Albania and Estonia conclude their summer of international fixtures by playing out a friendly at the Air Albania Stadium on Monday evening.
It means the two nations take a break from their UEFA Nations League campaigns, in which they have endured differing fortunes over the past couple of weeks.
Match preview
© Reuters
With both nations participating in three-team groups instead of four in the 2022 Nations League campaign, both have played just two fixtures each in the competition over the summer.
For Albania, it has been a disappointing opening to their campaign, with a 1-1 draw in Iceland being followed by a poor 2-1 defeat on home soil to Israel on Friday evening.
In-demand Chelsea striker Armando Broja had got Edoardo Reja's side up and running with a goal from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time, following an impressive first-half display.
However, the Israelis wrestled back control during the second 45, and by the 73rd minute, they had turned the game on its head via a brace from Manor Solomon.
As a result, Albania, who had looked contenders for promotion from Group B2, have the odds stacked against them when they return to Nations League action in September.
However, before the players go off on their end-of-season holidays, they must conclude the international fixtures with a friendly against Estonia.
Reja will be eager to see his side end the period on a high note following a run of just one win in five matches across all competitions since October 2021, despite impressing many to come within a whisker of sealing a playoff place in their UEFA World Cup qualifying group.
© Reuters
Meanwhile, Estonia have enjoyed contrasting fortunes in their Nations League campaign over the past couple of weeks.
Monday's visitors have opened the 2022 competition with back-to-back wins over San Marino and Malta, leaving Thomas Haberli's side in control of their own destiny as they push for promotion from Group D2.
Despite seeing very little of the ball in Malta on Thursday, Estonia proved to be clinical in possession as they snatched all three points at the death via a Henri Anier goal in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.
Haberli's side will be expected to get the job done when they return to Nations League action in September, and like their hosts on Monday, they will be out to conclude the June internationals on a high when they travel to Albania.
A 5-0 defeat to Argentina on June 5 served as a reminder of the difficulties of facing a step-up in quality, in a game in which Lionel Messi stole the show by netting all five goals to break multiple records.
Estonia will thankfully not have to face the Argentinian magician on Monday, but they will certainly face a stern test against a strong Albania side, albeit one that is suffering with form of late, and it will be an opportunity that the visitors will relish.
- W
- W
- D
- L
- L
- D
- L
- W
- L
- D
- D
- L
- L
- L
- L
- W
- L
- L
- L
- D
- L
- W
- L
- W
Team News
© Reuters
As with most friendlies, Albania are likely to rotate their starting 11 against Estonia on Monday, providing opportunities for several fringe members of the squad to feature for their country.
Fulham-linked Thomas Strakosha is not part of the squad, so Gentian Selmani or Elhan Kastrati are in line to get a rare start ahead of captain Etrit Berisha between the posts.
Although Lazio goalkeeper Strakosha is not part of Roja's squad at the moment, the Albanian side possesses several players that ply their trade in Serie A - including Ardian Ismajli, Marash Kumbulla, Berat Djimsiti, Elseid Hysaj, Frederic Veseli and Nedim Bajrami.
Several of these members of the Italian top flight are likely to play a part on Monday, despite the expected alterations to the starting lineups.
As for the visitors, they too are likely to rotate their starting 11 following a hectic fixture schedule over June.
Twenty-year-old Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein could well drop to the bench, as he did for the friendly against Argentina, with Matvei Igonen taking his place in goal instead.
Captain Konstantin Vassiljev may also be rested again, thus denying him his 143rd cap for the Baltic nation, preventing him from moving level with Marko Kristal in second place of most-capped players for Estonia.
Albania possible starting lineup:
Selmani; Ismajli, Djimsiti, Kumbulla; Balliu, Cekici, Bajrami, Asllani, Hysaj; Balaj, Broja
Estonia possible starting lineup:
Igonen; Paskotsi, Tamm, Purg; Teniste, Miller, Soomets, Kait, Pikk; Anier, Zenjov
We say: Albania 2-0 Estonia
Despite Albania suffering from a poor run of form of late, they still possess a great deal of quality within their ranks after a largely positive last 12 months or so overall.
It remains to be seen how they will attack this friendly fixture, but they should have enough in them to see off an inferior Estonia side in comfortable fashion to conclude their June internationals.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
