Balkan derby ends in stalemate in World Cup qualifiers
Kosovo and Slovenia ended in a peaceful draw in the third round of Group B qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
The match at the “Fadil Vokrri” stadium ended goalless, meaning the Dardanians failed to secure the full three points, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.
After an even first half, during which Vedat Muriqi had a good scoring chance in the 12th minute, Kosovo showed more determination in the second half, pressing hard for a winning goal.
Coach Franco Foda made several substitutions, bringing on Fisnik Asllani, Edon Zhegrova, and Milot Rashica, but the Dardanians’ efforts were not rewarded with a goal.
In the end, the score remained unchanged at 0–0, leaving Kosovo in second place in Group B with 4 points after three matches. Kosovo’s next game will be on Monday against Sweden, where they will look to return to winning ways.
In the other match of the group, Switzerland defeated Sweden away with a score of 2–0. The goals for Switzerland’s third consecutive victory came from Granit Xhaka, who scored from the penalty spot in the 65th minute, and Johan Manzambi, who added another in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Thus, Switzerland tops the table with a perfect 9 points from three matches.
