Bersant Celina won his seventh international cap as Kosovo lost 2-0 at home to Ukraine in their penultimate World Cup qualifier, but David McGoldrick was absent from the Republic of Ireland squad as two goals from ex-Blue Daryl Murphy saw his side to a crucial 2-0 victory over Moldova in Dublin.
Celina, who is on loan with Town from Manchester City for the season, played the full 90 minutes and impressed for the Kosovans, who are still to win a competitive international and are bottom of their group ahead of their final qualifier in Iceland on Monday.
McGoldrick, 29, joined up with the Irish squad earlier in the week having been forced off with a hamstring injury during Town’s 3-1 home defeat to Bristol City last weekend.
Having undergone a scan and been given the all-clear, the six-times-capped striker trained for the next few days but was one of a number of players omitted from the squad ahead of tonight’s match.
Murphy, now with Nottingham Forest, netted in the second and 19th minutes for Ireland as they secured a vital win against the Moldovans.
Ireland play Wales - who won 1-0 in Georgia courtesy of a stunner from ex-Blues loanee Tom Lawrence - in their last qualifier in Cardiff on Monday.
With Austria having beaten group leaders Serbia 3-2, both sides still having a chance of winning the group and automatically qualifying for next summer's finals in Russia or finishing second and claiming a place in the play-offs. Serbia host Georgia in their final game.
Elsewhere, Blues youngster Monty Patterson was an unused sub as New Zealand lost 2-1 to Japan in a friendly in Nagoya.
Midfielder Tristan Nydam wasn’t in the matchday squad for the England U19s as they lost 1-0 away in the Czech Republic in a friendly.