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By:
Arsim Magjera
- February 19, 2025 15:10 AM
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The Kosovo national basketball team is not in a good position to advance to the second round of European pre-qualifications for the 2027 World Championship.
Two rounds before the end of this qualifying round, Kosovo is last in Group A with five points, the same number as Azerbaijan in third place. Switzerland is first with eight points, while Ireland is second with six. Switzerland has won four matches so far, Ireland has two wins and two losses, while Azerbaijan and Kosovo have one win and three losses each.
The group winner advances to the second round of pre-qualifications, while the best second-place representative from three groups in total also qualifies. As for Kosovo's group, the results of the representative that remains fourth are not taken into account for qualification from the second position.
Kosovo plays Azerbaijan in Pristina on Thursday at 19:30 PM. Also in Pristina, on Sunday, at 19:30 PM, there is the Kosovo-Switzerland match.
Kosovo cannot come out on top of the group, but it is likely to qualify from second place, namely as the best second-place team. To do this, they need two wins, while qualification also depends on the results in the other groups.
"Kosovo cannot qualify as the group winner, but can still advance as the highest-ranked second-place team," FIBA writes in its analysis of the teams' chances of qualifying.
In the draw, Kosovo was in pot two. In pot one was Switzerland, in pot three was Ireland, and the only representative in pot four was Azerbaijan, which had returned to international basketball.
Kosovo won 83:76 against Ireland a year ago, while losing 87:77 to Azerbaijan. In November, Kosovo suffered a heavy defeat, 75:43, to Switzerland, while also losing 91:85 to Ireland.
It has been a long time since Kosovo has passed a pre-qualifying round, although basketball in the country continues to be very attractive. The level of the Super League is considered serious, but the representative team continues to suffer in the earlier pre-qualifying rounds.
"This time we are complete. We have a difficult match against Azerbaijan. We will give our maximum to win and keep our hopes of qualifying alive," said basketball player Gëzim Morina.
From the second round of pre-qualifications, the best representatives move on to the regular qualifications. The road to the World Cup is very long.
