As e dey build towards new UEFA Nations League campaign, Slovakia and Montenegro go meet for international friendly on Friday evening. Both nations don win their first June fixture earlier this week, and now dem go sign off for season with clash for Kosice.
After finishing second behind Germany for Group A, Slovakia no reach upcoming World Cup, as Kosovo defeat dem for UEFA playoff semi-finals. Francesco Calzona four-year stint as head coach don end, and Vladimir Weiss don return for his second spell as gaffer.
So Weiss must prepare to contest Nations League group wey get Moldova, Kazakhstan, and Faroe Islands. Slovakia go expect to earn promotion from that group. For first of two summer friendlies, the Falcons host Malta on Monday, only win 2-1 thanks to Roland Galcik stoppage-time strike for his senior debut.
More fresh blood fit get chance as Slovakia play their final fixture of 2025-26 season, welcoming visitors wey rank 33 places below dem for FIFA ranking. Montenegro never beat Friday opponents since independence for 2006, with one draw and two losses for previous friendlies.
Like their hosts, the Balkan nation dey use this month camp to build momentum ahead of Nations League campaign wey go kick off for end of September. Dem go face Armenia, Latvia, and Cyprus, and hope to challenge for promotion to League B.
Montenegro World Cup qualifying campaign end for disappointment, with fourth-placed finish for Group L, despite late arrival of new coach Mirko Vucinic. The former Lecce, Roma, and Juventus striker, wey make over 300 appearances for Serie A, never manage at senior level before, but he don post four wins from seven games so far.
On Monday night, his side beat Bulgaria 1-0 for Plovdiv, thanks to Balsa Sekulic goal midway through second half.
Slovakia name relatively strong starting lineup on Monday, when Middlesbrough striker David Strelec lead the line, but several senior players dey unavailable. Captain Milan Skriniar and playmaker Stanislav Lobotka both ruled out by injury, joining Leo Sauer and David Duris for sidelines, while goalkeepers Martin Dubravka and Dominik Greif also miss out.
So several newcomers fit feature for Friday friendly, when Montenegro also likely to experiment. Atalanta forward Nikola Krstovic and veteran defender Stefan Savic both withdraw from visitors’ initial 28-man squad due to fitness issues.
Long-serving captain Stevan Jovetic wey dey seek new club also omit, as Vucinic look towards future. With that in mind, teenage Lens midfielder Andrija Bulatovic and 19-year-old striker Andrej Kostic be two rising stars wey dey vying to start for Kosice.
Slovakia possible starting lineup: Takac; Pavek, Valjent, Satka, Obert; Duda, Bero, Benes; Suslov, Bozenik, Haraslin. Montenegro possible starting lineup: Petkovic; Roganovic, Vujacic, Rubezic, Raznatovic; Brnovic, Vukotic, Bulatovic, Camaj; Kostic, Osmajic.
The home side fit miss key men, but dem still fit field talented attack – the Falcons memorably down mighty Germany for World Cup qualifier last September. While dem keep rare clean sheet on Monday, Montenegro dey concede goals too easily and fit get caught for back.
