Kosovo vs Spain, 2022 World Cup Qualifying - UEFA, Group Stage
· FIFA World Cup Qualifying - UEFAFornals and Torres goals give Spain victory in Kosovo
Goals from Pablo Fornals and Ferran Torres earned Spain a 2-0 victory away to Kosovo in World Cup qualifying Group B on Wednesday.
Match Timeline
- 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
- 0': First Half begins.
- 1': Attempt missed. Sergio Reguilón (Spain) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Carlos Soler.
- 3': Corner, Spain. Conceded by Mërgim Vojvoda.
- 4': Attempt missed. Aymeric Laporte (Spain) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Carlos Soler with a cross following a corner.
- 5': Carlos Soler (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 5': Foul by Florian Loshaj (Kosovo).
- 9': Attempt missed. Koke (Spain) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Pablo Fornals.
- 9': Offside, Kosovo. Vedat Muriqi tries a through ball, but Milot Rashica is caught offside.
- 11': Foul by Elbasan Rashani (Kosovo).
- 11': Íñigo Martínez (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 13': Foul by Íñigo Martínez (Spain).
- 13': Vedat Muriqi (Kosovo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 15': Attempt missed. Elbasan Rashani (Kosovo) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Zymer Bytyqi.
- 16': Foul by Carlos Soler (Spain).
- 16': Milot Rashica (Kosovo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 18': Attempt missed. Pablo Fornals (Spain) header from the centre of the box misses to the left.
- 18': Ferran Torres (Spain) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 18': Foul by Ibrahim Dresevic (Kosovo).
- 23': Offside, Kosovo. Vedat Muriqi tries a through ball, but Zymer Bytyqi is caught offside.
- 25': Elbasan Rashani (Kosovo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 25': Foul by Sergio Reguilón (Spain).
- 25': Carlos Soler (Spain) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 25': Foul by Florian Loshaj (Kosovo).
- 26': Corner, Kosovo. Conceded by Pablo Fornals.
- 27': Attempt missed. Vedat Muriqi (Kosovo) header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the right. Assisted by Milot Rashica with a cross following a corner.
- 28': Foul by Betim Fazliji (Kosovo).
- 28': Álvaro Morata (Spain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 30': Corner, Spain. Conceded by Amir Rrahmani.
- 32': Goal! Kosovo 0, Spain 1. Pablo Fornals (Spain) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Álvaro Morata.
- 35': Attempt missed. Álvaro Morata (Spain) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Sergio Reguilón.
- 35': Elbasan Rashani (Kosovo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 35': Foul by Sergio Reguilón (Spain).
- 36': Attempt blocked. Pablo Fornals (Spain) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Álvaro Morata.
- 37': Offside, Kosovo. Amir Rrahmani tries a through ball, but Zymer Bytyqi is caught offside.
- 39': Foul by Amir Rrahmani (Kosovo).
- 39': Álvaro Morata (Spain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 40': Foul by Elbasan Rashani (Kosovo).
- 40': Sergio Reguilón (Spain) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 41': Carlos Soler (Spain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 41': Foul by Betim Fazliji (Kosovo).
- 42': Attempt saved. Carlos Soler (Spain) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
- 42': Corner, Spain. Conceded by Arijanet Muric.
- 43': Attempt missed. Álvaro Morata (Spain) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Carlos Soler with a cross following a corner.
- 43': Foul by Íñigo Martínez (Spain).
- 43': Vedat Muriqi (Kosovo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 45': Attempt saved. Milot Rashica (Kosovo) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Florian Loshaj.
- 45': First Half ends, Kosovo 0, Spain 1.
- 45': Second Half begins Kosovo 0, Spain 1.
- 50': Attempt missed. Íñigo Martínez (Spain) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
- 51': Offside, Kosovo. Mërgim Vojvoda tries a through ball, but Zymer Bytyqi is caught offside.
- 53': Attempt missed. Vedat Muriqi (Kosovo) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Elbasan Rashani following a fast break.
- 54': Attempt blocked. Carlos Soler (Spain) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ferran Torres with a cross.
- 54': Attempt missed. Pablo Fornals (Spain) right footed shot from very close range is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Carlos Soler.
- 55': Foul by Carlos Soler (Spain).
- 55': Vedat Muriqi (Kosovo) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 57': Attempt saved. Florian Loshaj (Kosovo) left footed shot from more than 35 yards is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Ibrahim Dresevic.
- 58': Attempt saved. Álvaro Morata (Spain) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Carlos Soler.
- 58': Substitution, Spain. César Azpilicueta replaces Carlos Soler.
- 59': Substitution, Spain. Adama Traoré replaces Pablo Fornals.
- 59': Betim Fazliji (Kosovo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 59': Foul by Álvaro Morata (Spain).
- 59': Foul by Ibrahim Dresevic (Kosovo).
- 59': Sergio Busquets (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 60': Florent Hadergjonaj (Kosovo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 60': Foul by Adama Traoré (Spain).
- 61': Foul by Florian Loshaj (Kosovo).
- 61': Sergio Busquets (Spain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 62': Hand ball by Sergio Busquets (Spain).
- 64': Foul by Marcos Llorente (Spain).
- 64': Mërgim Vojvoda (Kosovo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 66': Florian Loshaj (Kosovo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 66': Foul by Adama Traoré (Spain).
- 70': Attempt missed. Sergio Reguilón (Spain) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Adama Traoré.
- 70': Foul by Elbasan Rashani (Kosovo).
- 70': Sergio Reguilón (Spain) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 72': Substitution, Spain. Pablo Sarabia replaces Álvaro Morata.
- 72': Attempt missed. Ferran Torres (Spain) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left from a direct free kick.
- 73': Attempt missed. Elbasan Rashani (Kosovo) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Zymer Bytyqi with a cross.
- 75': Foul by Aymeric Laporte (Spain).
- 75': Milot Rashica (Kosovo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 76': Corner, Spain. Conceded by Mërgim Vojvoda.
- 77': Attempt missed. Sergio Busquets (Spain) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by César Azpilicueta with a cross following a corner.
- 78': Attempt missed. Ferran Torres (Spain) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Adama Traoré with a cross.
- 78': Corner, Spain. Conceded by Arijanet Muric.
- 79': Attempt missed. César Azpilicueta (Spain) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Pablo Sarabia with a cross following a corner.
- 80': Attempt saved. Zymer Bytyqi (Kosovo) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Milot Rashica.
- 80': Corner, Kosovo. Conceded by Unai Simón.
- 81': Offside, Kosovo. Florent Hadergjonaj tries a through ball, but Milot Rashica is caught offside.
- 82': Foul by Ibrahim Dresevic (Kosovo).
- 82': Koke (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 83': Corner, Spain. Conceded by Amir Rrahmani.
- 86': Foul by Milot Rashica (Kosovo).
- 86': Íñigo Martínez (Spain) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 86': Substitution, Spain. Mikel Merino replaces Marcos Llorente.
- 86': Substitution, Spain. Raúl Albiol replaces Sergio Reguilón.
- 87': Foul by Florian Loshaj (Kosovo).
- 87': Mikel Merino (Spain) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 88': Goal! Kosovo 0, Spain 2. Ferran Torres (Spain) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mikel Merino with a through ball.Goal awarded following VAR Review.
- 90': VAR Decision: Goal Kosovo 0-2 Spain (Ferran Torres).
- 90'+3': Foul by Florian Loshaj (Kosovo).
- 90'+3': Sergio Busquets (Spain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 90'+4': Second Half ends, Kosovo 0, Spain 2.
- 0': Match ends, Kosovo 0, Spain 2.
Statistics
 ESP |
KOS |
|
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Fouls | 15 |
| 0 | Yellow Cards | 0 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 0 | Offsides | 5 |
| 6 | Corner Kicks | 2 |
| 3 | Saves | 3 |
| 73.3 | Possession | 26.7 |
| 19 | SHOTS | 7 |
| 4 | ON GOAL | 3 |
| 0.2 | On Target % | 0.4 |
| 0 | Penalty Goals | 0 |
| 0 | Penalty Kicks Taken | 0 |
| 723 | Accurate Passes | 206 |
| 785 | Passes | 283 |
| 0.9 | Pass Completion % | 0.7 |
| 8 | Accurate Crosses | 3 |
| 25 | Crosses | 8 |
| 0.3 | Cross % | 0.4 |
| 50 | Long Balls | 60 |
| 36 | Accurate Long Balls | 27 |
| 0.7 | Long Balls % | 0.5 |
| 2 | Blocked Shots | 0 |
| 9 | Effective Tackles | 4 |
| 18 | Tackles | 8 |
| 0.5 | Tackle % | 0.5 |
| 6 | Interceptions | 4 |
| 9 | Effective Clearances | 19 |
| 9 | Clearances | 19 |
Game Information
Competition: FIFA World Cup Qualifying - UEFA
Venue: Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri
Location: Prishtina, Kosovo
Attendance: 1,200
Venue: Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri
Location: Prishtina, Kosovo
Attendance: 1,200
WCQ - UEFA Table
| # | TEAM | GP | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | 6 | +12 | 14 |
| 2 | Kosovo | 6 | +1 | 11 |
| 3 | Slovenia | 6 | -5 | 4 |
| 4 | Sweden | 6 | -8 | 2 |
Line-Ups
Kosovo (4-4-2)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 12 | Arijanet Muric (GK) |
| 6 | Betim Fazliji |
| 13 | Amir Rrahmani |
| 15 | Mërgim Vojvoda |
| 2 | Florent Hadergjonaj |
| 20 | Ibrahim Dresevic |
| 17 | Florian Loshaj |
| 23 | Zymer Bytyqi |
| 11 | Elbasan Rashani |
| 7 | Milot Rashica |
| 18 | Vedat Muriqi |
Spain (4-3-3)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 23 | Unai Simón (GK) |
| 4 | Iñigo Martínez |
| 19 | Aymeric Laporte |
| 14 | Sergio Reguilón |
| 6 | Marcos Llorente |
| 5 | Sergio Busquets |
| 10 | Carlos Soler |
| 8 | Koke |
| 7 | Álvaro Morata |
| 21 | Pablo Fornals |
| 11 | Ferran Torres |
WCQ - UEFA News
Italian soccer prez Gravina, Buffon quit after World Cup failure
Italy's soccer federation president resigned amid political pressure on Thursday, two days after the national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
Why didn't Italy qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens react to Italy not qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Italy's soccer chief told to quit after latest World Cup failure
Italy's sports minister has called on the country's soccer federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina to resign after the four-time world champions failed to qualify for a third successive World Cup on Tuesday.
2026 World Cup: Which 48 teams qualified for the tournament?
The race to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is complete. Here's how it all went down across the globe.
Italy have themselves to blame for third straight World Cup miss
We don't need think pieces or inquests into Italy's failure to qualify for a third straight World Cup; in the end, it came down to bad decisions and bad performances, like it always does.