Preview: Kosovo vs. Romania - prediction, team news, lineups

Romania will be aiming to move onto nine points from three matches in Group I when they continue their Euro 2024 qualification campaign against Kosovo on Friday night.

The visitors have beaten Andorra and Belarus in their opening two matches in the section to sit second behind Switzerland, while Kosovo are third, boasting two points from their opening two games.

Match preview

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Kosovo failed to qualify for either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, while they were also not present at Euro 2020, winning just three of their nine qualification matches for that particular tournament.

Alain Giresse's side are currently on a five-game unbeaten run in all competitions, although four of those matches have ended in draws, including their opening two Euro 2024 qualification matches.

Indeed, Kosovo opened their Group I campaign with a 1-1 draw against Israel on March 25 before playing out the same scoreline against Andorra three days later.

Giresse's team are certainly underdogs when it comes to claiming a top-two spot in this group, but a win over Romania on Friday would set them up nicely for their next fixture with Belarus on June 19.

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Romania, meanwhile, are on a run of four wins from their last five matches in all competitions, with their only defeat during that time proving to be against Slovenia in a friendly.

The Tricolours opened their Group I campaign with a 2-0 success over Andorra on March 25 before recording a 2-1 victory over Belarus in their last match.

Vladislav Morozov's 86th-minute strike set up a grandstand finish, but Romania managed to hold onto their advantage, which had been given to them courtesy of goals from Nicolae Stanciu and Andrei Burca.

Romania were not present at the finals of Euro 2020, but they have qualified for the finals of the competition on five previous occasions, famously reaching the quarter-finals in 2000.

The team's Euro 2016 challenge ended in the group stage, which was also the case in 1984, 1996 and 2008, but Edward Iordanescu will fancy their chances of strongly challenging for a top-two position in the section.

Team News

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Kosovo are without Florent Hadergjonaj, Valon Berisha and Arber Zeneli for the contest, so there will have to be changes from the team's last match against Andorra.

Jetmir Topalli could be one of the players to benefit in terms of a starting role, while Fidan Aliti is likely to be introduced in a defensive position.

Vedat Muriqi is the team's main source of goals, finding the back of the net on 23 occasions for his country, and the Mallorca forward will again start through the middle.

Romania boss Iordanescu will have to make at least one change to the side that started against Belarus last time out, as goalkeeper Ionut Radu is not in the squad.

There are only two caps between the three stoppers in the squad, but Stefan Tarnovanu is expected to get the nod between the sticks for Friday's encounter.

There are not expected to be any major surprises elsewhere, with the captain Stanciu set to retain his spot in midfield, while Denis Alibec is likely to get the nod through the middle.

Kosovo possible starting lineup:
Muric; Aliti, Rrahmani, Kryeziu, Paqarada; Celina, Fazliji, Loshaj; Rashica, Muriqi, Topalli

Romania possible starting lineup:
Tarnovanu; Manea, Dragusin, Burca, Oprut; Marin, Baluta, Stanciu; Morutan, Alibec, Man

We say: Kosovo 1-1 Romania

Romania will be bidding to move onto nine points in the section, but Kosovo are more than capable of picking up a positive result here. The home side have drawn each of their last four matches, including their first two in the section, and we can see another stalemate taking place here.

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