Romania vs Kosovo Prediction & Tips
As far as European Championships are concerned, Romania has maintained a “one yes, one no” qualifying sequence from 2000 onwards. After failing to attend the most recent edition in 2020, they are currently on track to contest the 2024 edition in Germany, going into Tuesday’s match at the National Stadium in second place in Group I. Coach Edi Iordănescu remains “convinced” that his national team can qualify based on the fighting attitude possessed by his players.
The Tricolor team has built its success on having the best defense in the group, conceding just four goals in five games and keeping two clean sheets in the process. However, a campaign that got off to a great start with wins over Andorra and Belarus has stalled with three consecutive draws, although the last two came against their closest rivals: table-toppers Switzerland and third-placed Israel.
Romania’s first draw came against their next opponents, Kosovo, who are currently the group’s “draw kings” with four such results in five appearances. The “Dardanians”, who are competing for the second time in Euro qualification after joining UEFA in May 2016 and reaching the playoff in 2020, drew six of their last seven clashes and won only one of their last ten (E6, P3).
The Primož Gliha-led team, currently fifth in the group, needs to quickly start converting those draws into wins if it is to close the five-point gap to second place and threaten to take one of the qualifying spots. A win in Bucharest would go a long way towards achieving that, although Gliha admitted that his side would need to improve their starting performance to do so, with their only goal in the first half of this qualifying campaign coming from the boot of Israeli defender Eli Dasa thanks to an own goal.
Players to watch: Denis Alibec is Romania’s top scorer in the current qualifying campaign with two goals, and his side has not lost when he has started and scored. Meanwhile, Vedat Muriqi is Kosovo’s all-time leading scorer and is on target for a third consecutive international appearance after scoring against Belarus in June, as well as adding two goals in the 2-2 draw with Switzerland on Saturday.
Key stat: Both Kosovo and Romania have scored in eight of their last nine matches and the scoreless draw between the teams in June was the only time they failed to score in those games.
Romania – Kosovo FREE TIPS
Romania – Win @ 2.25
