Cyprus vs Kosovo: The two nations, which will face each other for the very first time, are separated by only two places in the FIFA world rankings, with Cyprus positioned in 105th place while Kosovo is ranked 107th.
Match preview
After failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, finishing fifth in their qualifying group with just five points from 10 matches. Cyprus managed to avoid relegation from Group 1.
The 2020-21 Nations League League C after a 2-0 aggregate win in a qualifier against Estonia in March.The two nations played out.A goalless draw in the first leg in Tallinn.
Before Cyprus won the second leg 2-0 at home thanks to strikes either side of halftime. Marinos Tzionis and Pieros Sotiriou.
Nikos Kostenoglou saw his side win for just the second time in 14 games since taking charge in February last year.
The 51-year-old is hoping for more success this month as he tries to get off to a good start for the 2022-23 Nations League. Cyprus have lost just one.
Their last five Nations League games and victory against Kosovo on Thursday would see them claim a third successive home win in the competition.
Kosovo finished third in Group 3 of the 2020-21 Nations League League C behind Greece and Slovenia.
Before finishing bottom of their 2022 World Cup qualifying group with just five points from eight matches.
The Dardanets played out a 1-1 draw with Greece in their last group game in November last year, and have since extended.
Their unbeaten run to three matches after scoring impressive results in friendlies against Burkina Faso and Switzerland in March.
Kosovo picked up their biggest joint victory since joining FIFA in 2016 when they beat Burkina Faso 5-0 at home, before drawing 1-1 against Switzerland.
Alain GiresseThe men now turn their attention to the Nations League and they head into Thursday’s trip to Larnaca in good goalscoring form away from home.
Cyprus vs Kosovo UEFA Nations League
As they have found the net in 16 of their last 20 internationals on the road . However, only five of those matches saw Kosovo earn a win.
Cyprus Nations League Form:
Cypriot form (all competitions):
Kosovo League of Nations form:
Form of Kosovo (all competitions):
Team News
Cypriot midfielders Chambos Kyriakou and Alex Gogic both started side by side Nikolas Panayiotou as a centre-back in the home-and-away game with Estonia three months ago.
All three players could keep their places on Thursday. sporting Kansas City’s Tzionis, who scored his first international goal last time out, will be hoping to retain his place.
In attack alongside Sotiriou, despite being an experienced striker. Demetris Christofi will also push to start.
As for Kosovo, Giresse is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to the side that drew with Switzerland earlier this year.from Napoli Amir Rrahmani is ready to lead
The centre-back’s team alongside either Mirlind Kryeziu Where Fidan Alitiprotective goalkeeper Arijanet Muric between the sticks.
Vedat Muriqiwho is the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 18 strikes to his name, should lead the line, and he could be supported on offense by milot rachica and Zymer Bytyqi.
Possible starting line-up from Cyprus:
Michael; Kyriakou, Gogic, Panagiotou; Antoniou, Kastanos, Avraam, Artymatas, Ioannou; Sotiriou, Tzionis
Possible starting line-up from Kosovo:
Muric; Hadergjonaj, Rrahmani, Aliti, Voivode; Berisha, Loshaj, Idrizi; Rashica, Muriqi, Bytyqi
We say: Cyprus 1-2 Kosovo
There isn’t much to separate these two nations, although Kosovo’s recent results against Greece, Burkina Faso and Switzerland suggest they are slight favorites going into this contest.
Both teams will see this game as a winnable game but we can see the visitors getting ahead of this encounter in Larnaca.
