Ireland is set to face Kosovo in their opening UEFA Nations League B match on Thursday, away from home as they look to start their new campaign on a positive note.
Kosova vs Ireland – Match preview and team news
- Date: Thursday, 24th September.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
- Venue: Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri, Prishtinë.
Kosovo team news
Kosovo enters its debut campaign in League B with significant squad rotations forced by long-term absences and late injuries.
Manager Franco Foda must navigate a severely depleted midfield, as Florent Muslija remains sidelined with an ACL tear, and Wolfsburg’s Elvis Rexhbecaj is out as well.
The squad also suffered late blows with the withdrawals of Donat Rrudhani and Kreshnik Hajrizi due to fitness issues in training.
In a major squad update, Foda announced a permanent shift in team leadership. Star striker Vedat Muriqi has been officially named the new national team captain, with Torino defender Mërgim Vojvoda stepping up as vice-captain.
Together, they will spearhead a resilient, reshaped lineup looking to exploit Ireland’s defensive vulnerabilities on home soil.
Ireland team news
The Republic of Ireland faces a massive injury crisis ahead of their trip to Pristina, leaving manager Heimir Hallgrímsson with a severely depleted roster.
A heavy wave of injuries has decimated the squad’s spine, ruling out current skipper Nathan Collins and veteran fullback Seamus Coleman.
In their absence, defender Dara O’Shea will captain the national team. The casualty list grows longer across all departments, with star striker Evan Ferguson, midfield anchor Josh Cullen, Jack Taylor, Mikey Johnston, and Oisin McEntee all sidelined.
Furthermore, Jamie McGrath and Harvey Vale were both forced to withdraw from the initial squad selection.
Despite these extensive losses, Ireland will rely on the stellar form of Troy Parrott to lead the attacking line. The forward enters the match in exceptional international form, having netted six goals in his last six appearances for the Boys in Green.
Form
Kosovo
Kosovo heads into this fixture with mixed momentum, showing a balanced run of three wins, one draw, and two losses across their last six international outings. While they suffered heartbreak in March with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Turkey that denied them a World Cup spot, they bounced back well by securing a convincing 3-0 victory against Andorra in June. Notably resilient on their home soil in Pristina, they have suffered just one defeat in their last ten matches in front of their home crowd.
Ireland
The Republic of Ireland enters the competition on the back of strong, consistent form, remaining completely unbeaten in their last four matches. Their recent stretch includes two wins and two draws, highlighted by dominant friendly victories, such as a 5-0 thrashing of Grenada, alongside hard-fought draws against Canada and North Macedonia. Looking to build long-term momentum under Heimir Hallgrímsson, the Boys in Green aim to secure three consecutive Nations League victories for the first time in their history.
Predicted lineups
Kosovo: Muric; Vojvoda, Dellova, Hajdari, Gallapeni; Zhegrova, Hoxha, Rrudhani, Rashica; Asllani, Muriqi
Ireland: Kelleher; O’Brien, Egan, O’Shea; Abankwah, Molumby, Knight, Manning; Azaz, Ogbene; Parrott
How to watch Kosova vs Ireland?
The UEFA Nations League clash between Kosovo and the Republic of Ireland is available to stream live in the UK tonight via Amazon Prime Video UK.
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