Serbia lie in wait for Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland will look to maintain their unbeaten start in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group C as they pay a first visit to Serbia since their hosts became an independent nation.

Match background
• Northern Ireland's record in ten games against Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro, and the independent Serbia reads W1 D2 L7 (W0 D1 L3 away from home).

• The sides met for the only previous time in their current incarnations in a friendly game in Belfast on 14 November 2009, Danko Lazović's solitary effort earning a 1-0 win for Serbia.

• Northern Ireland's only victory against the old Yugoslavia came in their first meeting, a UEFA European Championship qualifier on 16 April 1975 in which Bryan Hamilton scored the only goal.

• Northern Ireland have visited Belgrade on two previous occasions, losing 1-0 in the return leg of the above tie in November 1975 and going down 4-1 to Yugoslavia in another UEFA European Championship qualifier on 27 March 1991, in which Darko Pančev scored a hat-trick.

• Serbia are without a win from their first two home qualifiers in Group C, while Northern Ireland have yet to lose home or away in the section.

• Serbia are staging this game behind closed doors as a punishment after serious disorder in the stands forced their 12 October qualifier against Italy in Genoa to be abandoned after just six minutes.