
Nations League Preview: Iceland vs Kosovo, Playoffs B/C 2nd Leg
- Echofootball 2025/03/23 08:06
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Iceland return to action on Sunday aiming to overturn a deficit in their UEFA Nations League promotion/relegation playoff tie and preserve their League B status ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
They endured a tough campaign in League B Group 4, picking up seven points from their six games to finish third, as a pair of 2-0 wins over Montenegro was enough to see the Strakarnir Okkar avoid bottom spot and an immediate relegation.
After the second of those wins, they finished with a trip to Wales in November and succumbed to a 4-1 beating in Age Hareide's last game in the international hot seat, despite leading early through Andri Gudjohnsen, as Liam Cullen put the hosts 2-1 up in the first half and Brennan Johnson and Harry Wilson stretched the lead after the interval.
They then turned to new boss Arnar Gunnlaugsson, who began his tenure in Thursday's first leg against Kosovo, and despite drawing level at a goal apiece through Orri Oskarsson in the first half of that contest, Iceland now head to Spain needing to come from behind and prevail on aggregate if they are to avoid relegation in the UEFA Nations League.
Their opponents, meanwhile, head into the second leg aiming to extend their lead and punch their ticket to League B for the first time.
In their third straight campaign in third tier of the UEFA Nations League, Kosovo were able to achieve a second-placed finish in League C Group 2 last year, winning four and losing two of their six games to finish only behind Romania.
Those two losses came against the group winners, who won all six of their games, while the Dardanet completed doubles over Cyprus and Lithuania, beating the former 4-0 and 3-0 before finishing with a 1-0 triumph over the latter in mid-November thanks to Muharrem Jashari's early goal.
Thursday's home leg against Iceland was their first outing since that last victory last year, and Franco Foda's side took a crucial aggregate lead, as Lumbardh Dellova opened the scoring in the 19th minute and Elvis Rexhbecaj put them 2-1 up on the hour mark.
Kosovo now head to Spain hoping to make the most of that advantage and seal their promotion on Sunday.
Iceland possible starting lineup:
Valdimarsson; Palsson, Gunarsson, Ingason, Tomasson; Johannesson, Haraldsson; Thorsteinsson, Gudmundsson, Gudjohnsen; Oskarsson
Kosovo possible starting lineup:
Muric; Vojvoda, Rrahmani, Dellova, Paqarada; Demaku, Rexhbecaj; Krasniqi, Rashica, Rrudhani; Muriqi
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