, Musliu, Zazhkov, Aliosky; Ashkovsky, Athanasov, Barthi, Elmas, Tymosky; Miovsky
We say: Armenia 1-2 North Macedonia
Armenia have won just two of their last 13 matches and struggled to pick up a point in the Faroe Islands, so North Macedonia could once again claim maximum points.
A double over their hosts would put the Lions in total control of Group 4 and secure promotion to League B with two games remaining.
Please click here for data analysis of most probable results, scores and more for this match.
