Kosovo top group C2 after defeating Gibraltar 8-0

Gibraltar 0-8 Kosovo

Two minutes and 45 seconds in, Gibraltar lost their focus after conceding a corner and failing to get organised. It was enough time to be punished by Kosovo. A quickly taken corner was swung into the back post for Kosovo’s first goal.

Photo by David Parody

After five minutes, Gibraltar were defending another corner. The initial danger was cleared away from goal, but the second ball was well controlled and the resulting shot struck the post. With the defence slow to react, Kosovo had a free chance at goal and took it to go 2-0 up.

Robba made a save in the seventh minute to keep Kosovo at bay.

Photo by David Parody

Gilbert responded with Gibraltar’s first real attacking move, setting up Viagas for a shot before trying her own effort. The defence blocked the first attempt and the goalkeeper gathered the second.

Photo by David Parody

Photo by David Parody

Thirteen minutes in, a long ball played behind the defence sliced Gibraltar open and Kosovo scored their third goal.

Photo by David Parody

Photo by David Parody

Alone up front, Joelle Gilbert’s constant running put defenders under pressure even when she was not in possession, but to little avail.

Kosovo had the game firmly by the throat and were not taking their grip off it.

In the 28th minute, Viagas tried her luck with a long-range free-kick that flew over the bar.

Photo by David Parody

Just a minute later, Caitlin Robba produced a one-handed diving save to push the ball behind for a corner.

However, the corner again exposed Gibraltar’s defensive marking failings, with Kosovo scoring their fifth from a free header.

It was Robba again in the 38th minute, coming out at the feet of an attacker to block a run on goal. The stoppage also allowed for a quick water break which the referee had not yet called.

Gibraltar did manage to push forward in the final two minutes of the first half, although by then the damage had already been done. Kosovo had registered 20 attempts on goal, converting five of them.

Gotal made a change at half-time, replacing Celecia with Bush. It was a brave decision that shifted the dynamics in midfield behind Gilbert and altered the defensive structure.

Robba was immediately in action in the second half, making an early save from a point-blank header following a corner.

Bush, at just 17 years old, was also immediately involved, chasing down balls through the middle and bridging a gap that had existed throughout the first half. The hardworking Viagas continued operating between midfield and defence while also acting as one of Gibraltar’s main distributors going forward, now with a pacy presence nearby to fill spaces.

Gibraltar used every opportunity to slow the pace of the game. However, under FIFA’s new time-wasting regulations, which are due to be fully implemented across competitions, delays from throw-ins and corners are set to be penalised.

Kosovo thought they had scored again in the 54th minute but were flagged offside.

Knowing Croatia were leading Bulgaria 1-0 at half-time, Kosovo were aware that although a 5-0 scoreline placed them top of the group, it still offered little security.

That concern proved justified. By the 56th minute, Croatia had moved three goals ahead against Bulgaria, bringing the two teams level on goal difference while Gibraltar continued frustrating Kosovo.

In the 60th minute, Naomi Victor was fortunate not to receive a second yellow card following a late challenge. Already booked, another caution would have left Gibraltar a player down.

Kosovo made several changes. In the 63rd minute, one substitute missed a sitter just moments after entering the pitch. Frustrations were beginning to show, with the visiting coach receiving a yellow card.

Despite leading 5-0, Kosovo were now under pressure, knowing the scoreline was not enough to guarantee top spot.

Gibraltar continued to hold firm and upset the apple cart.

Most of Kosovo’s opportunities were now coming from distance and set-pieces.

They eventually broke through again with a beautifully controlled move, the scorer sidestepping defenders before placing the ball into the bottom-left corner to make it 6-0.

A similar move in the 69th minute saw Caitlin Robba produce another excellent block to deny Kosovo a seventh goal.

Both Pizzarello and Gilbert tried to run at the Kosovo defence but, with little support, the one-on-one battles over more than half the pitch often seemed futile.

Again in the 72nd minute, Robba did enough to make the save, while defenders applied sufficient pressure for the rebound to be sent well wide.

The miss proved costly, if only briefly, for Kosovo, as Croatia scored their fourth goal against Bulgaria.

Kosovo responded from a corner, a ball delivered to the back post being met with a simple header that squeezed between goalkeeper and post. Kosovo had regained the goal difference cushion they desperately needed.

For Gibraltar supporters, it was difficult to watch. Kosovo and Croatia were relentlessly chasing goals against their respective opponents in a battle to secure top spot in the group.

A quickly played free-kick saw the ball driven to the byline before being cut low across goal. Gibraltar were fortunate not to concede again in the 79th minute.

There was anger from the crowd when a challenge on Viagas left her in pain but neither Kosovo nor the referee stopped play. Kosovo continued their search for another goal. The lack of sportsmanship was not well received by supporters, who jeered the visitors, while Gibraltar’s players responded with greater intensity in their challenges.

The bowed heads of earlier had become determined and energised. However, it still was not enough as Kosovo scored their eighth goal in the 84th minute.

Croatia, meanwhile, led Bulgaria 4-0 with less than ten minutes remaining and needed at least three more goals to overtake Kosovo.

Even in the 87th minute, Gilbert continued chasing every ball and trying to unsettle defenders as she searched for her second goal of the competition.

Gotal brought on Toldoran for Viagas with two minutes remaining.

In the 89th minute, Robba somehow got a hand to the ball to prevent another Kosovo goal.

A tired Gilbert came off during injury time to warm applause from the local crowd.

Kosovo finished with an 8-0 victory, enough to secure top spot in the group. Croatia’s 4-0 win over Bulgaria was not enough to overtake them.

For Gibraltar head coach Stella Gotal, a former Croatia international, it was a double disappointment. Her native country finished second in the group while her Gibraltar side suffered their heaviest defeat of the campaign.

However, Gibraltar’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Croatia earlier in the competition had already demonstrated their ability to influence the group. While the results highlighted several vulnerabilities, particularly in protecting their goal, maintaining concentration during the opening minutes and defending corners, this remains Gibraltar’s first qualifying campaign and an important learning experience for the future.

Gibraltar watched on as Kosovo celebrated finishing top of the group for the first time.

All photos by David Parody