Austria vs. Kosovo – News and Probable Lineups

Both Austria and Kosovo secured victories on the opening matchday and will resume their UEFA Nations League campaigns this Sunday evening in Vienna.

As the second of four matches unfolds during this international break, they currently occupy the top positions in League B Group 3, with the Republic of Ireland and Kosovo also in the mix.

Match overview

In the last Nations League edition, only two sides outscored Austria in League B, and the top seeds in Group 3 continued this pattern on Thursday night.

They also showcased their attacking prowess on the road to the World Cup, where they faced eventual champions Spain in the Round of 32. Ralf Rangnick’s team utilized this offensive strength to overcome Israel at Raiffeisen Arena.

However, it required two late goals to surpass a 10-man opponent, with contributions from Phillipp Mwene and Sasa Kalajdzic sealing a 3-1 triumph.

Having secured a contract renewal before the World Cup, Rangnick is now focused on ascending to the Nations League’s top tier and securing a spot at Euro 2028.

Despite finishing second in their group two years ago, Austria was subsequently defeated by Serbia in the playoffs and missed out on promotion, making them eager to secure first place this season.

Thus, Das Team will aim for maximum points in another home match against lower-ranked rivals, meeting Kosovo for the very first time.

While Austria participated in this year’s World Cup in North America, Kosovo was still grappling with the disappointment of their World Cup playoff defeat.

Yet to make an appearance at a major final, one of UEFA’s newest nations fell just 90 minutes short of qualification, losing 1-0 to Turkey.

Nevertheless, the Balkan side performed well, finishing second in Group B before dispatching Slovakia in a high-scoring semi-final, a testament to their prior progress.

Franco Foda’s squad made history by earning promotion in the Nations League, finishing as runners-up in their League C group before triumphing in both legs of a playoff against Iceland.

Entering Europe’s second tier for the first time—boasting four victories from their last seven competitive outings—Kosovo established their worth by defeating the Republic of Ireland midweek.

After dominating the match, they were finally rewarded in the 83rd minute when captain and top scorer Vedat Muriqi found the net.

Team News

With four matches scheduled over a span of 10 days, Rangnick might consider rotating his squad, having called up seven uncapped players during this international window.

As they prepare for the next Euros, Austria seeks to infuse new talent as their veteran players step back: all-time leading scorer Marko Arnautovic has retired from national team service, and Marcel Sabitzer is currently taking a break.

Moreover, captain David Alaba was not selected as he was without a club before joining Udinese, while Konrad Laimer is sidelined due to an adductor injury.

In the probable absence of Michael Gregoritsch, who led the attack against Israel but was substituted due to an ankle issue, either Kalajdzic, Christoph Lang, or Junior Adamu may feature in the starting line-up on Sunday.

On the other hand, Muriqi remains Kosovo’s undisputed frontman. After scoring four goals for Fenerbahce last week, his tally rose to 19 Nations League contributions, trailing only Erling Haaland.

Like Austria, Foda’s team is also without their captain, as Napoli defender Amir Rrahmani has recently retired from international play due to a conflict with the federation; Muriqi assumed captaincy during the match against Ireland.

Teenage midfielder Erblin Osmani became the second-youngest player to represent Bayern Munich in a Bundesliga game—just 16 years and 306 days old—and made his international debut with a brief appearance midweek.

Austria probable starting XI:

A. Schlager; Posch, Lienhart, Danso, Mwene; Siewald, X. Schlager; Wimmer, Schmid, Wanner; Kalajdzic

Kosovo probable starting XI:

Muric; Dellova, Hajdari, I. Krasniqi; Vojvoda, Hoxha, Avdullahu, Gallapeni; Zhegrova, E. Krasniqi; Muriqi

The initial indications suggest that these two teams could be competing for the top spot in Group 3 as it approaches its conclusion in November.

Led by German coaches with contrasting styles, both teams present significant threats in the attacking third, yet Austria boasts a more robust midfield and greater depth on the bench.