Gudmundsson was tasked with taking a free kick for Iceland. The cross was blocked, but the rebound fell to Helgasson, who fired a shot toward the far post that was saved by the Kosovo goalkeeper with one hand. It was an incredible chance to equalize for Iceland, which still hasn’t given up.
With Muriqi’s second goal, we head into halftime. Kosovo is leading Iceland 2-1 in the second leg of the playoff. The aggregate score is 4-2 in favor of the visiting team, who are already looking set to advance to the next round. Don’t miss the minute-by-minute coverage on VAVEL!
Muriqi again. He received an excellent through ball from Rashica, who had already seen him running into the box. Muriqi received the ball completely alone, and with a few touches, he sent the ball inside the goalkeeper’s far post. The aggregate score was 4-2 for Kosovo.
After the corner, Rrahmani had the ball bouncing and decided to take a bicycle kick that, to some people’s surprise, didn’t go far enough. It was a surprising attempt by the Kosovo captain, who is having a very good and solid match.
A nasty kick by Vojvoda in midfield earned him his first yellow card of the match. Had the kick been a little stronger and more aggressive, he could have been sent off, leaving his team with 10 players from the first half. Fortunately for Kosovo, that wasn’t the case.
After much insistence, Kosovo’s equalizer arrived. After a series of touches inside the box, Muriqi received a pass in the six-yard box and only had to tap it in to tie the match. The aggregate score is now 3-2 in Kosovo’s favor. A great goal from the visiting team.
A cross from Muriqi down the right flank was aimed at Rashica again. The player connected beautifully with his head, but the Icelandic goalkeeper was very good at blocking the ball and kept it. Once again, Kosovo had a chance to equalize; they are already starting to waste their opportunities.
Iceland’s number 14, Helgasson, attempted to respond with a shot from outside the box. It was a good attempt by the Icelandic player, considering his team had no further chances after the first goal. The shot went wide, but the attempt was applauded by his teammates.
Rashica received a through ball from the back and, as he was approaching the box, was blocked by the Iceland’s defender. It was Kosovo’s clearest chance of the match so far; the players were appealing for a penalty, but the referee waved play on.
Iceland tries to break the lines with through balls, but so far, there hasn’t been a target player who could have hurt the opposing team and scored their second goal of the day. Iceland struggles to break through the midfield, feeling somewhat stifled in their own half.
Kosovo’s number 18 attempted another surprise shot from outside the box, but it wasn’t a surprise at all. The shot sailed over the crossbar, bouncing off the top of the net. Kosovo persists, and if they continue like this, an equalizer will arrive at any moment.
Kosovo’s number 7, Rashica, attempted a surprise shot from outside the box with his right foot. The shot sailed well over the crossbar, but the visiting team was already closing in on the opponent’s half with multiple plays and shots.
Iceland tried to create danger down the left, but after the first goal, Kosovo’s defense positioned itself better in its own half. We’ll see if Iceland can break the lines and create a second scoring opportunity.
Goal from the top scorer! Oskarsson sent the ball into the back of the net in the first minute of the game. The cross came in from the corner kick and the Real Sociedad striker found it in a perfect position to send it home. The score is now 2-2 on aggregate.
Iceland moves the ball and the game begins. In a neutral stadium, the Icelandic national team will try to come back from 2-1 down, but they will have to face a tough Kosovo team. Don’t miss a moment of the match on VAVEl!
We will soon share with you the starting lineups for the Iceland vs Kosovo live match, as well as the latest information from the Enrique Roca Stadium. Don’t miss a single detail of the live match updates and commentary from VAVEL’s coverage.
Defender Amir Rrahmani is the most outstanding player of the Kosovo national team. The 31-year-old defender and captain has been playing no less than 100% of the minutes played for Napoli in the 2024-2025 season. This player is an undisputed starter for both his team and his national team. According to Transfermarkt, Rrahmani has a valuation of 12 million euros, making him the highest rated player in his team.
Orri Óskarsson, the 20-year-old striker who scored Iceland’s equalizer in the first leg, is the player to watch in this match. The young Real Sociedad striker is the top scorer for his national team this season, with a total of four goals. With his team, he has nine goals in 39 games played this season.
Throughout history, Iceland and Kosovo have met three times, with Iceland holding the upper hand with two wins and one loss. The first two matches between these two teams were in 2017 in the qualifiers for the World Cup in Russia. Eight years later, both teams are facing each other to determine who will advance to the next round of the UEFA Nations League.
On the other hand, the Kosovo team had a better tournament than their opponents, finishing second in their group after four wins and two losses, one of them by default. Kosovo was able to pull out the victory in the first leg, we will see if the team coached by Franco Foda can hold the result.
This team, whose name resounded so much at Euro 2016, is in a moment that keeps them far from the level they achieved. The Icelandic team comes from losing in the first leg by a score of 2-1, now, the team led by Arnar Bergmann will try to come back to stay alive in a complicated tournament. Iceland had two wins, one draw and three defeats in the six rounds played.