Comoros suffered a 4-2 defeat against Kosovo on Monday in Pristina, marking their historic first meeting with a European national team.
The friendly, held during the June international window, began with early promise for the visitors.
In just the 12th minute, Saïd Bakar gave Comoros a dream start, latching onto a cross from Rafiki Saïd and producing an impressive acrobatic volley to open the scoring.
However, Kosovo responded swiftly. Just seven minutes later, Sparta Prague striker Albion Rrahmani levelled the match, capitalising on a defensive lapse to make it 1-1.
As the match progressed, Comoros’ defensive frailties became more apparent.
The second half proved particularly punishing. Rrahmani struck again in the 59th minute, seizing on a mix-up between a Comorian defender and goalkeeper Ben Boina to score his second and give Kosovo the lead.
He then completed his hat-trick in the 79th minute with a powerful shot that beat Boina after a rebound fell kindly at his feet.
Despite the setbacks, Comoros continued to press forward.
Their efforts were rewarded in the 85th minute when Rafiki Saïd reduced the deficit.
Saïd’s goal came from a swift counter-attack, featuring a clever cut inside the box followed by a composed finish to bring the score to 3-2.
Any hopes of a late equaliser were dashed in stoppage time.
Kosovo’s Fisnik Asllani struck in the 90+2nd minute, exploiting another defensive lapse to seal a 4-2 victory for the home side.
The loss to Kosovo—currently ranked 97th by FIFA—will be a sobering result for Comoros, who sit eight places lower in 105th.
While the match was only a friendly, the result exposes defensive concerns that coach Stefano Cusin will need to address ahead of more critical fixtures.
Looking ahead, the Comorians will aim to rebound in September during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
They currently occupy second place in Group I, a position that could potentially lead to a play-off spot.
Upcoming matches against Mali and the Central African Republic will be crucial for their qualifying hopes.
HAT-TRICK HERO ALBION RRAHMANI LEADS US TO VICTORY! 👐
𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 🇽🇰4-2🇰🇲#KOSCOM pic.twitter.com/YUARj9Q123
— Kosovo Football 🇽🇰 (@KosovarFootball) June 9, 2025
