Estonia without two key players for Nations League deciders

The Estonian men's national football team will face Malta at the A. Le Coq Arena in a crucial Nations League decider this Friday, before taking on minnows San Marino away from home on Monday. Estonia will have to manage without the services of Rapid Bucharest midfielder Mattias Käit and Ujpest defender Märten Kuusk, with both pulling out of the squad due to injury.
Käit, 24, who has eight goals in 43 appearances for the national team, picked up a knee injury playing for his Romanian club side Rapid Bucharest, during their last league match against Mioveni. Käit is expected to be out of action for up to four weeks, while national team vice-captain Kuusk, who signed for Hungarian top-flight club Ujpest in January, will also sit out the latest round of Nations League matches through injury.
Estonia play Malta on Friday, September 23 at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn. A win for Estonia will guarantee first place in Nations League D, Group 2, ensuring promotion to League C for the next edition of the tournament, which will take place in 2024.
A draw on Friday would also be good enough for Estonia, as long as they avoid heavy defeat on Monday to San Marino, who, despite an encouraging 0-0 draw against the Seychelles on Wednesday, lie 210th in the FIFA world rankings.
Defeat would leave Estonia needing to record a big victory in their final game of the three-team group, in order to ensure they finish with superior goal difference to Malta.
Friday's match kicks off at 7 p.m., with a festival area outside the stadium opening two hours earlier. Rapper Villemdrillem will warm up the crowd ahead of the game, while there will also be rides, merchandise stalls and the chance for supporters to paint theirs face blue, white and black to show support for the Estonian team.
Tickets for the UEFA Nations League match between Estonia and Malta at the A. Le Coq Arena are available here.
Estonia's match against Malta will be shown live on Viaplay here and the clash with San Marino can be seen here.
Editor: Michael Cole