Preview: Slovakia vs Kosovo – prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to maneuver one step nearer to a spot in North America this summer season, Slovakia and Kosovo conflict of their World Cup playoff semi-ultimate on Thursday night time.

Bratislava will play host to the match between the Falcons and the Dardanians, with the winner going through off towards both Romania or Turkey subsequent week for a spot at soccer’s largest event.

Match preview

Drawn right into a World Cup qualification group alongside European giants Germany, it was all the time probably that Slovakia can be pressured to take the playoff route in an try to achieve solely their second-ever World Cup finals.

The first a part of that proposed narrative unfolded final yr, with the Falcons ending second behind Julian Naglesmann’s troops of their 4-team part, gathering 12 factors from six matches, three factors greater than third-positioned Northern Ireland.

Despite a optimistic marketing campaign general thus far, Francesco Calzona‘s troops suffered a beating throughout their most up-to-date aggressive match in November 2025, once they have been hit for six with out reply in Leipzig by Germany, who inflicted Slovakia’s heaviest defeat since January 2017.

Now on a mission to keep away from again-to-again aggressive losses for the primary time since a blended UEFA Nations League C marketing campaign in 2022, the Falcons have house benefit in Bratislava for a winner-takes-all semi-ultimate on Thursday.

No participant scored greater than eleven for Slovakia throughout their six-sport qualification marketing campaign, nevertheless, there are a selection of gamers who might be acquainted to English Championship followers, with Middlesbrough’s David Strelec and Thomas Rigo of Stoke City each discovering the online.

Since becoming a member of the UEFA ecosystem in September 2016 throughout the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Kosovo have loved a gentle rise in the direction of the higher reaches of worldwide soccer, seeking to make their first-ever main event this summer season.

The Dardanians suffered defeat simply as soon as throughout six qualification matches final yr however might solely handle a second-positioned end of their part behind common tournaments Switzerland, with the 2 nations sharing the spoils throughout their final assembly in Pristina in November.

Unlike Thursday’s hosts, Kosovo possess an attacking expertise making headlines in a high league, with 23-yr-outdated Fisnik Asllani netting eight targets and offering 5 assists in 26 Bundesliga appearances for Hoffenheim this season.

Across aggressive and pleasant encounters, the Dardanians have misplaced simply one in every of their previous 11 matches relationship again to November 2024, when the Balkan nation was combating for promotion to Nations League B.

Taking his second worldwide function following stints in German and Austrian membership soccer, Franco Foda is on the wheel for Kosovo as they search World Cup qualification, with the 59-yr-outdated profitable 12 of his 19 contests to this point.

Slovakia World Cup Qualifying – Europe kind:

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Kosovo World Cup Qualifying – Europe kind:

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Team News

© Imago

Slovakia are unable to name upon the providers of Lubomir Satka, with the centre-again breaking a bone in his hand earlier this month.

Taking a break from combating relegation at Burnley within the Premier League, Martin Dubravka will begin in between the sticks for the Falcons.

A metronomical determine for the hosts in the course of the park, Stanislav Lobotka might be hoping to have his fingerprints over all a Slovakian success on Thursday.

A former Turf Moor common, Kosovo’s Arijanet Muric is at the moment plying his commerce at Sassuolo in Serie A forward of this month’s essential playoffs.

Slovakia doable beginning lineup:

Dubravka; Gyomber, Skriniar, Obert, Hancko; Rigo, Lobotka, Duda; Duris, Sauer, Strelec

Kosovo doable beginning lineup:

Muric; Dellova, Rrahmani, Aliti, Gallapeni; Vojvoda, Hodza, Rexhbecaj, Musliga; Asllani, Muriqi

We say: Slovakia 2-1 Kosovo

In a greater place squad-clever following an damage disaster, Slovakia are in an excellent place to struggle for World Cup qualification this month.

Kosovo want to lengthen their unbeaten run to 6 matches however are prone to endure a Bratislava beating on Thursday.

For knowledge evaluation of the most probably outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.