Nations League | League B

Nov 19, 2024 at 7.45pm UK

Air Albania Stadium

Albaniavs.Ukraine

Match preview

With one game left and currently sitting in third place, Albania are in a tricky spot. They're in danger of being relegated, and to avoid that, they'll need to beat a League C side in March.

The only thing that separates them from second-placed Georgia is their inferior goal difference. The Czech Republic are one point ahead of both, so if Albania win on Tuesday evening, they could even take the top spot.

Sylvinho's team are still in the running for automatic promotion after a tense 0-0 draw with the Czechs on Saturday, which took their tally up to seven points so far.

After a strong start to their Nations League campaign with a 2-1 away win over Ukraine, thanks to goals from Ardian Ismajli and Jasir Asani, Albania then had a couple of disappointing losses before beating Georgia.

It's the second time in three days that the Kuqezinjte will perform for their home fans in Tirana, so they'll be hoping to use that advantage to make the leap up to League A. Ukraine's campaign started with that defeat to Albania two months ago, and they've only won one game since then – when Mykhaylo Mudryk's goal claimed maximum points against Georgia.

However, with the standings in Group 1 so tight, they're still in the running for a top-two finish.

If they lose or draw for the third time, then Serhiy Rebrov's side will be heading to League C. But if they win, they'll be in at least the promotion play-off.

They kept themselves in the running by sharing the points with Georgia last time out, letting a lead they'd held for most of the game slip during the final 15 minutes in Batumi.

While Ukraine have bounced back well from losing twice in September, they're now facing a must-win finale on Albanian turf and can't afford to slip up again.

Recent Performance

Albania Nations League form:WLLWD

Albania form (all competitions):LWLLWD

Ukraine Nations League form:LLWDD

Ukraine form (all competitions):DLLWDD

Team News

Armando Broja and Rey Manaj, who are usually the first-choice strikers, are still missing from Albania's squad, so Indrit Tuci started up front on Saturday instead of Mirlind Daku.

Ernest Muci, who plays for Besiktas, has been struggling with a foot injury that he picked up in training. However, he might now be back in contention.

Sylvinho paired Ardian Ismajli and Arlind Ajeti at the back last time out without experienced defenders Marash Kumbulla and Berat Djimsiti, and he could do so again on Tuesday.

If captain Elseid Hysaj, who plays his club football for Lazio, is called back to the starting XI, he'll be playing behind an Italy-based engine room run by Lecce's Ylber Ramadani and Inter Milan playmaker Kristjan Asllani.

In other news, Ukraine will be without Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin once again, with Benfica's Anatoliy Trubin continuing in goal.

Girona winger Viktor Tsygankov and Dynamo Kyiv trio Vitaliy Buyalskyi, Andriy Yarmolenko and Oleksandr Pikhalyonok are also out of action.

Artem Dovbyk will lead the visitors' attack, with support from speedy winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, who has had limited minutes in the Premier League this season but generally enjoys the trust of Serhiy Rebrov.

Possible starting lineup

Albania possible starting lineup:

Strakosha; Hysaj, Ismajli, Ajeti, Mitaj; Asllani, Ramadani; Asani, Bajrami, Uzuni; Tuci

Ukraine possible starting lineup:

Trubin; Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Mykolenko; Brazhko; Hutsulyak, Shaparenko, Sudakov, Mudryk; Dovbyk