Luxembourg 0-1 Slovakia Player Ratings: Dávid Hancko 8/10 Rated as Rigo Snatches Late 1-0 Victory

Slovakia managed to steal a 1-0 victory over Luxembourg at the Stade de Luxembourg in a tense encounter. The match seemed destined for a goalless draw, a result Luxembourg would have felt they deserved, especially after hitting the woodwork twice. Luxembourg, playing at home, were arguably the more dangerous side for large spells. They created better opportunities and were desperately unlucky not to score. We noticed Danel Sinani, in particular, was a constant threat, twice denied by the frame of the goal in a performance that promised so much yet delivered ultimate frustration.

Slovakia, on the other hand, looked disjointed for much of the match. They struggled to break down a resolute Luxembourg defence and their star players were largely kept quiet. It took a moment of inspiration late in the game from a substitute to make the difference, a truly heartbreaking moment for the home side, who had put so much into the contest. Here are the Luxembourg vs Slovakia player ratings.

Slovakia Player Ratings vs Luxembourg

Here are the Slovakia player ratings.

Goalkeeper

Martin Dúbravka - 7.5: A crucial performance from the Slovak keeper. He made four vital saves, all from shots inside the box, which kept his team level. What stood out to us was his command of the area late in the game. He was a calming presence when Luxembourg piled on the pressure. An error leading to a shot was a minor blemish on an otherwise very solid night.

Defenders

Lubomir Satka - 5.5: Only lasted 45 minutes before being substituted. He picked up a yellow card and seemed to struggle with Luxembourg's movement. He won a decent number of his duels but his early booking likely contributed to his withdrawal at halftime.

Norbert Gyömbér - 5.0: A difficult evening for the defender. From our perspective, he looked off the pace, losing possession 13 times and getting dribbled past. He seemed to be fighting a losing battle for most of his 90 minutes on the pitch, committing a couple of needless fouls.

Milan Škriniar - 6.5: The captain had a strangely quiet game by his high standards. While he completed a lot of passes, he also gave the ball away 15 times, which is uncharacteristic. The yellow card for a rash challenge summed up a slightly frustrating performance. We expected more leadership and solidity from him.

Dávid Hancko - 8.0: Our man of the match for Slovakia. An absolute warrior at the back. He won an incredible seven of his eight duels and was a constant barrier. What really caught our eye was his contribution going forward, creating two chances and blocking two certain shots at the other end. A complete performance.

Midfielders

Ondrej Duda - 6.0: A mixed bag from Duda. He created one big chance which his team failed to convert, showing his creative spark. However, he also picked up a silly yellow card and was often wasteful in possession. He was busy but lacked the final product before being subbed off.

Matus Bero - 6.0: A workhorse performance in midfield but with little to show for it. He got stuck in, winning a few tackles and duels, but his distribution was lacking. He lost possession 13 times, which stalled several potential attacks for his team.

Stanislav Lobotka - 7.0: The metronome in Slovakia's midfield. Kept things ticking over with an impressive 90% pass accuracy. In a game that was often chaotic, his composure on the ball was invaluable. He didn't create much, but he controlled the tempo for his side effectively.

Forwards

Leo Sauer - 6.5: A decent outing from the young attacker. He showed good energy and drew several fouls from the opposition. His passing was neat and tidy, but he offered little in terms of a direct goal threat before being substituted late on.

David Strelec - 5.0: A really poor day at the office for the striker. He missed a huge chance that could have changed the game earlier. He looked isolated, lost possession frequently, and was rightly substituted after 66 minutes.

David Duris - 5.5: Similar to his attacking partners, he struggled to make any real impact. Lasted just 45 minutes before being hooked at halftime. He had one shot blocked but was otherwise anonymous, a passenger in the first half.

Substitutes

Adam Obert - 6.5: Came on for the second half and provided more stability at the back than Satka. He was solid enough and dealt with most of what came his way.

Tomás Rigo - 7.5: The hero of the day. A fantastic impact from the substitute's bench. He was in the right place at the right time to poke home the 90th-minute winner. That single moment of opportunism won his team the match.

Róbert Bozeník - 6.0: Brought on to offer more of a physical presence up front but didn't see much of the ball.

László Bénes - 6.0: Added fresh legs to the midfield but didn't have enough time to influence the game significantly.

Lubomír Tupta - 6.5: Looked lively after coming on and forced a good save from the keeper in his short cameo.

Manager

F. Calzona - 7.0: His team looked poor for long stretches, but his substitutions won the game. Bringing on Rigo proved to be a masterstroke. He gets credit for finding a way to win ugly, even if the performance was far from convincing.

Luxembourg Player Ratings vs Slovakia

Here are the Luxembourg player ratings.

Goalkeeper

Anthony Moris - 6.5: Could do absolutely nothing about the point-blank winner. He made one smart save earlier on. His distribution was a bit erratic at times, but he was let down by his defence for the goal.

Defenders

Enes Mahmutovic - 6.0: A battling performance, but he struggled at times. He picked up a yellow card and committed a couple of fouls. He missed a decent headed chance from a corner in the first half which could have made a difference.

Florian Bohnert - 7.0: We were impressed with Bohnert. He was defensively solid, winning most of his duels and making three key interceptions. He was composed and reliable throughout, a really steady presence on the right side of the defence.

Dirk Carlson - 6.5: A very tidy performance. His 97% pass accuracy from the back was outstanding. He made four clearances and was rarely troubled. A quiet but very effective game from the central defender.

Laurent Jans - 6.0: The captain had an action-packed night. He made four interceptions but also got a yellow card and lost more duels than he won. From our view, his performance was a bit frantic and lacked the composure needed in key moments.

Midfielders

Tomás Moreira - 6.0: A quiet game before being substituted after 82 minutes. He did create one chance but was largely on the periphery of the action. Didn't do much wrong, but didn't impose himself on the match either.

Aiman Dardari - 7.0: A creative spark for Luxembourg. Creating three chances, including one big chance, is a great return. His weakness was his duels, where he was often second best. A promising player who just needs to add a bit more steel to his game.

Danel Sinani - 7.5: The unluckiest player on the pitch. To hit the woodwork twice is just cruel. He was Luxembourg's biggest threat by a mile, registering five shots. His final ball from wide areas was sometimes lacking, but he was the player who looked most likely to make something happen.

Leandro Barreiro - 8.0: What a performance in the engine room. An absolute monster. He won eight of his nine duels and drew five fouls from the opposition. He was everywhere, breaking up play and driving his team forward. A truly dominant midfield display.

Mathias Olesen - 6.5: A tidy and efficient performance in the middle of the park. He kept the ball well with 85% pass accuracy and supported both defence and attack. A solid, if unspectacular, 90 minutes.

Forwards

Edvin Muratovic - 4.5: A really disappointing display. He was completely ineffective up front, losing all seven of his duels. He had two shots on target but never really troubled the keeper. It was no surprise to see him substituted after 70 minutes.

Substitutes

Yvandro Borges Sanches - 6.0: Replaced the ineffective Muratovic but couldn't provide the spark his team needed.

Olivier Thill - 6.5: Looked dangerous after coming on, forcing a good save from Dúbravka almost immediately.

Enzo de Pina Duarte dos Santos - N/A: Came on in stoppage time with no time to make an impact.

Manager

J. Strasser - 7.0: His tactics were spot on. His team was well-drilled, defensively solid, and created the better chances. He will be devastated by the late goal, as his side deserved at least a point from this game. He can be proud of the performance, if not the result.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match is Dávid Hancko