softfootball.com match preview
Lithuania will welcome Kosovo to the Darius and Girenas Stadium in Kaunas on Saturday afternoon, both sides keen to secure vital points in their UEFA Nations League campaign. With Lithuania sitting at the bottom of League C Group 2 without a single point, and Kosovo three points ahead in second place, this match carries significant implications for both teams.
Match Preview
Lithuania finds itself in a precarious position after narrowly avoiding relegation in the last Nations League campaign, thanks to a playoff win over Gibraltar. This time around, Edgaras Jankauskas’s side is struggling after two defeats in their opening matches. A 1-0 loss at home to Cyprus was followed by a heartbreaking 3-1 defeat to Romania, where they conceded two late goals to snatch defeat from the jaws of a potential draw.
Currently ranked 139th in the world by FIFA, Lithuania has had a tough run under Jankauskas since his reappointment in January 2023, with just four wins in their last 16 international outings (losing eight and drawing four). The hosts face a daunting challenge to return to winning ways, having only triumphed in two of their last 14 home matches in the past three years. To make matters worse, they suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat in their only prior meeting with Kosovo back in March 2021.
Kosovo, on the other hand, began their Nations League campaign with a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Romania but bounced back emphatically with a 4-0 victory against Cyprus. The Dardanians showcased their attacking prowess with a brace from all-time leading scorer Vedat Muriqi and goals from Albion Rrahmani and Lumbardh Dellova, marking their biggest win in over two years.
Ranked 104th by FIFA, Kosovo aims to better their previous Nations League performance, where they secured nine points from six matches. A win against Lithuania would place them well on their way to achieving that goal with three matches still to play, including a home game against Cyprus next Tuesday.
Team News
For Lithuania:
The hosts will be without veteran defender Linas Klimavicius, who has announced his retirement from international football. This will see Rokas Lekiatas and Edvinas Girdvainis pair up at centre-back, while Modestas Vorobjovas and Giedrius Matulevicius could anchor the midfield. Fedor Cernych, Lithuania’s leading scorer with 15 goals, has been recalled and will likely join Armandas Kucys in attack.
Possible Starting XI:
Gertmonas; Sirvys, Lekiatas, Girdvainis, Tutyskinas; Vorobjovas, Matulevicius; Dolznikov, Slivka, Cernych; Kucys
For Kosovo:
Kosovo will miss key players, including leading scorer Vedat Muriqi, FC Koln’s Leart Paqarada, and Dinamo Bucuresti’s Astrit Selmani due to injuries. In Muriqi’s absence, Albion Rrahmani is expected to take on a more prominent role in attack, supported by Milot Rashica and Ermal Krasniqi. Mergim Vojvoda returns from suspension and is likely to start at right-back.
Possible Starting XI:
Muric; Vojvoda, A. Rrahmani, Aliti, Rrudhani; Rexhbecaj, Zhegrova, V. Berisha; Rashica; A. Rrahmani, Krasniqi
Both teams will view this match as a must-win if they hope to challenge for promotion from League C. While Kosovo will be without their star striker Muriqi, their depth in attacking options should provide them the edge they need to overcome Lithuania. Expect Kosovo to leverage their recent momentum and secure a valuable away win.
Final score prediction: Lithuania 1-3 Kosovo
