P W D L F A Pts
ENGLAND 4 4 0 0 19 4 12
CZECH REP 5 3 0 2 9 8 9
KOSOVO 5 2 2 1 10 10 8
MONTENEGRO 5 0 2 3 3 13 2
BULGARIA 5 0 2 3 5 11 2
Revelation
ARIJANET MURIC
Kosovo
It says much for the towering
20-year-old keeper’s ability that
Kosovo have only lost one of
their last seven games.
Born and brought up by
Albanian parents in the Zurich
region of Switzerland, he
also possesses Kosovan and
Montenegrin passports through
family ties. He used to play for
Montenegro’s under-21s, but
opted a year ago to rally to the
Kosovo flag and made his full
international debut in a UEFA
Nations League game against
Azerbaijan in November 2018.
He came through the youthranks of Swiss outfits
YF Juventus, Zurich and
Grasshoppers, showing such
promise that Premier League
heavyweights Manchester City
signed him in July 2017.
He made several first-team
appearances in the League Cup
for City last season, memorably
being the penalty-saving hero
of a quarter-final shoot-out
victory over Leicester City.
Currently on a season-long
loan at second-tier Nottingham
Forest, he was twice sent off
while playing for Montenegro’s
under-21s, for handling the
ball outside the penalty
area and headbutting
an opponent.22.03.19 Bulgaria-Montenegro 1-1
22.03.19 England-Czech Rep 5-0
25.03.19 Montenegro-England 1- 5
25.03.19 Kosovo-Bulgaria 1-1
07.06.19 Montenegro-Kosovo 1-1
07.06.19 Czech Rep-Bulgaria 2-1
10.06.19 Czech Rep-Montenegro 3-0
10.06.19 Bulgaria-Kosovo 2-3
07.09.19 Kosovo-Czech Rep 2-1
07.09.19 England-Bulgaria 4-010.09.19 Montenegro-Czech Rep 0-3
10.09.19 England-Kosovo 5-3
11.1 0 .19 Montenegro-Bulgaria
11.1 0 .19 Czech Rep-England
14 .10 .19 Kosovo-Montenegro
14 .10 .19 Bulgaria-England
14 .11.19 England-Montenegro
14 .11.19 Czech Rep-Kosovo
17.11.19 Kosovo-England
17.11.19 Bulgaria-Czech Repopportunities he carves out for others
and you can see he adds an extra layer
of fluidity to his side’s attacking play.
Take his stunning performance in
England’s 5-3 win over Kosovo when he
effectively ran the show, nodding in the
equaliser for 1-1, providing a hat-trick of
assists and also hitting a post.
“Raheem’s last two performances [in
the victories over Kosovo and Bulgaria]
have been of the highest level,” says
Southgate. “I think he’s been almost
unstoppable – his awareness of where
defenders are, his ability to ridechallenges, his vision and desire to get
in on goal, and unselfish work as well.”
It is remarkable how England fans
have gone full circle in their feelings
towards Sterling. Not so long ago he
was a love-to-hate figure in the national
team, pilloried for scoring just twice in
his first 45 appearances for the country.
But two goals last year in a 3-2 victory
over Spain in the UEFA Nations League
did much to break the ice, as did his
anti-racism postings on social media. No
longer the pantomime villain, these days
he is just enthusiastically appreciated.GROUP A
Switch...MuricAppreciated...
Raheem Sterling