The selection has done it again. The national team has changed and it is evidence, as evidenced by the draw they took away from Kosovo yesterday and which means the first point in the qualifying phase for Euro 2024. A goal from Berto just two minutes after the 1-0 Kosovar equalized for the tricolors in a duel also marked by the record of Marc Pujol, who added his 107th international cap, becoming the third footballer with the most duels played with the national team.
Koldo Álvarez introduced four new players for the match against Romania, and Èric Vales, Joel Guillén, Marc García and Jordi Rubio started yesterday. Kosovo started strongly with an initial momentum that did not extend beyond the first three minutes, but without making the tricolors suffer too much. Andorra, meanwhile, tried to get out fast in an isolated manner with Berto, and so the first tricolor option arrived, with a foul caused by the Betis B striker right at the front, which Jordi Rubio, however, crashed against the fence.
After this timid scare, Kosovo again had a few minutes of revolution and encouraged themselves in search of the goal, but without finishing enjoying clear opportunities. Andorra, for its part, also got close with some isolated action, such as a shot by Cervós from the front that Muric caught without problems. The clearest chance of the first half, however, was Kosovar, with Mallorca striker Muriqi firing home from the penalty spot after a move down the left by Zeneli that Iker Álvarez one-handedly sent into the corner providential
At the restart, a similar script was repeated with Kosovo taking the lead in the first minutes, but the goal came from a completely isolated action. Andorra's loss in attack in the opposite field, counterattack with three touches to stand in Iker's area, and Zhegrova, from the front, beat the tricolor goalkeeper with a left-footed shot. The reaction of the national team was spectacular, and almost in the next play Berto Rosas extended his idyll with the goal with the national team (he has 3 goals in 13 games) and tied the match. Cervós hung a lateral free kick and Alavedra continued at the second post, where the Betis B striker went in with everything to score 1-1 with his head and make the selection dream in the first point of the phase. Kosovo, as expected, came close in the final stretch,
The Pre-European is now on hold for a few months, and the selection will return to the scene in June with a new double international window. The national team will then have to face the duel against the strongest team in the group, Switzerland, who will visit the National Stadium on Friday, June 16, while three days later, on Monday, June 19, Koldo Álvarez's team will will travel to Israel to face the fourth day of the European Qualifiers. HIGHLIGHTS BERTO ROSAS Scorer He is touched with a stick with the selection. Yesterday he scored the third goal in 13 duels as an absolute international. MARC PUJOL Historical With yesterday's match, he has 107 matches as an international and is now the third player with the most matches, surpassing Sonejee. He is ahead of Ilde Lima (134) and Marcio (119).