Nuevos santos vs Shkëndija: Resumen

In a tense UEFA Champions League first qualifying round encounter, "The New Saints FC" and "KF Shkëndija 79" battled to a goalless stalemate at Park Hall Stadium. The July 8th fixture saw both sides demonstrate resolute defensive performances, with neither able to break the deadlock despite creating several opportunities throughout the 90 minutes.

The atmosphere at Park Hall was electric as Welsh champions "The New Saints" returned to Europe's elite competition. The home supporters created a wall of noise, willing their team forward against the North Macedonian visitors. Despite the lack of goals, the technical quality on display satisfied the passionate crowd who witnessed a tactical chess match between two evenly matched sides.

This result leaves everything to play for in the return leg, with neither team gaining a significant advantage. For "The New Saints", maintaining a clean sheet at home provides a solid foundation, though they'll be disappointed not to have capitalized on home advantage. "Shkëndija", meanwhile, will feel confident heading back to North Macedonia with the tie finely balanced.

The defensive masterclass from both teams highlighted their disciplined approaches, with Harrison McGahey and Fabrice Tamba particularly impressive for their respective sides. This UEFA Champions League qualifier remains delicately poised, with both teams still harboring realistic ambitions of advancing to the next round.

"I'm satisfied with our defensive shape today. We knew "Shkëndija" would be organized and difficult to break down, and that proved to be the case. We created a few decent chances but couldn't find that moment of quality in the final third. The clean sheet gives us something to build on for the second leg," remarked "The New Saints" coach Craig Harrison after the match.

"We've shown great character to come to a difficult venue and secure a draw. Park Hall is never an easy place to visit, and I'm proud of how my players handled the pressure. We'll be looking to use our home advantage in the return leg, but we know "The New Saints" are dangerous and this tie is far from over," stated "Shkëndija" manager Jeton Bekiri.

"We knew it would be a tight affair. They're well-organized and made it difficult for us to play our normal game. The atmosphere was fantastic and pushed us forward, especially in the second half. We're confident we can get a result in North Macedonia," said "The New Saints" midfielder Ryan Brobbel, who had one of the home side's best chances.

"A draw away from home in European competition is always a good result. We defended well as a unit and created some dangerous counter-attacks. The tie is balanced but playing in front of our supporters will give us extra motivation," commented "Shkëndija" captain Klisman Cake.

"Both teams showed why they're champions of their respective leagues. "The New Saints" controlled possession well but "Shkëndija" looked dangerous on the break. The return leg promises to be fascinating with both sides likely to be more adventurous," analyzed former UEFA Champions League referee Martin Thompson.

Possession: "The New Saints FC" dominated the ball with 62% possession compared to "KF Shkëndija 79's" 38%, reflecting the Welsh side's home advantage and technical approach.

Shots: The match saw "The New Saints" register 14 attempts with 4 on target, while "Shkëndija" recorded 9 shots with 3 testing goalkeeper Nathan Shepperd directly. This relatively even shots-on-target statistic highlights why the match ended goalless despite "The New Saints'" territorial dominance.

Corners: The home side forced 8 corners to "Shkëndija's" 3, indicating their sustained pressure, though they failed to capitalize on these set-piece opportunities.

Cards: A disciplined encounter saw just 3 yellow cards shown - 1 for "The New Saints" (Jack Bodenham) and 2 for "Shkëndija" (Reshat Ramadani and Kamer Qaka).

Individual Performances: Ryan Brobbel was "The New Saints'" most creative force, completing 43 of his 48 passes (90% success rate) and creating 3 clear chances. For the visitors, goalkeeper Baboucarr Gaye made 4 crucial saves to keep his team level, while Klisman Cake won 7 duels in midfield, more than any other player on the pitch.

Tactical Comparison: "The New Saints" attempted 487 passes with a 84% completion rate, significantly higher than "Shkëndija's" 298 passes at 72% accuracy. However, the visitors' counter-attacking strategy saw them record a higher xG (expected goals) value of 1.2 compared to the home side's 0.9, suggesting they created slightly better quality chances despite having fewer attempts in this UEFA Champions League qualifier.

7': Early opportunity for "The New Saints" as Ryan Brobbel's curling free-kick from 25 yards forced Baboucarr Gaye into a spectacular diving save, setting the tone for a competitive UEFA Champions League qualifying encounter.

23': "Shkëndija" threatened on the counter-attack when Fiton Ademi broke free down the right flank and delivered a dangerous cross that Liridon Latifi narrowly headed wide, missing their best chance of the first half.

39': Jack Bodenham entered the referee's book after a tactical foul on Ronaldo Webster, who was beginning to cause problems with his pace on the left wing for "Shkëndija".

51': "The New Saints" nearly broke the deadlock when Leo Smith's clever through ball found Ben Wilson, whose shot from a tight angle struck the outside of the post with Gaye beaten.

67': Double substitution for "Shkëndija" as coach Jeton Bekiri introduced fresh legs to counter "The New Saints'" growing pressure, changing to a more defensive 5-4-1 formation to protect the valuable away draw.

78': Golden opportunity missed by "The New Saints" as substitute Jordan Williams failed to convert from six yards after an excellent cross from Rory Holden, heading over when it seemed easier to score.

89': Last-gasp drama as "Shkëndija's" Kamer Qaka saw yellow for time-wasting, highlighting the visitors' determination to leave Park Hall with a clean sheet and a goalless draw.

This UEFA Champions League qualifier marked only the third competitive meeting between "The New Saints FC" and "KF Shkëndija 79". Their historical record now stands at one win for "The New Saints", one draw, and one victory for "Shkëndija".

Their previous encounters came in a European qualification tie in 2019, where "The New Saints" secured a narrow 1-0 home victory before falling to a 3-1 defeat in North Macedonia, resulting in "Shkëndija" progressing 3-2 on aggregate. This history adds an intriguing narrative to the current tie, suggesting "Shkëndija" may have a slight psychological edge heading into the home leg.

In terms of key individual battles, "The New Saints'" central defensive partnership of Jack Bodenham and Harrison McGahey successfully neutralized "Shkëndija's" dangerous forward Fiton Ademi, who had scored in their previous meeting. Meanwhile, the midfield contest between Ryan Brobbel and Klisman Cake was particularly fascinating, with both players demonstrating their technical abilities and leadership qualities.

Goalkeeping performances were another highlight, with Nathan Shepperd and Baboucarr Gaye both making crucial interventions to preserve the clean sheet for their respective teams. Gaye particularly impressed with his command of the penalty area during "The New Saints'" periods of sustained pressure.

The tactical approach of both teams showed respect for their opponent's strengths, with "The New Saints" coach Craig Harrison adopting a more measured approach than their typically attacking domestic style, while "Shkëndija's" Jeton Bekiri set his team up to be compact and dangerous on the counter-attack.