Liam Duckstein
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Cyprus host Armenia in the UEFA Nations League on Friday 2 October 2026, and the predicted lineups below highlight a sharp contrast in how settled each squad looks. Both projections are built from the last two matches for each side, but Armenia’s average start rate is noticeably higher than Cyprus’s, suggesting less shuffling from the visiting coach. Neither team news picture is complicated by heavy absences, which makes the shape of each expected XI the more interesting story here.
Cyprus Predicted XI
Cyprus are projected in a 4-2-3-1, the formation preferred by coach Apostolos Mantzios. It’s a settled side – 11 of the projected XI started their last match – which points to a coach sticking with a clear first-choice group over the sample used. Goalkeeper Fabiano and forward Ioannis Pittas both started every match in this small sample, making them the two names whose consistency stands out most in this projected lineup.
Cyprus predicted XI: Fabiano; Nikolas Panagiotou, Konstantinos Sotiriou, Giorgos Malekkidis, Nicholas Tsaroulla; Grigoris Kastanos, Marcus Edwards, Loizos Loizou, Giannis Kosti, Kostakis Artymatas; Ioannis Pittas
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 2 | Last 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Fabiano | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 3 | Nikolas Panagiotou | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 5 | Konstantinos Sotiriou | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 14 | Giorgos Malekkidis | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 17 | Nicholas Tsaroulla | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 20 | Grigoris Kastanos | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 23 | Marcus Edwards | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 10 | Loizos Loizou | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 13 | Giannis Kosti | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 18 | Kostakis Artymatas | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| F | 9 | Ioannis Pittas | 2/2 | 2/2 |
Armenia Predicted XI
Armenia’s expected XI is built around a 5-4-1, the shape favoured by coach Eghishe Melikyan. Like their hosts, this is a settled side – 11 of the projected XI started their last match – and the underlying numbers back that up, with Armenia’s players showing the higher start rate of the two teams in this preview. Goalkeeper Ognjen Čančarević and midfielder Eduard Spertsyan are the two names who stand out, both having started every game used to build this projection.
Armenia predicted XI: Ognjen Čančarević; Artem Bandikyan, Erik Piloyan, Georgiy Harutyunyan, Nayair Tiknizyan, Argishti·Petrosyan; Ugochukwu Iwu, Artur Serobyan, Eduard Spertsyan, Zhirayr Shaghoyan; Artur Miranyan
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 2 | Last 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Ognjen Čančarević | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 2 | Artem Bandikyan | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 3 | Erik Piloyan | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 4 | Georgiy Harutyunyan | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 21 | Nayair Tiknizyan | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 5 | Argishti·Petrosyan | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 6 | Ugochukwu Iwu | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 9 | Artur Serobyan | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 10 | Eduard Spertsyan | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 11 | Zhirayr Shaghoyan | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| F | 18 | Artur Miranyan | 2/2 | 2/2 |
Injuries and Suspensions
Konstantinos Laifis is out injured, a blow that thins Cyprus’s defensive options for this game. Among the bench alternatives, Hector Kyprianou has the joint-highest number of recent starts of the available cover, making him one of the more likely names to be considered if changes are needed at the back.
| Player | Pos | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Konstantinos Laifis | D | injured | Muscle bruise |
For the visitors, no absentees are recorded in the data, leaving Armenia’s coach with a full complement of options. Bench players such as narek hovhannisyan and Jose·Julio provide depth behind the projected XI without any forced changes to plan for.
Where These Predictions Come From
These are not confirmed team news – they’re a projection built from each side’s last two lineups, with the more recent of those two matches weighted more heavily than the earlier one. Any player confirmed injured or suspended is removed from contention before the expected XI is assembled. Because only two matches were available for both Cyprus and Armenia, this projection should be treated as tentative and is likely to shift once the official lineup is announced.
Read also: Cyprus vs Armenia Head-to-Head: Record, Stats & Form as of 30 Sep 2026
Read also: Cyprus vs Armenia Prediction: 02.10.2026 UEFA Nations League
FAQ
Who is predicted to start in goal for Cyprus vs Armenia?
Fabiano is projected to start in goal for Cyprus, while Ognjen Čančarević is expected between the posts for Armenia, based on both having started every recent match used in this sample.
What formation are Cyprus and Armenia expected to use?
Cyprus are projected in a 4-2-3-1 under coach Apostolos Mantzios, while Armenia are expected to line up in a 5-4-1 under coach Eghishe Melikyan.
Is anyone unavailable for Cyprus or Armenia?
Konstantinos Laifis is out injured for Cyprus, while no absentees are recorded in the data for Armenia.
When do Cyprus and Armenia kick off?
The match kicks off on Friday 2 October 2026 in the UEFA Nations League.