(Part one) Championship Season 1982-1983 | Vllaznia wins the title with a “photo finish” thanks to the goal difference against Partizan!

Prologue!
This season’s championship has long been archived but remains in memory as perhaps the most balanced competition in history in winning the championship title, a championship that remained in question until the last seconds of the final week’s matches, between the three teams Vllaznia, Partizani, and 17 Nentori with equal points!

Specially a beautiful, strong duel of Vllaznia – Partizani teams that have written the history of Albanian football. It is not for nothing that it can be said that “Football was born and raised in Shkoder but Partizan took it over and turned it into magic”!

Vllaznia and Partizani, old rivals that over the years have been characterized by love and hate, but in the end there has never been a lack of respect between them.

There are the 80s when fans of these two rivals often use te say: “There are three sevens in the world. Keegan, Hado and Popivoda” or “There are two teams in Albania, Partizani and Vllaznia”!

Two similar but also opposite teams! Love, hate, rivalry, friendship and of course respect!

Vllaznia in 1981 as the Winners of Republic Cup!

This season Vllaznia has a well-formed ensemble that displays technical and spectacular football, but the weak points are the goal and defense.
From the trio Boshnjaku, Sukaj and Kushe, the latter, who came from Korca, shows more security as a goalie.
The defense is made up of names such as Dedja, Pali, Canga, and the young Zmijani. The distinguished midfielder Ferid Rragami has returned to the Vllaznia team from Partizani, where together with the other starters Vukatana, Borshi, Jera, Briza and the experienced player Astrit Hafizi, they make up the midfield. The attack is built by Fakja, Pacrami, S.Gruda, Luci!
A big name in Albanian football like Ramazan Rragami leads them from the bench as the coach. Alongside him is Esat Rrakiqi as a second!

Partizani in this Season 1982-1983

While Partizan, which has always had a tradition of goalkeeping, (Musta and Lekbello) is solid and almost impenetrable in defense, an iron midfield and a fast counterattack, with a football where technical and physical skills are beautifully combined, highlighting rationality. It is not for nothing that 7 Partizan players are the basis of the Albanian National Team, not counting the others gathered with the “Shpresat” U21 team!

Musta, Eksarko, Hametaj, Hysi, Lame, Tomori, Lika! Among the base formation, many new players have also joined, in addition to Ferko who arrives from Flamurtari, Gezdari from 17 Nentori, Partizani has in its staff: the talent Ocelli, an attacking wing defender who plays with the Under 21 in the base formation, Duro, Lazemetaj, Beliu, Haxhiu, Mance as well as Eduard Zhupa, although young, he shows technical quality as a striker, promising for his future and the trust given to him by the red team!

History proves that many Shkodra natives from Vllaznia have played for Partizan, the ardent fans of which have never liked such transfers, especially when the loss was caused by the contribution of their sons.
Oh, Vllaznia! The love of Shkodra has always been the supplier of the three teams of Tirana, where Partizan has been the most chosen.

It is unnecessary to mention a long list of Shkodra footballers who have contributed to Partizan over the years, especially those of the 50s and 60s when the number of Shkodra players reached 5 (1961, with Shllaku, Kraja, Teli, Deda, Djepaxhia) in the organic composition of the red team, created as a representative of the army, which had this advantage by gathering players from all other teams in its ranks and thus preceding the wild campaign of the “trade” of players in the outside world of world football.

From the great Loro Borici, to the conductor and fantasist Bizi, from Lin Shllaku, and Ramazan Rragami to the other Ferid Rragami, nicknamed “The Woolf” by Partizan fans, and the last transfer of the 80s, Besnik Bilali, “Besa” of Shkodra for Partizan!

Perhaps few know it, but Vllaznia has also borrowed players from Partizan, although the cases have been few. The one who the people of Shkodra will call “15 storeys” (due to his height), Safet Berisha, has worn the Shkodra jersey as a reinforcement in the match against Austria Vienna in 1979 for the Champions Cup, as well as Sulejman Starova and Perlat Musta again as reinforcement in a match of Vllaznia in Vojvodina for the Balkan Cup, even Musta, 19 years old, has debuted on this occasion with Vllaznia in an international matches, and not with his former team Partizan.

Their match has always been a challenge of rivals, a real battle in championships and cups. Sweat, struggle, tears of joy and sorrow. Tests of strength and handshakes!

Precisely this season too, there will be no lack of spectacle and every other element that such a duel of these two teams, Partizani and Vllaznia, offers, which of course have one thing in common, a great figure that connects and unites them in the history of Albanian football, the greates of all, Loro Borici!

In the 23rd week, the big clash between them will arrive, a final that was anticipated three weeks before the end of this season. A duel that Vllaznia wins with full merit and even with a convincing result (4-1), but that decisive match for the title, among other things, has remained full of light and shadow.

A Partizan that plays with a formation in the absence
of 6-7 starters (two sentenced with red cards, Tomorri and Lika, two others injured, Eksarko and Hysi, and the starting trio, Musta, Ahmetaj and Lame sentenced for a whim of coach Birce, right after the National team’s commitment in Belfast against Northern Ireland!

For Partizan, the loss of the title was decided in the last two or three weeks between April 17 and May 22, 1983, which is also the date that marks the 1-1 draw in Kavaja against Besa a week before the end of the championship, which sealed everything, leaving an open wound even today after more than 40 years.

So, we will talk more about what really happened in this article!

Verge of the season!
The summer of 1982.
It is the year when the “Azzurra” team, Italy of Rossi, Conti, Zoff, Cabrini… led by the strategist Enzo Bearzot, has just won the most prestigious world champion title, after defeating all the pretenders and the great schools of world football, Argentina, Brazil and West Germany!

Meanwhile, the Albanian national team, in the qualifiers for the World Cup in Spain `82, did not perform at the proper level. Placed in a group with West Germany, Austria, Bulgaria and Finland, it had taken the penultimate place with only 2 points and a goal difference of 4-22.

On September 3, 1980, Albania had started quite well with a 2-0 victory against Finland in Tirana, which would be the only victory in these qualifiers.

The Albanian team had activated during these qualifiers the following players who were also the most prominent names of the time: Jani Kaci (Skenderbeu), Perlat Musta (Partizani), Millan Baci (17 Nentori), Safet Berisha (Partizani), Kastriot Hysi (Partizani), Muhedin Targaj (Dinamo), Kreshnik Cipi (Flamurtari), Kujtim Cocoli (Dinamo), Ferid Rragami (Vllaznia),Haxhi Ballgjini (Partizani), Ferdinand Lleshi (Labinoti),Uran Xhafa (Flamurtari),Andrea Marko (Dinamo), Ilir Pernaska (Dinamo),Sefedin Braho (Luftetari),Vasillaq Zeri (Dinamo), Dashnor Bajaziti (Besa), Arben Minga (17 Nentori),Shyqyri Ballgjini (Dinamo); Ardian Popa (Labinoti), Roland Luci (Vllaznia), Agustin Kola (17 Nentori) led by coach Loro Borici.

Albania National Team before the match against West Germany in Tirana. VII European Championship Qualifying!

Meanwhile, the Albanian national team under the leadership of Sh. Rreli and R. Rragami, would naturally change its composition with new additions during the qualifiers for the European Championship in France 1984. The above-mentioned names will be added to: Ilir Luarasi (Dinamo); Ahmet Cumaku (Luftetari), Petro Ruci (Flamurtari); Arjan Hametaj (Partizani), Bregu (Dinamo), Arjan Bimo (17 Nentori), Hysen Dedja (Vllaznia), Bedri Omuri (17 Nentori), Luan Vukatana (Vllaznia), Sulejman Mema (17 Nentori), Xhaho (Flamurtari), Shkelqim Muca (17 Nentori) Genc Tomorri (Partizani), Hasan Lika (Partizani), Milutin Kercici (Skenderbeu) .

Albanian National Team 1983 (up from the left) A. Kasa, Medin Zhega (ass. coach), Ahmet Cumaku (Luftetari) ,Kristaq Eksarko (Partizani), Ilir Lame (Partizani), Arben Minga (17 Nentori), Arjan Ahmetaj (Partizani), Kastriot Hysi (Partizani), Haxhi Ballgjini (Lokomotiva), Perlat Musta Musta (Partizani), Shyqyri Rreli (Coach), Ll. Heqini. (down from the left) Bedri Omuri (17 Nentori), Sulejman Mema (17 Nentori), Ferid Rragami (Vllaznia), Petro Ruci (Flamurtari), Genci Tomori (Partizani), Luan Vukatana (Vllaznia), Hysen Dedja (Vllaznia), Hasan Lika (Partizani)

In these qualifiers, Albania will be in a group with West Germany, Austria, Northern Ireland and Turkey, taking last place in the group, with no wins, 2 draws and 6 losses, with an extremely negative goal difference of 4-14.

However, it is worth mentioning the two draws (0-0) against Northern Ireland in Tirana on December 15, 1982, against Turkey (1-1) also in Tirana, on May 11, 1983, as well as the two minimal losses (0-1) in N. Ireland, making a good presentation, and especially the match (1-2) against West Germany in Saarbrycken on November 20, 1983, a dignified match and the Albanians’ concentration that scared the Germans until the last minutes.

For Albania, the best news and emotions of joy will come from the Under 21 team, or “Shpresat” (in Albanian). This team, in opposition to an iron group, manages to eliminate West Germany and qualify for the 8 best teams in Europe.

Albanian Under 21 Team (Shpresat)

Found in the same group with West Germany, Austria and Turkey, the Albanian Under 21 Team, will position itself in first place by defeating Austria 2-1 / 3-0, Turkey twice 1-0 / 1-0 and two draws 1-1 / 1-1, against the West Germans qualify them first in the group as never before and never before achieved by any Albanian football team to enter the finals of a European or world event.

Aspects from the match West Germany – Albania 1-1 played in Trier in 1983

Under 21 in the 6 matches played in the qualifiers will collect 10 points, 4 wins and two draws without any losses and a goal difference of 9-3. What makes it more successful is that the Albanian “Shpresa” were debutants in this edition of the European U21 Championship dominating the scene. In the finals of the continental trophy Albania will be stopped only by Italy after two minimum losses 0-1 (Vignola) / 0-1 (Monelli)!

Albanian Under 21 Team celebrates after eliminating West Germany for the European Championship

But we will talk about this in a separate article.
However, the names of the Albanian team cannot be left without mentioning: Mersini (17 Nentori); Zmijani (Vllaznia) Hodja (17 Nëntori); Bimo (17 Nëntori) ; Ocelli (P artizani); Canaj (Dinamo); Demollari (Dinamo) Jera (Vllaznia); Josa (17 Nëntori); Noga (Dinamo); Vila (17 Nëntori); Topciu (Lokomotiva); Popa (Labinoti); V. Skuro (Naftëtari-Partizani); Çanga (Vllaznia); Liti (17 Nëntori); Lekbello (17 Nëntori); Dedja (Vllaznia); Kushta (Partizani); Kokalari (Tomori) Ndreu (Dinamo); Muca (17 Nëntori); S.Braho (Luftëtari)
Coaches: R. Rragami and P. Ikonomi

* * *
Meanwhile, in the European Cups, Albania will be represented this season 1982-1983 by the champion “17 Nentori” in the Champions Cup and “Dinamo” as the winner of the Republic Cup in the Cup Winners’ Cup.

Sept. 9-th, 1982! Belfast! Linfield-17 Nentori 2-1

17 Nentori after eliminating Linfield of Belfast, with the value of the goal in the opponent’s field (1-0 Kola 74`, in Tirana on September 15 and 1-2, Minga in Belfast on September 29, 1982), refuses to play in the 1/16, against Dinamo of Kiev, receiving another penalty from UEFA.

Tirana, Sept 15-th, 1982! 17 nentori – Linfield 1-0!

“17 Nentori” in Tirana in the first match, played with this formation: Sharra, Baci, Naci, Bimo, Mema, Vladi, Minga, Muca, Omuri, Josa (Vila), Kola

V. Zeri in action from the match Dinamo – Aberdeen, played in Tirana

Meanwhile, the other team, the winner of the Republic Cup, Dinamo, after losing the first match in Scotland 0-1 (with a goal by Hewitt in the 10th minute), against the strong team Aberdeen, in the return match in Tirana on September 29, 1982, despite the beautiful game and numerous efforts, it did not go further than a 0-0 scoreless draw, but which can be considered positive for the Albanian club.
Dinamo activated these players in the return match on September 29: Luarasi, Kuqi, Targaj, Dauti, (61`Noga), P. Ruci, Daiu, Gega, Canaj, Demollari (74` Agalliu), Marko, Zeri.

Until 1985, Albania frequently withdrew their allocated place in the UEFA Cup due to political reasons. This additional place went to the 9th placed association, Italy.

LINK FOR THE SECOND PART AS FOLLOW:
https://www.sportsvisionplus.com/second-part-championship-season-1982-1983-vllaznia-wins-the-title-with-a-photo-finish-thanks-to-the-goal-difference-against-partizan/

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Sports Vision + Plus / Champions Hour in activity since 2013

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