1948 | 4th Albanian National Football Championship!
Year 1948
This championship takes place as two years ago, again in two groups.
Group “A” includes: Partizani, Vllaznia, 17 Nentori, Ylli i kuq i Durres, Dinamo Korce and Besa e Kavaje;
Group “B”: Flamurtari of Vlora, Apolonia of Fier, Tractori of Lushnja, Tomori of Berat, Union of Elbasan, Spartak of Kucove (Q. Stalin) and 8 Nentori of Shijak!
In the first rounds, Vllaznia tries to break away, beating Partizan in Shkoder and Dinamo in Korce (4-1) and then Besa in Shkoder 5-2. But from the end, Partizan “quickly settles scores” with Dinamo in Tirana 7-0, benefiting from Vllaznise’s half-step, which draws 0-0 17 Nentori.
But that is not enough. For two days tPartizan won in Tirana against Vllaznia 1-0 and 17 Nentori 2-1, and tying with Vllaznia.
And so it went on until the last day.
Vllaznia hosts Besa while Partizani hosts the “Ylli i Kuq” of Durres. Vllaznia, with an energetic game, “deposits” six goals in the opposite side. The joy of the Shkodran people comes to mind now.
They are one hundred percent sure that they have reached the final, since they will have a better goal average.
Well, in the meantime, Partizan has exploded and has scored a total of nine goals in the opposite goal. That’s how Partizan takes Vllaznia in the “last turn” and goes to the final.
In the second group, many vicissitudes occur. In the first main rounds, Flamurtari, which beat Traktor 6-1, Apolonine of Fier 6-2, tied with Tomor 0-0, won 5-1 against 8 November , and 5-0 against Spartak Kucove.
Fortunately, Apolonia is not left behind either, after beating Tomori 4-0, it draws 2-2 with Flamurtari, and competes with “vloniates”`. This does not scare the coastal team, who beat Tomori 5-3, 8 Nentori 4-1, tied with Union 1-1 and came first in their group. Below is the classification of the first three in the two groups of this championship:
Group “A”
- Partizani….10N / 8V-1T-1L / G34-8 / 17 Points
- Vllaznia……10N / 8V-1T-1L / G26-7 / 17
- 17 Nentori…9 N / 4V-2T-3L / G9-9 / 10
Group “B”
- Flamurtari….14N / 8V-4T-2L / G47-19 / 20 PTS
- Union………..14N / 7V-5T-2L / G34-15 / 19
- Apollonia…..14N / 7V-5T-2L / G31-23 / 19
THE FINAL
So Partizani and Flamurtari will meet in Tirana on August 28 for the championship title. Partizan went down to the field with this formation: Bonati at the goal; defenders with Dibra, Dhambi and Sakiqi; in the line of “halfas” Fagu and Fakja; in attack Parapani, Shaqiri, Gjinali, Bicaku and Bakalli. With the tactical scheme, 3-2-5!
It was a formation of the time to be envied!
The first ones to score were Flamurtari players . Bicaku quickly equalizes and then Gjinali scores two goals in a row.
In the second half, it’s Gjinali again with two more goals where Shaqiri adds the 6th, while Flamurtari scores only one. When the referee R. Kuka called for the end of this final, the score was fixed at 6-2.
The protagonist of the match would be master Zihni Gjinali with 4 goals scored.
Partizan is the champion of the country for the second time. During the 10 group games, the new champions won 8, tied 1 game (against Yllit te kuq Durres), and suffered only one loss, but this time in Shkoder 4-1, from its strongest rival, Vllaznia).
The ranks of Partizan were completed that year by M. Dibra, B. Fakja, A. Parapani, A. Bonati, Vasfi Bicaku, Xh. Shaqiri, A. Merhori, etc.
REPUBLIC CUP
This same year, 1948, for the first time in the history of our football, the matches started of the Cup of the Republic, of this beautiful activity, where dozens of teams are activated every year, thus proving the massiveness and popularity of this sport in our country. In the final, Partizan wins 5-2 against 17 Nentori, marking another success.
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“Sports Vision + / The Hour of Champions – since 2013
Sources: The Book of “History of football” / “8 Nentori” – Tirana, 1978 / S. Kellici / p. 76-77 / Sporti Popullor” July 30, 1985 / p. 3 (story on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the National Championship)
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