RPL players on international duty: Mevlja’s Slovenia beat Croatia, Kabore's 100th match for Burkina Faso

On 24 March, qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, as well as international friendly matches, took place.

2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Europe

Group A

Serbia 3-2 Republic of Ireland

Rubin forward Djordje Despotovic did not take part in the game. Serbia will also play their next match - on 27 March - in Belgrade, where they will host Portugal.

Group D

Finland 2-2 Bosnia and Herzegovina

Rostov defender Dennis Hadzikadunic played a full match for the visitors in Helsinki. His team opened the scoring in the 55th minute after Miralem Pjaninc's goal, then conceded a double from Teemu Pukki, but recovered in the 84th minute thanks to Miroslav Stevanovic. On 27 March, Bosnia will play a friendly match against Costa Rica, while their World Cup qualification campaign will continue with a home game with France on 31 March.

Group G

Gibraltar 0-3 Norway

Ural defender Stefan Strandberg played 90 minutes against Gibraltar, although his Rostov compatriot Haitam Aleesami did not come onto the pitch. In the second matchday of qualifiers, Norway will play Turkey in Malaga on 27 March.

Group H

Slovenia 1-0 Croatia

Sandri Lovrich earned Slovenia victory in the clash of Russia’s group rivals with a 15th-minute goal. Sochi defender Miha Mevlja played for Slovenia, and was shown a yellow card in the 77th minute, while Zenit defender Dejan Lovren and CSKA midfielder Nikola Vlasic played for Croatia. Lovren played the entire match, while the Armyman was substituted in the 69th minute. Ufa defender Bojan Jokic remained on the hosts’ bench, as did Rubin player Filip Uremovic for the visitors.

On 27 March, Slovenia will face Russia in Sochi, and Croatia will host Cyprus in Rijeka.

2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers

Group B

Uganda 0-0 Burkina Faso

Dynamo midfielder Charles Kabore captained Burkina Faso in his 100th match for the national team. Khimki forward Mohamed Konate also made the starting line-up and was replaced in the 72nd minute. The draw helped the visitors advance to the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations as they lead the group on nine points. Their nearest challenger - Uganda and Malawi - will play each other in the last round. Burkina Faso will host group outsiders South Sudan on 29 March.

Friendlies

Belarus 1-1 Honduras

Rostov defender Aleksandr Pavlovets played the entire game, Rotor midfielder Ivan Maevsky played 73 minutes, and Lokomotiv forward Vitaly Lisakovich missed out entirely. On 27 March, Belarus will begin their World Cup qualification campaign against Estonia in Minsk.

Kosovo 4-0 Lithuania

Akhmat midfielder Bernard Berisha came on in the 76th minute with the score already at 3-0. Kosovo’s first World Cup qualifier will be on 28 March at home against Sweden.

Photo: Football Union of Slovenia; Football Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Burkini Football Federation