Kosovo continue fairytale run to knock out Slovakia after thriller in World Cup play-offs

[p]Francesco Calzona’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/slovakia/KpLb2q1U/"]Slovakia[/a] side had won their previous four home matches, including a 2-0 victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/germany/ptQide1O/"]Germany[/a] in September. In an exciting start to the match, it took the hosts just six minutes to score the opener as they hoped to continue that run, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/haraslin-lukas/Asqi9KYR/"]Lukas Haraslin[/a]’s beautifully curled free-kick finding [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/valjent-martin/pbb8dhGG/"]Martin Valjent[/a], who rose like a salmon to power his header past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muric-arijanet/CfsIdb20/"]Arijanet Muric[/a].[/p][p]Valjent’s first cap for his country since June 2022 started delightfully, but the visitors roared back in some style and found an equaliser midway through the first half. Veldin Hodza was found on the edge of the box by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vojvoda-mergim/YirekWMs/"]Mërgim Vojvoda[/a], and he showed magnificent technique to sweep the ball past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dubravka-martin/dp3dkdsI/"]Martin Dubravka[/a]. [/p][p]Kosovo fully merited their goal after dominating most of the possession, but Hodža’s moment of brilliance only sparked a response from Slovakia.[/p][p]Firstly, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hancko-david/zRTnwHe5/"]David Hancko[/a] fired a fizzing strike straight at Muric on the half-hour mark, and then the influential Haraslín came agonisingly close with a curling effort that clipped the outside of the post moments later.[/p][p]However, just when it looked like the game would go into the break level, Haraslín stepped up to the plate with another jaw-dropping free-kick that somehow evaded a sea of bodies and flew past Muric.[/p][image alt="Slovakia - Kosovo match stats" id="15892af1-1177-40a5-8f78-e3282687cc6b" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="de256875-34a2-4c7d-ae21-529a282d8972" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]The first half’s dramatic nature continued instantly after the break, with Kosovo issuing a superb response to equalise, as Vojvoda’s teasing cross was glanced superbly into the net by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/asllani-fisnik/IsoKFb9C/"]Fisnik Asllani[/a].[/p][p]Franco Foda’s side put themselves into the ascendancy and continued to look the most likely to score the next goal, doing so on the hour mark to complete a magnificent turnaround. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muslija-florent/W62yKwbK/"]Florent Muslija[/a] won a free-kick on the edge of the box and then stepped up to curl an unstoppable strike inside the left post, scoring only his third goal from 40 caps for Kosovo. [/p][p]Going behind prompted Slovakia to throw the kitchen sink at their opponents in search of an equaliser, which Haraslín almost provided with a stunning strike that was beaten away by Muric.[/p][p]However, they were stung at the other end by Kosovo as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hajrizi-kreshnik/rZ3zC5hO/"]Kreshnik Hajrizi[/a] pounced on a loose ball in the box and slammed his shot into the net to send the visitors into dreamland.  [/p][p]Slovakia did give Kosovo a nervy final two minutes of added time when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/strelec-david/EeiPGlNh/"]David Strelec[/a] showed his striker's instinct to divert Hancko’s attempt into the net, but they held firm to secure victory and set up a chance to make history against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/turkey/QeijuHo5/"]Turkey[/a]. As for the hosts, their 16-year wait to reach a WC continues after last appearing at the tournament in 2010. [/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hodza-veldin/SOGZNaOr/"]Veldin Hodza[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kosovo/v1DTPQwI/"]Kosovo[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/kosovo-v1DTPQwI/slovakia-KpLb2q1U/?mid=8MHjuvtn"]Check out the match stats here[/a][/b].[/p]