The Albanian national football team failed to secure back-to-back victories in the UEFA Nations League, suffering a 0-1 defeat against Georgia at the “Air Albania” stadium. Despite a strong effort, Albania was unable to break through Georgia’s defense, resulting in a frustrating loss on home soil.
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| Elseid Hysaj during the interview after the loss against Georgia |
After the match, Albanian captain Elseid Hysaj shared his thoughts on the game. Hysaj, who wore the captain's armband and delivered a solid performance, acknowledged that the team should have been more cautious during the critical moment that led to Georgia’s winning goal. However, he expressed confidence that the team will improve in future matches.
“We played well, it wasn’t a bad game. We were tired, and they were sitting back a lot. Georgia is a team that’s improving. In our group, they are considered the strongest. We should have done better on our home field, and it’s a shame because we played well,” Hysaj said.
The captain emphasized the special tactics the team employed to neutralize Georgia’s star player, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, widely regarded as their most dangerous player.
“We had a plan to keep two players on Kvara, to prevent him from finding space. He was their most important player, and we had special measures in place,” he explained.
Despite their efforts, Albania struggled to find the breakthrough in attack. Hysaj noted that the team needed to be smarter and faster on the field to take advantage of opportunities.
“We needed to find a way to get the ball through and score. We must be more careful and smarter in future games. Ukraine pressed us more, which gave us more space. This was a faster game, and we lacked brilliance on the pitch. We should have been quicker. These are small details that can cost you. Sometimes you even need to commit a tactical foul and take a card to stop dangerous plays,” he added.
Despite the loss, Hysaj was clear that the team’s effort was unquestionable.
“We gave our maximum. We knew it would be a game decided by one or two chances, and we were waiting for our moment, but it didn’t come. We have to keep believing. We have the ability, so why not keep pushing forward?”
In addition to discussing the match, Hysaj also briefly commented on his current situation at club level. After limited playing time with AC Milan and reportedly being left off Lazio’s Serie A squad list, Hysaj revealed he was looking for a solution to his club situation.
“I played five minutes with Milan, and I haven’t had contact with anyone from the club. I saw in the media that I was left out of Lazio’s Serie A squad. I’ll find a solution, I won’t stay at Lazio just to watch others,” he concluded.
Despite the disappointment in the Nations League, the Albanian team remains hopeful for better results in the coming matches as they seek to rebound and improve their standing in the competition.