2 hours ago
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It was a step too far for Kosovo, but only just. They could hardly have given more in running Turkey to the wire but it is Vincenzo Montella’s team, relieved and jubilant at the end, that will play at the World Cup in a little over two months’ time. Turkey make their return after 24 years away; Kosovo had been seeking the most unlikely of debuts and could have made that prospect real if Fisnik Asllani’s first-half effort had not come back off the bar.
In the end, though, a scruffy and hotly contested finish by Kerem Akturkoglu settled things early in the second half and, via some minor scares, Turkey could scrape home from there. Kosovo will surely be back, a technically exceptional side richer for this heady experience.
Pristina had fizzed with electricity all day. It felt as if Kosovo’s entire 1.6m population, along with a sizable proportion of neighbouring Albania, had crammed along Mother Teresa Boulevard and its side streets for an occasion without parallel since the country declared independence in 2008. Kosovo were not allowed to play official matches until 2014, waiting a further two years for admission to Uefa and Fifa; standing on the threshold of the world’s elite so soon was cause for celebration in itself but Franco Foda’s much improved side could legitimately fancy its chances.
“Dream makers” read the banner unfurled behind the north end. The question was whether Turkey, gifted but mercurial, would provide a rude awakening. They had their own slice of modern history to create; Arda Guler, vanguard of this generation, went on an early forage but was dispossessed to raptures. Every home challenge, not to mention each off-beam Turkish pass, met roars and pumping fists in the stands.
A slicker move from Turkey ended with Kenan Yildiz’s shot deflecting across goal. Then the striker Kerem Akturkoglu was not far from converting a low ball from the right by a lively Zeki Celik; Guler’s slip while taking a free-kick, with rain intensifying, prompted mirth but the visitors had asserted some control.
Kosovo waited 22 minutes for a glimpse, Veldin Hodza’s angled effort ricocheting behind. Then Fisnik Asllani, sent away with his captain Vedat Muriqi waiting to convert, could only find the arms of Ugurcan Cakir with his centre. Confidence was growing and their now-evident verve almost brought a goal before the half-hour when Asllani’s 20-yard strike was brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Cakir. Muriqi skied the rebound but was flagged offside.
Yildiz, helped by wind that had earlier almost blown a long-range effort from Orkun Kokcu past Aro Muric, got away down the left but the Kosovo centre-back Kreshnik Hajrizi prevented a certain goal. Then proceedings almost spilled over when Yildiz’s challenge on Hajziri sparked a melee, quickly controlled by the referee Michael Oliver; by half-time a compelling, increasingly wild game was wide open and Kosovo’s hopes of fulfilment remained tantalisingly real.
Would Turkey be able to reassert some authority? They had largely been the more measured, Kosovo fluid but frantic. After weathering a fast re-emergence from Foda’s team they began to work pockets of space and, the conditions having eased duly made one count. Yildiz, the biggest menace all night, sped away again and centred for Kokcu to place a bobbly first-time effort across Muric. It was nicked in by Akturkoglu near the line and the complaint from Kosovo, ultimately proved futile, was that the scorer had been offside.
They would have to find the reserves that twice overhauled deficits in the semi-final win over Slovakia, knowing Turkey would happily run down time. Muric beat away a rocket from Yildiz, who was almost unplayable by now, to keep the game alive. Mergim Vojvoda spurned a golden chance to tee up Muriqi as Kosovo revived but they were running out of road as the last 20 minutes began ticking by.
The Juventus playmaker Edon Zhegrova, introduced from the bench to widespread approach, caused brief chaos with a free-kick but Kosovo were not helped by a lengthy stoppage for injury to Albian Hajdari, who unsuccessfully attempted to continue. Florent Muslija shot wide from distance but clear openings were still elusive.
Then Asllani worked space but Cakir turned his curler round the post. That was Kosovo’s final glimmer despite squalls of late pressure.
