Nations League | League C

Oct 15, 2024 at 7.45pm UK

Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri

Kosovo vs Cyprus

Match preview

Kosovo left Kaunas with maximum points on Saturday, beating Lithuania 2-1 to record back-to-back Group 2 wins, with Lille winger Edon Zhegrova and Sparta Prague's Ermal Krasniqi scoring either side of half-time.

The hosts reduced their advantage in the 84th minute after a glaring error by goalkeeper Amir Saipi, who then redeemed himself with a crucial late save.

The result leaves Kosovo in second place, three points behind leaders Romania, and on course for a promotion play-off when the group stage concludes next month.

Head coach Franco Foda has made it three wins from six since taking charge in February, and with home games against the group's bottom two still to come, the Dardanians will be confident of making the leap to League B.

Kosovo, ranked 104th in the world by FIFA, went down to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Romania in their opening match, but ended a three-match losing streak with a 4-0 win in Cyprus last month and will be hoping for a similar result on home soil.

Kosovo will be without their all-time leading scorer Vedat Muriqi on Tuesday as the Mallorca striker, who took his international tally to 28 with a brace against Cyprus last month, remains sidelined with a muscle injury.

After that disastrous defeat in September - their third straight Nations League loss to Kosovo in three years - Cyprus failed to bounce back when they returned to action at the weekend.

Trailing by three goals at half-time to Romania, the Cypriots were hammered 3-0 by the Euro 2024 finalists in Larnaca to make it 19-1 losses in each of their last six competitive home matches.

At the halfway stage of their latest Nations League campaign, the Cypriots, ranked 123rd in the latest FIFA World Ranking, are third in Group 2 and still in danger of relegation.

Meanwhile, Cyprus may make changes at the back after conceding seven goals in their last two games - but their main man up front should remain the same.

Lithuania, meanwhile, are yet to pick up a point, which means Sofronis Avgousti's side have a cushion between themselves and the bottom three, and with second place earning them a play-off spot, promotion is not out of the question.

However, the Cypriots have conceded 11 goals in their three previous meetings with Kosovo, and their current form suggests they may struggle to keep a clean sheet in Pristina.

Recent Performance

Kosovo Nations League form:LWW

Kosovo form (all competitions):WLLLWW

Cyprus Nations League form:WLL

Cyprus form (all competitions):LLWWLL

Injuries and suspensions

Kosovo

23 Leart Paçarada

Cyprus

-- Minas Antoniou

Possible starting lineups

Kosovo possible starting lineup:

Muric; Vojvoda, Am. Rrahmani, Aliti, Rrudhani; Jashari, V. Berisha; Zhegrova, Muslija, Rashica; Al. Rrahmani

Cyprus possible starting lineup:

Mall; Karo, Gogic, Laifis, Ioannou; Kousoulos, Charalampous; Loizou, Kastanos, Tzionis; Pittas