All is not lost for Albania, who retain an excellent chance of qualifying for next year’s finals. But the melodramatic touch of punching their ticket to a first ever major international tournament at the expense of Serbia is now beyond their reach. Instead they must wait three days to determine their Euro 2016 fate in Armenia. Be sure to check back later for a match report and thanks as always for following along with us.
Full-time: Albania 0-2 Serbia
A dramatic finish here at the Elbasan Arena with a pair of goals past the 90th minute making the difference for a Serbian side playing for pride and nothing else. Albania’s big night was spoiled in a hurry, but they’ll have a second chance to qualify in three days’ time with a win over Armenia in Yerevan. Previously, a draw would have been enough. (Albania rallied from behind to win 2-1 when the teams first met at this stadium in March.)
GOAL! Albania 0-2 Serbia (Ljajic, 90 min+4)
A breakway for Ljajic, who surges downfield with the ball, a pair of Albania defenders in his wake, and chips the keeper to double Serbia’s advantage at the death. This arena is stunned.
It is absolutely silent in here.
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) October 8, 2015
Updated
90 min+3: Mehas’ attempt goes directly in the wall and it’s a counter-attack. Serbia on the run ...
90 min+2: Mitrovic shown yellow on a foul that gives Albania a chance at an equalizer, a free-kick chance from just outside the area.
GOAL! Albania 0-1 Serbia (Kolarov, 90 min+1)
Oh my. Elbasan Arena silenced as Kolarov slots home an apparent winner through the legs of Berisha off the assist by Ljajic on the counter-attack. Wow.
Updated
90 min: Four minutes of added time.
88 min: Albania really pushing ahead for a winner even though a draw would be a fine result (presuming the Portugal result holds). On the other end Sulejmani bursts into the area but is called for a foul on the keeper Berisha. Had the referee seen it another way it could have been a penalty.
86 min: (Portugal still ahead 1-0 entering the 90th minute on Joao Moutinho’s 66th-minute strike.)
85 min: Cikalleshi hacked down again at midfield, this time by Fejsa. Possession changes hands moments later on another foul as Basha is challenged by Tosic.
83 min: Another corner for Serbia, but it’s played by Tosic far of the far post and no one can get a head on it. Albania makes their final change as Alban Meha comes on for Lenjani.
80 min: Free kick well taken by Kolarov, but it veers just left of the post. Berisha would have been there to make the save it appears.
79 min: Agolli into the book, a yellow card, for an overzealous challenge of Tosic. Serbia with a free kick from 30 yards or so.
76 min: A thrilling run by Cikalleshi, who surges into the area but whose left-footed shot is turned away by Stojkovic. A deadly serious chance by Albania as the crowd groans in disappointment.
75 min: Stefan Mitrovic whistled for a foul on Cikalleshi and Albania will have a free kick from a dangerous position. It’s lobbed cheekily over the wall and a slightly hesitant Stojkovic makes it a closer play than it should have been.
73 min: Pace has slowed here. Serbia make their final change as Fejsa comes on for an apparently hurt Matic.
Updated
69 min: Tomovic shown yellow for a reckless challenge. Albania make another change as Sokol Cikalleshi comes on for Balaj, who was excellent today.
68 min: Portugal have scored against Denmark and lead 1-0, meaning Albania and Denmark are now level on points – thought Denmark own the tiebreaker on head-to-head record.
65 min: Dusko Tosic entering for the hamstrung Ivanovic. (I’m so sorry.)
63 min: A bad sign for Serbia – and Chelsea – as Ivanovic falls the the turf gripping his hamstring in agony. Play has stopped as the fans do the Mexican wave. Ivanovic is on his feet but looks to be in great pain.
60 min: A fine right-footed chance by Xhaka from inside the area at the hour mark but it skids wide right of the target and Albania have won a corner. It’s taken by Kace, but Hysaj’s attempt misses the mark.
59 min: Kolarov surges into the area and is tripped on the edge but the referee says it’s a fair challenge and doesn’t give a penalty.
58 min: Balaj targeted in the area but it’s headed away by a Serbian defender. Albania looking more assertive in attack here after a relatively aimless start to the half, but still little in the way of concrete chances.
54 min: Serbia make their first switch of the match as Miralem Sulejmani comes on for Tadic.
53 min: Balaj wins a free kick to the right side of the area on a foul by Kolarov that doesn’t quite hold up on replay but it’s given nonetheless. It’s taken by the substitute Kace, who swings it into the area where it falls to the foot of Cana, who must shoot hastily. It’s way off target, giving Serbia a goal kick.
51 min: Lenjani with a left-footed shot from outside the area that splits a pair of Serbian defenders but is corralled easily by Stojkovic. Serbia had really dominated possession throughout the early stages of this half up until that flashpoint.
48 min: Tomovic wins a free kick on a foul by Lenjani but nothing comes of it.
47 min: Serbia with yet another quick counter, then a beautifully struck ball through to Ljajic surging up the left flank to really put Albania on the back foot. He traps and looks back to find the onrushing Milivojevic at the top of the area, but the midfielder sends it high and wide of the target. A fine chance squandered.
46 min: We’re underway in the second half. Ergys Kace on for the injured Lila, Albania’s first substitution.
A look at the half-time stats.
Albania v Serbia
45% Possession 55%
3 Corners 1
16 Dangerous attacks 10
6 Attempts 3
3 Shots on target 0
1 Off target 2
2 Blocked 1
0 Saves 3
166 Passes attempted 204
130 Passes completed 168
2 Offsides 1
8 Fouls committed 7
Half-time: Albania 0-0 Serbia
Goalless through 45 minutes with Ljajic’s (correctly) disallowed goal as the main talking point of the opening half. Just one more look at how today’s match has permeated the cultural mainstream in the Balkans.
#Serbia foreign and interior minister watching #ALBSRB in @eu2015lu press room after WBalkans migration conference pic.twitter.com/Hwgwz6RA8Y
— Konsiczky Zoltán (@KonsiczkyZ) October 8, 2015
45 min: Lila down after a challenge and quickly stretchered off. Looks seriously hurt. We’ll try to get information on the injury ASAP. Fourth official signals for two minutes of stoppage time.
44 min: The rain has picked up quite a bit over the past five minutes: it’s really coming down now.
41 min: A dispatch from our man Nick Ames inside the stadium:
All calm so far, with much of the atmosphere floating out of what is a very open stadium with the stands far from the pitch – and certainly no need for the snipers perched on the surrounding rooftops to spring into action. Albania started at speed but Serbia have taken an element of control now and a goal for them might sour the mood considerably. Branislav Ivanovic has missed a big chance and you sense they have the quality on the counter.
40 min: Milivojevic, already on a yellow, warned by the referee for a dodgy challenge.
Updated
39 min: A credible threat by Albania on the counter-attack but the final pass is overcooked and sails past the goal line.
Updated
37 min: Ljajic surges up the left edge of the area and crosses to Matic, whose effort on goal deflects off the foot of an Albanian defender and into the goal! It’s a goal! Or is it? It appeared Rizzoli gave it, but amid a fracas between both sides in front of the net he’s disallowed it. Correctly, it seems, based on the replay: Tosic was offside and appeared to kick the keeper as the ball went in.
Updated
35 min: Balaj comes in late in trying to disrupt a play at midfield and the referee lets them play on.
33 min: Matic is dispossessed at midfield and Albania are on the attack as the crowd swells. Lenjani runs 20 yards and tries to thread it through to Lila, but it’s broken up by a Serbian defender.
30 min: A half hour in and plenty of action both ways. Seems like either side could break through at any moment.
'Tifozat Kuq E Zi' to our left are chanting the name of Ismail Morina – the drone operator last year who is currently in a police cell.
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) October 8, 2015
28 min: Another lightning-quick counter-attack by Albania and they’ve won another corner. Effort toward the near post is headed away diligently by Milivojevic.
27 min: Serbia keeping the ball and confidently walking it up the pitch but can’t thread the final pass, intercepted in the area by a darting Albanian defender.
24 min: Albanian prime minister Edi Rama apparently in the house. That sure looks like him anyway.
. @edirama is here. No Thaci #albser @RTS_Vesti pic.twitter.com/7IQZo6FFPC
— Rade Maroevic (@Maroevic) October 8, 2015
22 min: Within seconds Serbia are downfield and have won a corner! It’s taken short by Tosic to Tadic at the near post, who slots it perpendicularly to an onrushing Ivanovic for a point-blank shot on goal – but it sails over the crossbar. A set piece they’d clearly worked on, that. And it very nearly resulted in the first goal of the match.
21 min: Speculative ball into the area by Albania but it’s easily corralled by Stojkovic.
Updated
20 min: Offside flag goes up near midfield as Tadic made a run prematurely. A free kick to Albania.
18 min: Serbia have played it back to their back four in order to begin a build-up from the back, inviting the Albanian front line to pressure them.
17 min: Aleksandar Mitrovic runs 20 yards with the ball across midfield, eyes wide in search of team-mates in attack, before he’s hacked down cynically by Cana, who is rightly shown yellow.
At the highest point, in the dark, you can make out a sniper and two spotters. pic.twitter.com/tvuHpbYn7F
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) October 8, 2015
Updated
15 min: Albania with their first sustained effort at keeping the ball, stringing together eight, 10, 12 passes in the midfield as they work the ball patiently downfield. The sequence ends with a cross into the area in the general vicinity of Balaj, who is not there to meet it. Cleared out for an Albanian corner, which is taken by Memushaj but again poses no threat.
Updated
12 min: Another free kick for Serbia when players from both sides get entangled in the area several yards from the Serbian keeper. Lots of two-way action thus far if not yet a bevy of chances.
10 min: Memushaj whistled for a foul near midfield giving Serbia a free kick. But it’s sent far past the front three and out, giving Albania a goal kick.
8 min: Albania intercepts near midfield but what could have been a dangerous counter-attack is shrewdly disrupted by Ivanovic. Still, Albania have their first corner of the match. It’s played to the far post where Cana nearly has a chance before it’s snuffed out. Before Serbia can fully clear it, they have their first real chance of the match when Lila puts a header on goal but with little pace, giving Stojkovic an easy save.
5 min: Serbia with a free kick from a dangerous spot after a foul is given just outside the area, but it’s booted into the wall and cleared without alarm.
4 min: Whistles left and right as the sides try to assert themselves (not to mention Rizzoli). Good series of short passes by Serbia outside the area but the threat is broken up by Albania before they can make the final pass.
3 min: Milivojevic correctly shown yellow for a clattering challenge of Lenjani near midfield and that could be crucial. He’ll now be hamstrung for 88 minutes at minimum.
1 min: And we’re off! Albania attacking from left to right in red shirts and black shorts, Serbia from right to left in all-white kits. A long ball played by Serbia right off the kickoff and a foul is whistled on Stefan Mitrovic roughly 10 seconds in. The ball is quickly swung downfield off the re-start and Albania play it into the area for an early half-chance but it’s cleared before the threat mounts.
The players have from the tunnel into the Elbasan Arena cauldron. We’re into the national anthems and kickoff is just moments away.
Updated
Do follow our man on the ground, Nick Ames (@NickAmes82), who will be sending along dispatches Wi-Fi permitting.
Albania warming up. And now that the torrential rain has cleared, the atmosphere is too. pic.twitter.com/NAtnh89vQc
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) October 8, 2015
A note from Harry Middleton, via email, on tonight’s man in the middle.
As a fellow referee just wanted to shout-out tonight’s referee, Nicola Rizzoli from Bologna. He has handled many top fixtures, including the finals of the World Cup, Europa and Champions Leagues. He is regarded as a calm confident figure among refereeing circles, which should be important in such a hostile atmosphere. Englishman Martin Atkinson took charge of the reverse fixture, and handled the situations very well in UEFA’s view. I would suggest not many in world football envy the refereeing team from Italy tonight!
Here’s a look at today’s teams.
Albania
Berisha; Hysaj, Cana, Xhimshiti, Agolli; Memushaj, Basha, Xhaka; Lila, Balaj, Lenjani
Serbia
Stojkovic; Tomovic, Ivanovic, S Mitrovic, Kolarov; Milivojevic, Matic; Tosic, Ljajic, Tadic; A Mitrovic
Hello and welcome to tonight’s Euro 2016 qualifier between Albania and Serbia. One year after their match in Belgrade was abandoned due to the drone incident, the Red and Blacks, currently third in Group I and within touching distance of qualifying for their first major international tournament, play host amid a tense atmosphere in Elbesan. Team information forthcoming with kickoff just over 20 minutes from now.
Updated
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime why not read Nick Ames’ latest dispatch from the ground in Elbasan.
Ledio Bilali has already resigned himself to a day off on Thursday. At midday he will be obliged to lock the doors of Muza Bar, the business he runs with his family in a tower block overlooking the Elbasan Arena, and will make his way upstairs to his apartment on the 10th floor.
The view is spectacular from there: if he feels curious, he will be able to look down as bomb squad officers sweep the stadium early in the afternoon, but by the time Albania and Serbia kick off at 8.45pm he will have had to secure his balcony and will not even be allowed to venture towards the window. Anybody caught watching the match from this high up has technically broken the law – anybody, that is, except for the teams of snipers and spotters stationed on every roof overlooking the stadium.
These are extreme measures for extreme times. If Albania manage to better Denmark’s result in Portugal, they will qualify automatically for Euro 2016 – a stunning achievement in its own right for a country that has never come close to reaching a major tournament before. That is enough to hold the interest but Serbia’s participation casts matters in an altogether different light. Their being accessories to Albania’s qualification would constitute the perfect storm: the enmity between these countries still runs deep after their involvement in the brutal war over the disputed territory of Kosovo, and this is before last year’s bizarre incident in Belgrade is considered.
