Austria and Kosovo started with wins: prediction for Austria vs. Kosovo
Kosovo
The UEFA Nations League second-round clash between Austria and Kosovo will take place on September 27 at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna. Both teams started with wins: Austria defeated Israel 3-1, while Kosovo edged past Ireland 1-0.
Austria: the attack is firing again, but the win did not come easily
Ralf Rangnick's side continues to confirm its status as one of the most prolific teams in League B. In the opening round, Austria defeated Israel 3-1, although the decisive goals came only late in the match against an opponent that had been reduced to 10 men.
Austria are once again targeting promotion to League A after failing in their previous playoff tie against Serbia. At the same time, the squad is gradually being reshaped: Marko Arnautovic has retired from international football, Marcel Sabitzer is taking a break, David Alaba was not called up, and Konrad Laimer is injured.
Kosovo: debut in League B begins with a win
Kosovo continue to make progress and opened their campaign at the new level with a 1-0 victory over Ireland. The only goal came in the 83rd minute from Vedat Muriqi, who remains the main leader of the attack.
Franco Foda's team have won four of their last seven competitive matches and head to Vienna full of confidence. Kosovo are playing in League B for the first time, but have already shown that they can compete at this level.
Match facts
- Austria opened the tournament with a 3-1 win over Israel.
- Kosovo won their first League B match, defeating Ireland 1-0.
- Vedat Muriqi has 19 goal contributions in the Nations League — more than anyone except Erling Haaland.
A deeper squad could decide the outcome: prediction for Austria vs. Kosovo
Kosovo are on the rise and will surely cause problems for the hosts, particularly through Muriqi and Zhegrova. However, Austria look stronger in midfield and have more options to change the game as the match progresses.
If the contest remains tight into the second half, squad depth and home advantage could tilt the balance in Rangnick's team's favor.
