New Saints vs Shkëndija: Overview

In a tense UEFA Champions League first qualifying round encounter, "The New Saints FC" and "KF Shkëndija 79" battled to a goalless draw at Park Hall Stadium. The July 8th fixture showcased defensive resilience from both sides, with neither team able to break the deadlock despite several promising opportunities.

The atmosphere at Park Hall was electric as Welsh champions The New Saints returned to Champions League football. Nearly 3,000 passionate supporters created a cauldron of noise under the summer evening sky, with drums and chants echoing throughout the compact venue. The home contingent unfurled an impressive tifo before kickoff, setting the stage for what they hoped would be a memorable European night.

Despite the lack of goals, the match delivered intensity and tactical intrigue. The New Saints dominated possession for long stretches but struggled to penetrate Shkëndija's disciplined defensive block. The North Macedonian side looked dangerous on counter-attacks, particularly through the pacey Fetai and technical abilities of Latifi.

The result leaves this Champions League tie perfectly balanced heading into the return leg in North Macedonia. Both teams will feel they have a genuine opportunity to progress to the second qualifying round, with everything to play for. For The New Saints, maintaining their solid defensive performance while finding more cutting edge will be crucial, while Shkëndija will hope home advantage provides the platform for victory.

This stalemate continues The New Saints' mixed record in European competition but gives them hope of advancing further in this season's Champions League campaign. For neutral observers, the tactical chess match between Harrison and Bekiri delivered intrigue if not goals, setting up an enticing second leg.

"We created enough chances to win the game, but we need to be more clinical in the final third. I'm pleased with our defensive solidity and the clean sheet gives us a platform for the return leg. We know it will be tough in North Macedonia, but we've shown we can compete at this level," reflected Craig Harrison, The New Saints manager.

"Our tactical discipline was excellent tonight. We limited a strong home side to few clear opportunities and demonstrated our own threat on the counter. The tie is perfectly balanced now, and we look forward to welcoming The New Saints to our stadium where our fantastic supporters will create an incredible atmosphere," said Jeton Bekiri, Shkëndija's head coach.

"It was a physical battle throughout. We controlled large portions of the game but couldn't find that decisive moment. Their goalkeeper made some excellent saves, but we're confident we can score away from home," commented Ryan Brobbel, The New Saints midfielder.

"We executed our game plan well. We knew The New Saints would dominate possession at home, so we focused on staying compact and looking for opportunities to counter. The clean sheet is valuable, and now we have the chance to progress in front of our own supporters," stated Liridon Latifi, Shkëndija's experienced playmaker.

"Both teams showed their strengths but also their limitations in the final third. The New Saints will be disappointed not to capitalize on home advantage, while Shkëndija executed their defensive gameplan effectively. This tie remains delicately poised," analyzed former Champions League midfielder and television pundit John Murray.

Possession: The New Saints FC 62% - 38% KF Shkëndija 79

Shots (On Target): The New Saints FC 14 (5) - 8 (3) KF Shkëndija 79

Corners: The New Saints FC 7 - 4 KF Shkëndija 79

Fouls: The New Saints FC 9 - 13 KF Shkëndija 79

Yellow Cards: The New Saints FC 2 (Bodenham 34', Corness 71') - 3 KF Shkëndija 79 (Ramadani 22', Tamba 56', Fetai 83')

Red Cards: None

Individual Statistics:

Ryan Brobbel (The New Saints): 4 shots, 3 key passes, 91% pass completion Leo Smith (The New Saints): 3 shots, 2 on target, 4 successful dribbles Nathan Shepperd (The New Saints): 3 saves, 2 high claims, 12 accurate long balls

Liridon Latifi (Shkëndija): 2 shots on target, 3 key passes, 4 successful tackles Imran Fetai (Shkëndija): 3 shots, 87% pass completion, 5 successful dribbles Baboucarr Gaye (Shkëndija): 5 saves, 3 high claims, 1 punch

Despite The New Saints' dominance in possession and shots, Shkëndija's defensive organization limited clear-cut opportunities for the Welsh champions. The visitors demonstrated efficiency in their counter-attacking approach, creating quality chances despite less time on the ball. The statistics reflect a technically proficient New Saints side that lacked the final touch, while Shkëndija showed tactical discipline throughout the Champions League qualifier.

5': Early opportunity for The New Saints as Ryan Brobbel's curling free-kick from 25 yards forced Gaye into a spectacular diving save, tipping the ball around the post.

22': First yellow card of the match shown to Shkëndija's Reshat Ramadani for a late challenge on Dominic Corness in midfield, halting a promising counter-attack.

34': Jack Bodenham entered the referee's book after bringing down Fetai on the edge of the box. The resulting free-kick from Liridon Latifi whistled just over the crossbar.

41': Best chance of the first half fell to The New Saints when Leo Smith's close-range effort was somehow kept out by Gaye after a defensive mixup in the Shkëndija penalty area.

57': Tactical adjustment by Shkëndija coach Bekiri, shifting from a 4-2-3-1 to a more compact 4-5-1 formation to counter The New Saints' growing midfield dominance.

68': Double substitution for The New Saints as Harrison looked to inject fresh energy into the attack, bringing on Brad Young and Josh Daniels for Smith and Wilson.

77': Golden opportunity for Shkëndija on the counter-attack. Imran Fetai broke through one-on-one with Shepperd but placed his shot too close to the goalkeeper who made a crucial save.

89': Last-gasp chance for The New Saints as Brobbel's corner found McGahey unmarked six yards out, but his powerful header flew agonizingly over the crossbar.

The match ebbed and flowed with both teams creating opportunities but failing to find the breakthrough. Harrison's tactical switches in the second half gave The New Saints more width, while Bekiri's defensive adjustments successfully frustrated the home side's attacking efforts in this Champions League qualifier.

The goalless draw at Park Hall Stadium adds another chapter to the developing rivalry between "The New Saints FC" and "KF Shkëndija 79". This UEFA Champions League qualifying fixture marked the third competitive meeting between these champions from Wales and North Macedonia.

In their previous encounters, The New Saints claimed victory in one match while the other ended in Shkëndija's favor. Their first meeting came in the 2018-19 Europa League qualifying rounds, where Shkëndija secured a 5-0 aggregate victory (3-0 away, 2-0 home). The New Saints avenged this defeat during the 2021-22 Europa Conference League qualifiers with a narrow 4-3 aggregate win (2-0 home, 1-3 away).

This latest encounter demonstrated a more evenly matched contest than previous meetings. While their earlier confrontations produced goals, this defensive stalemate showcased improved tactical discipline from both sides.

Key individual battles shaped the match narrative. The duel between The New Saints' playmaker Ryan Brobbel and Shkëndija's midfield anchor Fabrice Tamba proved particularly fascinating, with Tamba effectively limiting Brobbel's creative influence. Similarly, Shkëndija's dangerous forward Imran Fetai found himself well-marshalled by The New Saints' central defender Jack Bodenham throughout most of the encounter.

Statistically, this contest diverged from their previous meetings by producing no goals, with both defenses demonstrating greater resilience. The possession statistics favored The New Saints more heavily than in past encounters, reflecting their growth as a controlling force in European fixtures.

With this result, the all-time head-to-head record now stands at one win each plus one draw, with Shkëndija holding a 5-4 advantage on aggregate goals across all competitions. The return leg promises to be equally competitive as both sides look to advance in this prestigious European competition.

As this UEFA Champions League first qualifying round fixture represents the beginning of the 2025-26 European campaign for both clubs, there is no tournament table yet established. However, both teams enter the competition as champions of their respective domestic leagues.

The New Saints FC qualified for this Champions League qualifying round as winners of the Cymru Premier, where they had finished 11 points clear of their nearest challengers. This match represents their first step in attempting to become the first Welsh club to reach the Champions League group stage.

KF Shkëndija 79 earned their place in this competition by winning the North Macedonian First League, securing the title by a margin of 7 points. This is their fifth consecutive appearance in Champions League qualifying.

The winner of this two-legged tie will advance to the second qualifying round, where they will face either Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) or Ballkani (Kosovo). With the tie delicately balanced after this goalless draw, both teams have realistic aspirations of progression.

Historically, both clubs have struggled to advance beyond the early qualifying rounds of the Champions League. The New Saints' best European performance came in 2010 when they reached the third qualifying round of the Europa League, while Shkëndija reached the Europa League play-off round in 2018.

This result keeps both teams' hopes alive of making a historic run in this season's competition, with everything to play for in the return leg in North Macedonia.