The Matchday 5 clash in the Nations League between Romania and Kosovo in Group 2 of League C will take place on November 15 at the National Stadium in Bucharest. Romania vs. Kosovo: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Morten Krogh (Denmark)
Matches – 12 (International matches, 2023/24–2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 46;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.8;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 23;
Penalties – 42%.
Predicted lineups for Romania vs. Kosovo
Romania (4-3-3): Florin Nita – Andrei Ratiu, Radu Dragusin, Andrei Burca, Nicusor Bancu – Razvan Marin, Marius Marin, Nicolae Stanciu – Dennis Man, Denis Dragus, Valentin Mihaila.
Kosovo (4-5-1): Arijanet Muric – Fidan Aliti, Lumbardh Delova, Amir Rrahmani, Mergim Vojvoda – Lindon Emerllahu, Muarem Jashari, Ilir Krasniqi, Valon Berisha, Edon Zhegrova – Vedat Muriqi.
Romania
The team secured their fourth victory in the current Nations League campaign by defeating Lithuania 2-1 in the last round. Romania's winning streak in this tournament has now extended to five matches. Unsurprisingly, the team tops the standings in Group 2 of League C, leading Kosovo by three points. Avoiding defeat in the upcoming match will guarantee Romania's victory in the group and promotion to League B. Mircea Lucescu's side also leads the group in both offensive and defensive stats with an 11:2 goal difference. Moreover, Romania shares the top spot in the ranking of the most prolific teams in League C alongside Sweden.
- The team has scored at least two goals in their last five Nations League matches.
- Romania's uncompromising home run in this tournament stands at six matches (4 wins, 2 losses).
- The team opened the scoring in 6 of their last 8 home matches in the Nations League.
Kosovo
Kosovo has also performed well in the Nations League, currently on a three-match winning streak. In the October cycle, they defeated Lithuania (2-1) and Cyprus (3-0). Their only loss in the current tournament came against Romania, losing 0-3 at home. The team occupies second place in the group and cannot drop lower. To maintain a chance of winning the group, they need to win the upcoming match. In the 2024/25 Nations League, Kosovo has scored 9 goals and conceded 4.
- The team has not drawn in their last 12 Nations League matches (7 wins, 5 losses).
- Kosovo has scored in 5 of their last 6 Nations League matches, netting at least twice in 4 of them.
- The number "2" has appeared in the final scoreline in 5 of Kosovo's last 6 away matches in this tournament.
Romania vs. Kosovo: Match Prediction
The hosts are close to winning the group and moving up to League B, needing only to secure points in the upcoming match. This task seems achievable, given Romania's strong performance in the current Nations League campaign. They have not only won all their matches but also boast the best goal difference in the entire League C (+9). Therefore, I don't think the hosts will settle for a draw; they will likely aim to delight the home crowd with another victory.
It will be challenging for the visitors to take points from Romania. Yes, they have won their last three matches in the tournament, but they beat weaker opponents – Cyprus and Lithuania. They could not put up a fight against the upcoming opponent in the first round, losing 0-3 at home. Meanwhile, Romania has won 4 of their last 5 home matches in the Nations League, defeating strong teams like Norway, Finland, and Bosnia.
I believe the home crowd will once again help the hosts secure 3 points. My prediction: Romania to Win