Kosovo walked into Tehelné pole on Thursday and left with a 4-3 win that propels Franco Foda’s side into the World Cup play-off final while leaving Slovakia and Francesco Calzona facing a brutal exit on home soil. The visitors recovered after conceding inside six minutes and kept their composure through a wild finish.
Slovakia began as if the tie would be routine. Martin Valjent scored in the 6th minute after Lukáš Haraslín’s early work, and the hosts’ 3-4-2-1 pushed Kosovo back. Veldin Hodža equalised in the 21st minute from Mërgim Vojvoda’s cross, yet Haraslín restored the lead in the 45th minute with a solo effort that seemed to steady Calzona’s dressing room. Instead, the first tweak—Tomáš Suslov replacing Leo Sauer at half-time—preceded a collapse.
Vojvoda unlocked Slovakia again in the 47th minute, sending Fisnik Asllani through to equalise, and from there Kosovo owned the central channel through Vedat Muriqi’s hold-up play. Hodža’s yellow card in the 51st minute did not slow the visitors. Florent Muslija struck in the 60th minute, capitalising on the space Dion Gallapeni and Albian Hajdari created by stepping into midfield, and Kreshnik Hajrizi, booked as early as the 14th minute, made it 4-2 in the 72nd minute when Slovakia failed to deal with second balls. Foda then tightened the block, withdrawing Asllani for Baton Zabërgja in the 73rd minute before a wave of changes in the 90th minute introduced Florent Hadergjonaj, Lindon Emërllahu, and Albion Rrahmani to see the game out.
Calzona threw everything forward: László Bénes and Ľubomír Tupta arrived in the 83rd minute, Samuel Mráz followed in the 90th, and David Strelec finally pulled one back in the 90th minute from Dávid Hancko’s pass. The late charge offered only frustration, compounded by yellow cards for Denis Vavro in the 89th minute and Valjent in stoppage time at 90+5. Slovakia’s 57 percent possession and 20 shots were blunted by Kosovo’s compact 5-3-2 and Arijanet Murić’s five saves; most of the hosts’ 13 efforts inside the box met Lumbardh Dellova, whose 25th-minute caution did not stop him organising the line.
Tactically, Kosovo’s back five forced Slovakia wide, isolating Haraslín once Suslov shifted inside. Hodža and Elvis Rexhbeçaj disrupted Stanislav Lobotka’s rhythm, while Muriqi’s grip on Vavro’s zone gave Muslija the licence to surge. Even when the hosts pushed Hancko high, Kosovo kept their nerve, with Vojvoda’s two assists emblematic of the wing-back supremacy Foda sought all week.
Statistics:
- Shots on goal: Slovakia 8, Kosovo 5
- Total shots: Slovakia 20, Kosovo 9
- Possession: Slovakia 57 percent, Kosovo 43 percent
- Corner kicks: Slovakia 7, Kosovo 3
- Fouls: Slovakia 14, Kosovo 16
Kosovo now await their opponent in next week’s final and the chance to reach a first World Cup. Slovakia face a summer of searching as Calzona looks to rebuild a side that faltered when it mattered most.
