Will the Zmajceki turn things around?
A minor surprise is brewing in Group B of the World Cup qualifiers. While Switzerland leads the table with ten out of a possible twelve points, it is not the still winless nations of Sweden and Slovenia that are in second place, but Kosovo. The Dardanes are four points ahead of the hosts this time around.
So if Slovenia’s prediction of a home win for the Zmajceki (English: the Dragons) against Kosovo does not come true, the Blue and Whites would be certain of qualifying for the playoffs even before Tuesday’s big showdown against Switzerland and could even cautiously eye the group victory with an away win in Ljubljana.
However, the Slovenian team is still capable of turning things around with two wins from their final two group games, but to do so, their offense, which has failed to score in three consecutive international games – including the 0-0 draw in the first leg in Pristina – will have to step up. The problem is that goal scorer Benjamin Sesko (Manchester United) will miss this international match due to injury, so Andraz Sporar will probably have to lead the attack, whose record of twelve goals in 62 international matches is modest.
The Dardanians therefore have a good chance of securing a goalless draw, which we want to cover with our main tip. In the Slovenia vs. Kosovo prediction, we therefore recommend the match combo on the double chance 1X with under 3.5 goals.
It is unlikely to be a high-scoring game on the sunny side of the Alps, especially as the Slovenians’ core competence lies in their defensive work. In addition, the Zmajceki have one of the strongest goalkeepers in the world between the posts in Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak. It would therefore make sense to simply bet on a low-action qualifying game and bet on a maximum of two goals.
Slovenia – Kosovo Head-to-head record
Head to head: 2 – 1 – 0
The two nations, who were drawn in the same group in the 2020/21 UEFA Nations League, have only crossed paths three times. Back then, Slovenia not only won the first leg in Pristina 1-0, but also beat Kosovo 2-1 in the return leg in Ljubljana. Now, the two teams will meet again in the World Cup qualifiers in the Slovenian capital, after the first leg on October 10, 2025, ended in a 0–0 draw.
Slovenia – Kosovo Tip
Although the best bookmakers’ betting odds for Slovenia vs. Kosovo favor the Zmajceki, who are very strong at home, the Slovenians are now facing a very tough defense in the absence of goal scorer Benjamin Sesko, against which they were unable to achieve a decisive victory in the first leg (final score: 0-0).
The Dardanians could also secure a guaranteed place in the playoffs with a point in Ljubljana, which would be a really big deal for the number 84 in the FIFA world rankings. We therefore expect the Blue and Whites to park the bus in their own penalty area in the Slovenian capital.
It’s unlikely to be a high-scoring game, although we’re leaning towards the Slovenian team given the quality of their squad. Against this backdrop, our tip for Slovenia vs. Kosovo is double chance 1X with under 3.5 goals.
