Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the UEFA Nations League match.
A disappointing elimination from Euro 2024 in the Round of 16 against the Netherlands (0:3) could impact the future development of Romania. However, the team showed their potential during the group stage, and they will begin their climb to League B with an away match against Kosovo, as the team has no equals at this level in the third division.
Kosovo
In the Euro 2024 qualifiers, Kosovo delighted fans with two consecutive victories over Andorra (3:0) and Israel (1:0) at the end of last year. However, those wins were not enough to secure even a top-four finish in their group, and a slip-up against Belarus in the final round (0:1, with only 0.72 xG from 4 shots on target) meant they couldn't even claim third place. In friendlies against Hungary (0:2) and Norway (0:3), Kosovo failed to pose a challenge to their opponents—a similar scenario is expected on Friday.
Romania
Romania's impressive start to Euro 2024, marked by a 3:0 thrashing of Ukraine, demonstrated their attacking prowess (1.32 xG). Of course, they need to improve their balance, but the coaching staff has been able to freshen up the game with substitutions. Even against the Netherlands, they managed five shots and kept the suspense alive until the very end.
Kosovo - Romania Prediction
In the Euro 2024 qualifiers, Romania defeated Kosovo at home (2:0) and secured a draw away (0:0). The group favourites are unlikely to falter at the start, so let's go with a double chance bet for them.
