Israel Draws Kosovo 0-0, Remains Winless in Nations League
Translated & summarized from Haaretz by baba
Israel's national football team drew 0-0 with Kosovo on Saturday, extending their winless streak in the UEFA Nations League to five games. The result eliminates their chance of finishing in the top two of the group and confirms their placement in Pot C for Euro 2028 qualifiers. Kosovo had a player sent off in the 66th minute, but Israel could not capitalize on the advantage. The team remains last in their group with one game remaining.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel drew 0-0 with Kosovo, remaining winless in the UEFA Nations League.
- The draw eliminates Israel's chance of finishing in the top two of their group.
- Israel will be placed in Pot C for the Euro 2028 qualifiers.
- Kosovo had a player sent off in the 66th minute, but Israel failed to score.
- The team remains last in their group with one game left in the campaign.
The Israeli national football team's disappointing UEFA Nations League campaign continued on Saturday with a 0-0 draw against Kosovo in Pristina. This result leaves coach Ran Ben Shimon's squad without a victory in their first five matches.
Following the tie, Israel has lost any chance of finishing in the top two of their group, meaning they will be placed in Pot C for the Euro 2028 qualifiers. The team remains last in their group with three points and a 7-2 goal difference, with one game left in the campaign. If they finish last, Israel will face a playoff to avoid relegation to League C.
Coach Ben Shimon fielded Daniel Peretz in goal and a three-man defense with Raz Shlomo, Idan Nahmias, and Nikita Stoyanov. Eitan Azulay and Niv Yehoshua played in midfield, with Eli Dasa and Liel Abada on the wings, supporting attackers Oscar Gloukh, Dor Peretz, and Idan Toklomati.
Israel controlled possession with 54% of the ball but struggled to create scoring opportunities. Kosovo, meanwhile, built their attacks more effectively, registering 16 shots compared to Israel's six, though only three were on target.
The key moment occurred in the 66th minute when the player was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Eitan Azulay, leaving Kosovo a man down for the final half-hour. Despite the numerical advantage and offensive substitutions by Ben Shimon, including Dor Turgeman and Yarden Shua, the Israeli team failed to break down Kosovo's defense, resulting in a third consecutive draw.
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