Kosovo VS Iceland Match Prediction
- 2017-03-24
- 19:45:00
Iceland will win this match.
Iceland and Kosovo have never previously met in an international fixture, either officially or unofficially.
%HEAD-TO-HEAD-STATS-BANNER%Kosovo are a developing team and will view the visit of Iceland as a chance to prove their worth on the international stage, particularly with the visitors struggling with injury. Nevertheless, Iceland need a win to keep their qualification campaign on track, and should come away with all three points.
Iceland are 4/11 to win in Shkoder with all three of Bet365, Betfair and Betway, with Kosovo as high as 15/2 with the latter. The draw is 4/1 with Bet365 and Betway.
Both teams to score has been set at 17/20 for both yes and no (Betfair).
Reason: Iceland may have a long injury list, but Kosovo are still finding their feet at international level. While Iceland have several players unavailable, Gylfi Sigurdsson is fit which is a huge boost for the visitors.
Once again Kosovo's available pool of players has grown, allowing manager Albert Bunjaki to call up several new faces for the first time. Having scored just one goal in their opening four games, and with Albert Bunjaku out with a knee injury, in-form Melbourne Victory striker Besart Berisha, a former Albania international, could make his debut alongside fellow new boy Atdhe Nuhiu. Midfielder Enis Alushi is suspended, but Bersant Celina and Hekuran Kryeziu are back in the squad.
Besart Berisha's clearance to play for Kosovo could be the spark the team need in front of goal. In 27 games for Melbourne Victory this season, Berisha has scored 20 goals.
Having won their first ever official match, a friendly against Faroe Islands in June, Kosovo started their qualification campaign with a 1-1 draw in Finland. Three defeats have followed, however, with Kosovo failing to score as they lost 6-0 at home to Croatia before losing 3-0 and 2-0 in Ukraine and Turkey respectively.
Goalkeeper:Ujkani
Defenders:Perdedaj, Rrahmani, Pnishi, Kololli
Midfielders:Rashica, Shala, Kryeziu, Celina
Forwards:Berisha, Nuhiu
Heimir Hallgrimsson has an injury nightmare to contend with for Iceland's trip to Kosovo, with Birkir Bjarnason, Johann Gudmundsson, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson and Alfred Finnbogason - the team's top scorer in qualifying so far - all injured, though Kari Arnason is back in contention. Theodor Elmar Bjarnason is suspended, meanwhile.
Despite Iceland's injury crisis they still have star man Gylfi Sigurdsson available. The Swansea man has eight goals and 11 assists in the English Premier League this season.
Iceland have already played three times in 2017, losing 1-0 to Mexico in Las Vegas with a largely inexperienced squad in their most recent friendly in February. Prior to that, a squad consisting entirely of Iceland or Scandinavia-based players beat China PR in the China Cup but lost 1-0 to Chile. Iceland beat Malta 2-0 in their most recent major international friendly, while their last qualifying game ended in a 2-0 defeat in Croatia.
Goalkeeper:Halldorsson
Defenders:Saevarsson, Arnason, R.Sigurdsson, Magnusson
Midfielders:Traustason, Gunnarsson, Hallfreosson, Gislason
Forwards:G.Sigurdsson, Bodvarsson