The Sheffield Wednesday striker’s introduction proved inspired.
Atdhe Nuhiu may have only played 44 minutes of football for Sheffield Wednesday this season, but his lack of match practice failed to hold him back for Kosovo on Monday.
Nuhiu began the friendly with Latvia on the bench, but was summoned by coach Muharrem Sahiti with his country 3-2 down in the 75th minute.
And it only took 19 minutes for the game to turn on its head, with Nuhiu playing an integral role in both of Kosovo’s remaining goals – as the hosts held on for a for first ever win on home soil.
Elbasan Rashani equalised in bizarre circumstances four minutes from time, after Nuhiu had seen a towering header pushed away and subsequently cleared against his teammate and into the roof of the net.
Then in the dying seconds, the Sheffield Wednesday target man somehow managed to control a lofted pass with his back to goal, checked back inside and side-footed against the far post and back out again, to where Besar Halimi was lurking to lash home.
Watch the highlights here:
Nuhiu looks set to leave Sheffield Wednesday in 2018, when his Hillsborough contract is due to expire, and cameos such as Monday’s are unlikely to hinder the 28-year-old’s search for employment.
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