BRATISLAVA, March 27 (Reuters) - It is less than ⁠a decade since Kosovo first played a World Cup qualifier, but they stand a single match away ⁠from a place at this year's finals in North America.

The small western Balkan republic declared its ‌independence from Serbia in 2008 but was only admitted to the ranks of world football's governing body FIFA in 2016, playing a first competitive international in September of that year.