Kosovo v Iceland Betting Tips: Visitors should have too much in the locker

These two nations have a combined population of just over 2 million people but are now quite far apart in footballing terms. This is Kosovo’s first ever qualification campaign after being recognised by FIFA back in May 2016. However, things have not got off to a great start by any means and they have taken just one point from their first four competitive games, putting them rock bottom of Group I.

The Dardanians have been poor at both ends of the pitch with just one goal scored and twelve conceded, unsurprisingly keeping no clean sheets. Kosovo did play a few unofficial friendlies at home before their international recognition, losing none of them. However, they recently lost their first competitive match on home soil 6-0 against neighbours Croatia.

Although they are the newest nation in the World Cup qualification process, Kosovo do have a few players used to big matches in the likes of Terek Grozny’s Bernard Berisha and Sheffield Wednesday forward Atdhe Nuhiu.

Iceland were one of the main headline grabbers of Euro 2016 as they reached the quarter final stage, defeating England along the way. This tournament put Iceland on the European football map and now many sides fear facing them.

Former assistant (and dentist) Heimir Hallgrimsson is now the Icelandic coach and he has led his country through a half-decent World Cup qualification campaign so far with two wins, one draw and one defeat in their first four games, putting them 3rd in the table and just three points off top spot in this competitive group.

At the Euros, we saw how organised Iceland can be but, unfortunately for them, we have not really seen this in the road to Russia 2018 so far with just one clean sheet in their four games and five conceded overall. They are a threat going forward though, thanks to the likes of Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson, and have found the back of the net six times so far and only failed to score against Croatia, who top the group.

The Icelanders have not won a World Cup qualifier on their travels since March 2013, but, they did win three of their five away matches in their European Championship qualification campaign before their heroics last summer.

Iceland are clearly the better side and I expect them to put Kosovo to the sword and, although they have not been great at the back recently, I really don’t think Kosovo have the capabilities to break down what is generally a very organised defence. ‘Iceland to Win to Nil’ is the bet to go for at 6/4.

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