Our football match prediction:
Iceland
Match Time & Date:
09/10/2017
19:45 GMT
Prediction: 3-0
Kosovo
Buoyed by a 3-0 win over Turkey, Iceland will be looking to secure automatic qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals with a win over Kosovo in Reykjavik. The Icelanders proved their worth in the triumph over Turkey and they are on the verge of booking their place at the next year’s showpiece tournament in Russia. Jon Bodvarsson provided two assists for his teammates in the 3-0 win over Turkey and he is likely to pose a big threat for the opposition defenders in Monday’s football match at Laugardalsvollur. Kosovo head into the game following a 2-0 loss to Ukraine and the rock-bottom team are unlikely to spoil Iceland’s party in Reykjavik. Iceland recorded a 2-1 win over Kosovo in Shkoder earlier in the process and seeing that this has to go down as a must-win game for the home team, we are tempted to put our money on Heimir Hallgrimsson’s troops.
Highlighted Player (Gylfi Sigurdsson):
Arguably one of Iceland’s most famous footballers ever, Gylfi Sigurdsson was born In Reykjavik on 9 September 1989, but he never played for an Icelandic club on senior level. Having shown a great deal of potential while playing for FH and Breidablik youth teams, the attacking midfielder was snatched by Reading in 2008 and he has since spent the majority of his career in England. Sigurdsson also went on to represent Hoffenheim and Tottenham Hotspur, but he played his best football during the two spells with Swansea City, scoring 25 goals in first 85 Premier League games for the Swans. Sigurdsson became famous for his dangerous free-kicks and killer passes in the final third, but he was never given a genuine opportunity to prove his worth while at Tottenham Hotspur. The highly rated footballer had a key role to play as Iceland secured their first ever appearance at a major tournament finals, scoring 6 goals in 10 Euro 2016 qualifiers to ensure he would remain in the history books for years to come.
Highlighted Team (Kosovo):
Despite the fact that a number of countries have yet to recognize Kosovo, they have been participating in the World Cup qualifiers September 5, 2016. Kosovo did well to hold Finland to a 1-1 draw in their opener, but they were outclassed by Croatia (0-6) in their second group game. Albert Bunjaki’s men have slim chances of qualifying for the showpiece tournament in Russia, but, no doubt, they will use qualifying matches to gain a much-needed experience. Kosovo recorded their biggest win over Monaco on April 22, 2006, but they were not a member of FIFA back then. The Kosovo national football team played their first ever international friendly against Haiti in March 2014 and the match ended in a goalless draw. Kosovo footballers wear blue shirts and black shorts when playing at home, while they play in yellow shirts and yellow shorts when facing their rivals on the road. Albert Bunjaku, who played for the likes of Nurnberg and Kaiserslautern in the past, is the team’s most notable player.
