Who will claim their second win?
When Austria hosts Kosovo on Sunday at a sold-out Happel Stadium, the two winners from the first matchday will face off. While Ralf Rangnick’s team secured a late victory against a depleted Israeli side in a hard-fought match, the 78th-ranked team in the FIFA World Rankings also kicked off Group B3 of the Nations League with a three-point win over Ireland. But it’s not just the on-field situation that makes this matchup so explosive. As the visiting team’s coach in the Austria vs. Kosovo match, Franco Foda will face his successor as ÖFB head coach, Ralf Rangnick, for the first time.
A look at the numbers reveals a seemingly clear picture. Ranked 23rd in the world—and having qualified for more major tournaments in recent years than its opponent—Austria sits well above Foda’s team in the rankings. Nevertheless, the prediction for Austria vs. Kosovo is that it will be a close match.
First, the personnel situation must be addressed. While most of Kosovo’s regulars—such as veteran star Vedat Muriqi and the young core of Hoffenheim players Leon Avdullahu, Fisnik Asllani, and Albian Hajdari, as well as Juventus pro Edon Zhegrova—are fit, the Red-White-Red will have to do without several key players. With David Alaba, Marcel Sabitzer, Christoph Baumgartner, and Konrad Laimer already on the injury list before the match against Israel, new captain Michael Gregoritsch has now also been sidelined.
While Ralf Rangnick can still field a formidable squad that should normally be superior to Kosovo’s, the absences were already evident on Thursday during a largely disappointing performance. Therefore, one should consider backing the visitors in the Austria vs. Kosovo match.
On the other hand, the solid defense of Kosovo’s defense-oriented national team coach (six clean sheets in the last ten games) suggests that the underdog can keep the game at Happel Oval close for a long time. Since the Austrians also have a very strong defense, it’s entirely conceivable that Sunday’s match will turn into a tough, low-scoring affair.
In particular, Kosovo’s offense—which is above average for a team of its country’s size and features players like Vedat Muriqi, Adam Zhegrova, and Fisnik Asllani—is certainly capable of scoring a goal on Sunday. Since Kosovo has failed to score in only three of its last 16 games, the betting odds offered by Interwetten for a goal by Franco Foda’s team in the Austria vs. Kosovo match look very attractive.
Austria – Kosovo Head-to-Head Record
Sunday will mark a first. Austria and Kosovo have never faced each other in an international match. This completely reshuffles the deck in the Nations League. The two teams will now even face each other twice within a week.
Austria vs. Kosovo Prediction
In this matchup between the former and current Austrian head coaches, Ralf Rangnick’s squad is, of course, the heavy favorite. However, the Red-White-Reds have recently lost a lot of individual talent, which was clearly evident in their match against Israel. Franco Foda, on the other hand, has a full roster to draw from and will—building on a solid defensive foundation—develop a game plan that keeps his team in the running for a long time.
In addition to the handicap bet on the visitors and the prediction of few goals, it might also be worth betting on Kosovo to score. Vedat Muriqi, in particular, proved with his goal against Ireland that he’s far from past his prime.
