Kosovo vs Lithuania prediction: EUROPE: UEFA Nations League – League C betting tips on match 2024-11-17 19:45.
[p]Kosovo may have jeopardised their chances of a first-place finish in UEFA Nations League Group C2 by leaving the pitch moments before the conclusion of their Friday game away to Romania. The fate of that match, which was 0-0 after 93 minutes, now has to be determined by a UEFA committee and precedent suggests that Kosovo may be deemed to have forfeited the fixture. [/p]
[p]A subsequent 3-0 awarded loss would mean that automatic promotion to League B would be out of reach, though they can still take their place in next year’s promotion-relegation play-offs with a win or draw at home to the pointless Lithuania, who they defeated 2-1 in the reverse H2H last month. But their last two years of home results, which includes failures to win as warm favourites at home to Belarus (L 1-0), Andorra (D 1-1), Faroe Islands (D 1-1) and Armenia (D 2-2), shows they cannot afford to take any visiting opposition for granted. [/p]
[p]That’s especially pertinent here as Lithuania are fighting for League C survival and, despite being bottom of the group with five losses, still have a narrow path to avoid relegation. With a victory here and other League C results going their way, such as Luxembourg losing to Northern Ireland, they could qualify for the promotion-relegation play-offs just as they did in 2022/23 when defeating Gibraltar to stay in League C. [/p]
[p]But with ten losses from their last 11 League C group stage matches (excluding those two play-off legs v Gibraltar), anything better than a miserable defeat looks unlikely. Head coach Edgaras Jankauskas has pleaded with his players “not to give up” despite the grim circumstances. If there’s anything to draw hope from, it’s that Lithuania held 1-1 positions in three of their five games in this group stage only to concede the eventual match-winner after half-time. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: One of Edon Zhegrova’s five goals in UEFA competitions this season for Lille or Kosovo was recorded in the reverse win over Lithuania. Twenty-year-old Gvidas Gineitis was one of Lithuania’s highest-rated players in that match and should draw strength from scoring his maiden senior international goal last outing. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Just one of Lithuania’s last seven losses were by a 2+ goal margin.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Aaron Murphy[/i][/p]