Kosovo took 16 shots to Israel's six and had 28 touches in the Israeli box to their opponents' 10, and they still couldn't score. Saturday's 0-0 draw in Pristina, played with 10 men for the last half hour, was the second goalless game between the two sides in this Nations League B Group 3 campaign after the 0-0 in Israel on Oct. 1.
The numbers behind another blank
BBC match data shows how much of the game Kosovo controlled near goal despite having less of the ball. Israel finished with 54% possession, but Kosovo won seven corners to two and forced the same number of saves from Daniel Peretz, three, as Israel forced from the Kosovo goalkeeper. Only three of Kosovo's 16 attempts were on target.
The task got harder in the 66th minute, when Rubin Kazan midfielder Veldin Hodža picked up a second yellow card. Franco Foda's side still did most of the pressing after that, RTE reported. Juventus winger Edon Zhegrova started in the No. 10 shirt and played until the 82nd minute, according to Goal.
What the point is worth
The draw takes Kosovo to six points from five games, three ahead of Israel and one ahead of the Republic of Ireland before Ireland's game in Linz against group leaders Austria tonight. Kosovo missed the chance to open a three-point lead on Ireland, and their last group game is Tuesday in Ireland, where RTE noted that a win of any kind would guarantee Heimir Hallgrímsson's team second place and a promotion/relegation playoff spot.
Israel have now drawn three straight games since their 3-0 loss to Ireland in Debrecen in September, and they sit last with three points.
A hostile night
Before kickoff, Kosovo supporters booed and whistled Israel's national anthem, The Associated Press reported, and some Kosovo players bowed their heads in protest during it. The crowd at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium was 12,426, according to the BBC.
For Kosovo, the lesson of two games against Israel is simple: 180 minutes, no goals. They will need goals in Ireland on Tuesday, where a home win of any margin would send Ireland past them.
