Excitement without goals: Albania and Serbia draw 0-0 in Tirana!

Excitement without goals: Albania and Serbia draw 0-0 in Tirana!

On Saturday evening, June 7, 2025, the highly anticipated qualifier for the 2026 World Cup between Albania and Serbia ended goalless 0-0 at the “Air Albania” Stadium in Tirana. Both teams had numerous chances to win the game, but were unable to achieve the desired result. Albania even missed a penalty, which turned out to be a crucial moment in the game.

In the first half, which began with an intense atmosphere, the Albanians were awarded a penalty in the 45th minute. Rey Manaj started but was denied by the Serbian goalkeeper, who parried the shot. Apart from this important moment, the first half was characterized by duels and few dangerous actions. The spectators experienced an open game that was accompanied by passionate fan reactions.

Intensity and emotions in the stadium

The encounter was not only intense in terms of sport, but also emotionally charged. During the game there were insults against the Serbian players and the spectators loudly demanded the recognition of Kosovo. Many of the fans in attendance, who had traveled from Kosovo and North Macedonia, celebrated in the streets of Tirana after the final whistle. But the mood was also clouded by protests against the Albanian Football Association and its president Armand Duka regarding ticket allocation. Organized fan groups stayed away from the stadium before the game and expressed their dissatisfaction in other ways.

The second half brought some changes to the game. Nedim Bajrami had the opportunity to give Albania the lead, but shot poorly. Serbia also remained active in attack, but Aleksandar Mitrovic and other players were unable to score a goal. Coach Dragan Stojkovic praised the Albanian team after the game and recognized the draw as a realistic result, while Albania expressed optimism for the upcoming games.

Player opinions and outlook

Albanian players like Myrto Uzuni, who came on in the 75th minute, were happy with the team's performance. Uzuni highlighted the positive aspects of the game, while captain Berat Gjimshiti admitted more risks could have been taken. Arbër Hoxha and Mirlind Daku also spoke positively about the team's chances when they face Latvia on June 10.

Finally, the spectators and players can look back on an exciting and hard-fought game that showed that anything is possible in football, even if the two teams remained scoreless in the end. The next matches will be crucial for both teams to achieve their goals in World Cup qualification.

For more information about the game and statistics, visit the reports from Koha and World football.