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Israel's football team took the field for the first time since the October 7 Hamas massacres and the start of the war in Gaza, losing 1-0 in Kosovo in a delayed Euro 2024 qualifier on Sunday.
The game in Pristina, originally scheduled for October 15, was played under heavy security. Kosovo is predominantly Muslim but also a close ally of the United States and has good diplomatic relations with Israel.
The match, which drew a small crowd on a rainy night, went off without a hitch.
Impressive security measures were in place around the stadium before and during the match, including the deployment of special police units.
The Israeli team's convoy to the stadium was also particularly closely watched as it travelled through the city.
"We see scenes with children, and we have experienced war ourselves," Driton Ajeti, a 37-year-old lawyer, told AFP.
"We are opposed to the events we are witnessing, but today we have come for the sport, and everything else is decided elsewhere."
Kosovo won thanks to a 41st-minute goal by Milot Rashica, who plays for Besiktas in Turkey.
Romania lead Group I, a point ahead of Switzerland. Israel stayed third, four points behind the Swiss and a point ahead of Kosovo.
