Kosovo vs Switzerland prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-09-08 18:45.
A run of five successive draws ended for Kosovo on matchday four of Group I of their 2024 UEFA European Championship Qualifying (ECQ) with a 2-1 defeat to Belarus. That leaves them five points behind the top two ahead of their crucial upcoming fixture against Switzerland, making it effectively a must-win to stay in the hunt for a first-ever tournament group-stage qualification as an independent nation.
That would need the Dardanians to halt a seven-game winless run in the ECQs (D3, L4) since their last such victory (at home to Montenegro in October 2019). The charm of playing in front of their own fans does seem to bring out the best in Kosovo, who have avoided defeat in five of their six ECQ home games (W2, D3, L1), restricting their opponents to at most one goal in those six matches.
Group leaders Switzerland were cruising 2-0 when Romania surprised them with two late goals in a 2-2 draw in June, denying them a fourth straight win in this campaign. With a two-point cushion at the summit, progressing to a third straight Euros appearance remains in their own hands, and the Red Crosses will be looking to recreate the form that saw them secure six successive ECQ wins prior to that draw.
As they look to avoid failing to win consecutive matches for the first time since June 2022, the Swiss can fall back on the comforts of three straight away ECQ wins. Those games saw the team score 13 goals, although Kosovo’s defence may prove a tough nut to crack, having conceded two goals or more just once in their last five home internationals.
Players to watch: Vedat Muriqi may well fancy his chances of getting on the scoresheet as 11 of his last 14 goals for his country have come in Kosovo’s home matches. This will be an emotional match for Granit Xhaka, who has Kosovar-Albanian roots and has in the past celebrated scoring against Serbia by replicating the Albanian two-headed Eagle with his fingers. The Swiss won’t mind a repeat celebration, as 11 of his 13 goals in national colours have come in wins.
Hot stat: Kosovo have kept a first-half clean sheet in each of their last five matches.