They scored their first can they win their first point? - Gibraltar women play Kosovo

Dalia Salah and Andrea Rowbottom have made their return to international football following what they described as "hard injuries", as Gibraltar continue their journey on the international stage.

Having only begun competing at international level in 2025, after a ten-year wait, Gibraltar's women's national team has already experienced its share of highs and lows.

The Nations League campaign started with two encouraging results, with Gibraltar narrowly losing 1-0 to both Moldova and the Faroe Islands. However, reality struck in April 2025 when Gibraltar suffered their first heavy defeat, conceding eight goals against a strong Slovakia side.

This was followed by a 5-0 defeat, then an 11-0 loss, before Gibraltar ended their Nations League campaign with a 4-0 defeat against Moldova. They then entered their first FIFA Women's World Cup European qualifying campaign knowing they faced a difficult challenge against Kosovo, Croatia and Bulgaria — nations where the women's game continues to develop alongside more established footballing countries and which possess the resources and populations to compete with Europe's leading nations in the future.

A 6-0 defeat at the hands of Kosovo came as little surprise. Although Kosovo entered FIFA at the same time as Gibraltar, women's football there has had greater opportunities to develop and gain international experience. This evening, Gibraltar play their final match in Group C2 as they once again face Kosovo.

Just three months after that 6-0 defeat, Gibraltar may have suffered a further 5-0 loss to Bulgaria and a 9-0 defeat against Croatia, yet the positives have continued to emerge — slowly but deliberately.

Gibraltar surprised many when they held Croatia to a 1-0 victory at Europa Point. A frustrated Croatian side soon altered its line-up for the return fixture just days later.

Although Gibraltar lost 5-0 to Bulgaria at Europa Point, they demonstrated last week that they were not about to let themselves down in their quest to improve. The one thing missing from their international experience was finally achieved. A goal scored away from home provided exactly the boost Gibraltar needed.

Albeit in a 3-1 defeat, playing away from home after previously losing 5-0 meant the result was far from disappointing.

This evening, Gibraltar will need to set their own objectives as they seek to maintain that confidence boost.

There are few expectations from those following the team. Debutants at this level and still some way from developing a squad capable of competing on equal terms with nations of a similar standing, Gibraltar enter the match under little pressure other than that which they place upon themselves.

They will be looking to score again. The lobbed finish from a well-worked move involving Robba and Gilbert, which opened Gibraltar's goalscoring account, was no fluke. It was a goal that had been coming. Having held Croatia at home and limited Bulgaria away, achieving a similar performance against Kosovo would provide another significant boost.

Gibraltar face a side playing their own final group match.

Entering the fixture level on points with Croatia, Kosovo need both points and goals. Croatia currently sit top of the table on goal difference. Although Croatia are not guaranteed victory against Bulgaria, a win would leave the two sides level on points and goal difference could ultimately decide the group.

For Kosovo, Gibraltar represents an opportunity to secure both points and goals.

Gibraltar, however, can yet upset the script and demonstrate that while they may not be challenging for the top places, their presence in the group matters. Not as a source of goal difference, but as an opponent capable of making teams earn victory.

A single point for Gibraltar would not only shake up the group but would also give Gibraltar something neither the men's nor women's national teams have previously achieved at this level — a point in European qualifiers.