Albania U-17 kicked off their campaign in the European U-17 Championship qualifiers with a tough match against Croatia, part of Group 3. Playing at the "Air Albania" Stadium, the red and black team secured a valuable point with a 1-1 draw against a strong Croatian side.
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| Football players of the Albanian U-17 national team listening to the national anthem before the match against Croatia |
First Half: An Own Goal Changes the Game's Course
The match began with Croatia slightly dominating, aiming to control the game from the start. However, Albania was well-organized in defense, successfully blocking Croatia's early attempts. Unfortunately, in the 28th minute, following a cross into the box, Albania's Darli Kurti accidentally scored an own goal, giving Croatia a 1-0 lead. Despite some efforts from Albania to equalize, the first half ended with Croatia ahead.
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Second Half: Albania Dominates and Finds the Equalizer
At the start of the second half, Albania's coach Andrea Tedesco made a key substitution, bringing on Serxhio Vogli for Arian Gavelli. With a more attacking approach, Albania started to threaten the Croatian goal. In the 60th minute, Andreas Llana unleashed a spectacular shot from outside the box, but Croatia’s goalkeeper made a crucial save.
Just six minutes later, in the 66th minute, Albania found the equalizer. Ricardo Sheji fired a powerful free-kick that hit the crossbar, but Gabriel Kulla was in the right place to tap in the rebound, leveling the score at 1-1. This goal boosted the team's morale, and they pushed forward in search of a winner.
A Hard-Fought End but No Second Goal
After the equalizer, Albania continued to press. In the 73rd minute, Gabriel Kulla had another great opportunity, but his shot was blocked by a Croatian defender and then saved by the goalkeeper. Coach Tedesco made additional substitutions, bringing on Shkëmbi, Ramku, Spasian Nasto, and Amer Kthupi to add fresh legs to the squad.
Despite Albania's continuous efforts, they couldn't find a second goal, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Other Results and Upcoming Matches
In the other Group 3 match, played at the "Niko Dovana" Stadium in Durrës, the Netherlands secured a dominant 6-0 win against the Faroe Islands, solidifying their position as the group favorite.
On October 12th, Albania faces a tough challenge when they take on the Netherlands at the "Air Albania" Stadium. The match is scheduled for 3:00 PM, while Croatia will face the Faroe Islands at 11:00 AM at the "House of Football." Albania will be looking to build on their fighting spirit shown in this opener as they prepare for the Dutch test.