Shkëndia – Kavalla |1972 Balkan Cup!

Balkan Cup in the rank of clubs, 1972

It is the edition of 1972 when our team “Shkendia” played against “Kavalla” of Greece for the Balkan Cup.

The first meeting between them was played on April 27 at the national stadium “Qemal Stafa” in Tirana.
Shkendia : Hoxha (Ajazi), Curi, Gjoni, Hushi, Gurma, Hafizi, Bulku, Ballco, Zeri, Sulo, Fagu Kavalla: Pandelakos, Kogalis, Karanatsos, Tacis, Bugatcsos, Anestis, (Patsos), Filjolios, Papalopoulos, Kopsaqilis , (Filipidis), Krisafidhis, Maqeridhis

The match took place in a field damaged by the heavy rains that fell the day before this meeting and which continued to fall during its development. However, the game did not lose its beauty, mainly due to the merit of our team, which in the first minutes, using with speed and intelligence an insecurity of the opposing defenders, managed to score with the side of Fagu, after a kick of the ball with head.

Encouraged by the cheers of the thousands of sports fans, who were present at this meeting, the Vojokusha players gave the game an attacking character. In the first 45 minutes, our team exerted pressure and dominated in all directions.

The attacks of the attackers, strongly supported by the defense and the midfield, keep coming not only increasing, but becoming more and more dangerous for the goal protected by Pandelakos. Shkendia created many chances to score, but they were not used due to the merits of the opposing defense as well as to the haste and wrong shots of our attackers.

The chronicle of the first 45 minutes of the Greek team “Kavalla” was poor, as he, with the exception of two cases, such as Papalopoulos’s shot in the 38th minute, which the goalkeeper Hoxha received with difficulty, and the other a minute later late from a strong shot on the left wing, for which Hushi’s brave intervention was needed, he did not worry about Shkendise’s goal.

During the first 20 minutes of the second half, the pace of the game dropped significantly, especially on the part of Shkendisa. The game was generally of a weaker level. In the 71st minute, after a descent from the right wing and two or three combinations in the area, the ball reaches Bulku, who without hesitation shoots hard, shaking the goal net of the Kavalla team for the second time. After conceding the second goal, the opposing team tried to attack to shorten the distance. However, his attacks were weak and weak. The game seemed as if it would end with the result 2-0.

But the unexpected happened. In the 81st minute, the Greek striker Krisafidhis, using a cross from the right wing, hits the ball with his head, turned as he was with his back to the goal, and scores.

They must say that the goal was scored not because of his merits, but because of the lack of attention and readiness of the goalkeeper of our team “Shkendia”. The result could have been deeper if the attackers of Shkendise would shoot more at long distances and make better use of the many opportunities that were created.

Regardless of these, our team entered the game quite mobilized, fought almost throughout the game, generally adapted to the terrain and won with merit. Tactically, he acted more correctly than the opponent, because in most cases he used long balls, he opened the game both on one side and on the other side, the departments stayed close to each other and the whole team acted well both in attack and defense.

Some short passes were not productive. In the decisive casts, he lacked composure, especially in front of the opponent’s goal. In some cases, it was noticed that the ball was kept, especially by Zeri, who during the whole game, especially in the first 45 minutes, stood out for his performance as an organizer. In a special way, Hushi’s very safe and manly game should be mentioned. Curi, Sulo, Gurma etc. were also distinguished. under his ability, Gjoni played especially weakly in terms of hitting the ball. The Kavalla team played mainly with the 4-3-3 scheme. Actions with the ball, due to the terrain conditions, were not positive. He tried to circulate the ball in close distances, but this often hindered the development of his actions.

The Greeks gave the game a defensive character, which was evident from the concentration of many forces for this purpose. In the attack, they worked with fewer players and mainly tried to play in the center, using in most cases the center forward Krisafidhis. The victory of Shkendise is a good start for him. Naturally, for the return match scheduled for May 10 in Kavalla, the Vojokus fans must make greater efforts, trying to avoid the flaws that were noticed in this meeting.

Exclusivity on this page on January 9, 2022

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Sports Vision / Champion`s Hour since 2013
Reference: Newspaper “Sporti Popullor” May 2, 1972 / p. 3 (personal collection)

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