Kosovo among Ireland's potential play-off opponents after Uefa order 3-0 forfeit
by AFP · The42KOSOVO WILL BE among Ireland’s potential Nations League play-off opponents in Friday’s draw after Uefa ruled that they had forfeited their Nations League game in Romani
The Kosovo players walked off in stoppage time of last Friday’s match in Bucharest after hearing pro-Serbia chants, and did not return, leading to the game being abandoned just before the end with the score 0-0.
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In its ruling, Uefa deemed the Kosovo football federation “responsible for the match not being played in full” and said the team would forfeit it 3-0.
The decision means Romania will be promoted to League B of the competition as winners of their group, while Kosovo finish as runners-up and go into the promotion play-off.
The Kosovar FA also incurred a €6,000 fine for “the improper conduct of its team” after five players received yellow cards in the game, the same number as Romania.
Uefa fined the Romanian football federation €128,000 for a series of disciplinary breaches. It also ordered the team’s next home game to be played behind closed doors for “racist” chants by Romanian supporters targeting neighbouring Hungary.
In addition, Romania were sanctioned for “provocative political messages not fit for a sports event” and disturbances during the Kosovar national anthem. Uefa also punished the Romanian FA for the throwing of objects, lighting of fireworks, use of laser pointer and the blocking of public passageways.
Animosity between Kosovo and Serbia has persisted since the war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian insurgents in the late 1990s. Kosovo and Serbia do not play each other in Uefa and Fifa tournaments.