Slovenia edges Slovakia to secure UEFA Nations League spot

Slovenia remain in the second tier of the UEFA Nations League after eliminating Slovakia with a hard-fought 1:0 extra time win in the return leg on at home on 23 March, after playing out a goalless draw in Bratislava three days earlier. Adam Gnezda Čerin scored the decisive goal in the 95th minute with an uncharacteristic header.

In front of some 14,000 spectators at Stožice Stadium in Ljubljana, both teams had plenty of opportunities and notched up 32 shots on goal in regular time as they fought for survival on League B of the competition, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

The attacking mindset of both teams came after Slovenia secured an active result in Slovakia by displaying a good defensive effort, but it was only in the extra time that Slovenia managed to pull off and cruise towards the victory.

Gnezda Čerin, who missed the first leg due to suspension owing to accumulated yellow cards, redeemed himself properly by sealed the fate of the Slovaks and relegated them to League C in the fifth minute of extra time with a header.

Slovenian head coach Matjaž Kek said said that "this match could have gone either way, but we scored a goal and we have deservedly remained in League B".

Kek congratulated the players for their fighting spirit "even when the Slovaks thought they could dominate Stožice," adding that "we've achieved what we had set out to do. I'm very pleased about the whole week," Kek added.

Talking to the press about the decisive goal, the midfielder Gnezda Čerin said that "headers are not my speciality, but usually when I find myself in such situations, I always finish well and today was no different. It was a beautiful goal."

Slovakia's head coach Francesco Calzona said that his players "played a good match, we have to be proud of our lads", adding that the Slovenians were just waiting for a mistake and took advantage of it.

"We would have deserved to win, but we failed to score a goal. This is football," he concluded.

For Slovenia, which will be playing in League B of the UEFA Nations League next season for a third time in a row after spending the initial two seasons in League C, this is also a good boost for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in autumn.

After two friendly matches in summer, Slovenia will open their Group B campaign in the European part of the qualifiers for the tournament in Canada, the US and Mexico against Sweden at home on 5 September.

This will be followed by a match with Switzerland on the road (8 September), and there will also be two two-game slots in October and November, which will wrap up the qualifiers.

"The goal is completely clear, it is to qualify for the World Cup. I believe in that. It will not be easy, but I think we have the team that can qualify for a major competition again," said the latest goal scorer Gnezda Čerin.