# Kosovo defeats Ireland despite player revolt > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/kosovo-national-football-team-roster-updates > Updated: 2026-09-23T13:03:36.000Z. Sources: 76. Developments: 4. The Kosovo national football team’s UEFA Nations League campaign began with a victory despite ongoing internal turmoil. In their League B3 opener against the Republic of Ireland at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina, Kosovo secured a 1-0 win. Despite the absence of senior players such as Amir Rrahmani, Edon Zhegrova, and Milot Rashica—who remain in protest against Football Federation of Kosovo president Agim Ademi—manager Franco Foda successfully fielded a squad led by new captain Vedat Muriqi. Muriqi proved decisive, scoring the match’s only goal in the 83rd minute by heading the ball into the net following a rebound. Kosovo dominated much of the match, recording an expected goals (xG) of 2.74 compared to Ireland's 0.25. Following the goal, Muriqi and his teammates celebrated by displaying jerseys and white t-shirts with the message ‘Drejtësi për Çlirimtarët’ (Justice for the Liberators), a gesture of solidarity with former KLA leaders currently facing legal proceedings in The Hague. Muriqi dedicated the win to these former leaders and the KLA. Manager Franco Foda expressed satisfaction with the team’s defensive performance and composure. For Ireland, managed by Heimir Hallgrimsson, the match was a difficult start. Hallgrimsson conceded that Kosovo was the better side, stating, “It was a deserved victory for Kosovo, they were better than us,” and noting that too many of his players were ‘off their game.’ Despite several saves from goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher, Ireland was unable to overcome Kosovo's pressure in the second half. ## Claims - Franco Foda has selected the squad for Kosovo's upcoming Nations League fixtures. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The Kosovo vs. Ireland match is scheduled to take place at Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Dion Kacuri, Erblin Osmani, and Milot Avdyli are new call-ups to the national team. (single source) - Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson identified Vedat Muriqi as a key player to watch. (single source) - RTE analyst Alan Cawley warned that the Irish defense will struggle to contain Vedat Muriqi. (single source) - Former Irish international Stephen Kelly highlighted Edon Zhegrova and Fisnik Asllani as significant threats. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-23: Kosovo defeats Republic of Ireland 1-0 in Nations League opener Kosovo defeated the Republic of Ireland 1-0 in their UEFA Nations League opener, thanks to an 83rd-minute goal by captain Vedat Muriqi. Players also displayed shirts supporting former KLA leaders. 62 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ireland-faces-weakened-kosovo-in-nations-league-opener-amid-player-revolt ### 2026-09-21: Kosovo and Ireland prepare for Nations League clash in Pristina Ireland and Kosovo prepare for their UEFA Nations League clash in Pristina, with analysts highlighting Vedat Muriqi as a major threat to the Irish defense. 17 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kosovo-history-and-the-call-for-albanian-political-unity ### 2026-09-17: Albania national team announces Nations League squad Albania coach Rolando Maran has named a 29-man squad for the UEFA Nations League, featuring the return of Etrit Berisha but excluding Armando Broja and Nedim Bajram. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/albania-and-kosovo-prepare-squads-for-uefa-nations-league ### 2026-09-14: Kosovo national team faces injury concerns and roster updates Kosovo faces mixed news ahead of the Nations League: midfielder Elvis Rexhbeçaj is awaiting injury results, while goalkeeper Arijanet Muric has confirmed he will play for the national team. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kosovo-national-team-faces-injury-concerns-and-roster-updates --- Cite as: Kosovo defeats Ireland despite player revolt. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/kosovo-national-football-team-roster-updates