Armenia hold group leaders Montenegro to a 0-0 draw

The Armenia national team earned a goalless draw away to Montenegro in the fourth round of the UEFA Nations League. The match in Podgorica ended 0-0.

After four rounds, Yeghishe Melikyan’s side have 4 points and sit third in Group C2. Montenegro remain top with 10 points, while Cyprus are second with 7.

It was a tight and evenly balanced match. Both teams were playing their fourth game in a short period of time, which clearly affected the tempo and the number of dangerous chances.

Montenegro had 8 shots, while Armenia registered 9. The hosts also held a slight advantage in expected goals — 0.54 xG to 0.20.

Melikyan’s new system and focus on midfield compactness

Armenia started the match without Eduard Spertsyan and effectively operated in a 4-4-2 formation with two forwards — Artur Miranyan and Gor Manvelyan.

This setup helped Armenia limit Montenegro’s progression through the middle. Miranyan and Manvelyan were actively involved in pressing, while the team maintained compact spacing between the lines.

However, Armenia struggled in attack, creating only a few genuinely dangerous chances in front of the Montenegro goal.

Spertsyan improved Armenia after the break

Eduard Spertsyan was not fit enough to start because of a knock and came on in the 56th minute in place of Manvelyan.

The Armenia captain immediately added more activity in attack. Soon after entering the pitch, Spertsyan won a dangerous free kick, with a Montenegro player receiving a yellow card.

However, the hosts quickly adjusted and later managed to limit the Armenian midfielder’s influence on the game.

Artur Garibyan also had limited playing time because of fitness problems. The forward, who had missed the previous match against Cyprus after suffering an injury during the warm-up, came on only for the final few minutes.

Montenegro were reduced to ten men in the 87th minute after Stefan Lončar was sent off, but Armenia did not have enough time to make their numerical advantage count.

Armenia to continue their battle with Cyprus

After four rounds, the Group C2 standings are as follows:

1. Montenegro — 10 points
2. Cyprus — 7 points
3. Armenia — 4 points

Armenia will therefore continue their battle with Cyprus for second place in the final two rounds.

In November, Yeghishe Melikyan’s team will host Cyprus in Yerevan before completing the group stage with an away match against Latvia in Riga.

Line-ups

Armenia: Beglaryan — Piloyan, Simonyan (Petrosyan, 74), Harutyunyan, Tiknizyan (C) — Iwu, K. Hovhannisyan — Serobyan, N. Hovhannisyan (Garibyan, 88) — Manvelyan (Spertsyan, 56), Miranyan (Eloyan, 74).

Montenegro: Popović — Roganović (Vešović, 62), Savić, Đurić, Gašević — Janković (Lončar, 62), Adžić, Bulatović (Simun, 79) — Đukanović (Jovetić, 46), Krstović, Osmajić (Vukanić, 88).

Earlier in Yerevan, Montenegro defeated Armenia 3-2 thanks to an 89th-minute winner.

Interestingly, the two countries’ U21 teams also met in Podgorica on the same day. The Montenegro U21 — Armenia U21 match also ended in a draw — 1-1.

Armenia striker Grant-Leon Ranos also returned from injury today and scored his first goal for Tenerife in the Spanish Segunda División. He is expected to be available to help the national team in the November matches.