The dramatic end of an exciting 1985-1986 championship!

Prologue!
Albania is represented this season in the European Cups with only two teams: Flamurtari who play against “HJK Helsinki” in the Cup Winners’ Cup and the runner-up Dinamo who have been drawn in the UEFA Cup against the Maltese “Hamrun Spartans”.

HJK Helsinki

Before the match Dinamo-Hamrun Spartans played in Tirana.

Dinamo line-ups before meeting Hamrun Spartans in Tirana.

The champions of “17 Nentori” still carries the punishment of UEFA, who in the 1982-1983 season, after having eliminated Linfield in the first round, the draw assigned Dynamo Kiev as their opponent.

Dinamo Team in Lisbona against Sporting!

For more details about this match click the link beside: https://www.sportsvisionplus.com/video-1985-1986-uefa-cup-dinamo-sporting-lisbon/
Both teams start their preparations early. Flamurtari in Llogara while Dinamo in Pogradec! On September 18, Dinamo beat Hamrun Spartans 1-0 in Tirana and a 0-0 draw in Malta on October 2nd takes them to the second round where they will face the well-known Portuguese team “Sporting” Lisbon.
The Portuguese, after a very difficult 0-0 draw in Tirana and a 1-0 victory in Lisbon, manage to eliminate Dinamo.

The adventure of Flamurtari against “HJK Helsinki” in the first round ends completely differently. After losing the first match in Finland (2-3), the Flamurtari players, although hoping for a positive qualifying result, also lose the return match in Vlora on October 2 (1-2). Valla’s equalizer (9`) by V. Ruci in the 11th minute, seemed to give hope for a reversal of the competition, but Valla scored again in the 30th minute, giving the victory and qualification to the Finns.

1. Pre-Season!
17 Nentori is the reigning champion.

The reigning champions of “17 Nentori” during the preparatory session on Mount Dajti in Tirana!

So last season, its football that overturned everything in the second half stood out. As evidence, we can remember the penultimate match of last season when in Berat from 0-1 (A. Kokalari 70`) it turned the advantage into 2-1 (Minga 76` and Ramadani 82`), or the one against Labinoti from 0-2 to 4-2!

It must be said that “17 Nentori” managed to deservedly win the title of the 1984-1985 season, a week before the end with only 2 losses and with a distance of 6 points from Dinamo, 9 from Vllaznia and almost 11 points difference from Partizan ranked in 4th. 43 were the goals their scored to 29 conceded.
Minga and Fakja with 13 goals win the title of best scorer.

However, statistics show that Dinamo was the best team, winner of the second phase, and also ranked first in the home classification.

“17 Nëntori”, based on these statistics, ranked first as the best away team, of course they won what is most important, the championship title.

Notable is the construction of the new 13,000-seat stadium in Berat, which was inaugurated on May 15, 1985, at the end of the previous season.

The start of this championship, which coincided with the 40th anniversary of the National Championships after liberation, came after a football season of a high level. A total of 364 goals were scored in the championship alone and it is interesting that the best players as the most winners of the weekly poll were: Mile (Tomorri) and M. Kerçiç (Skënderbeu) with 7 times each.

On the eve of the new season, the teams play several preparatory, friendly matches, so “17 Nentori” win in Kruja against local team Kastrioti 2-0 (Minga, Josa). Dinamo beat Erzeni in Tirana 2-1 (Marko, Topciu, Lito), Flamurtari lose 1-2 (V. Ruci, Bita (2) in Fier against Apolonia, Partizani wins in Korca against Skenderbeu 3-1 (Lika, Y. Shehu, Kacaci, Rrapo). Then Luftetari beat 4-0 (Boni, Ciko, Seiti, Millo) in Fier Apolonia and Naftetari beat in Kucove, the reigning champions of 17 Nentori 4-3 (Duli, Dume, V. Skuro, Voda-Muca, Minga, Josa);

The last step, before the start of each season, has now become a tradition to organize the Albanian National Press Cups.
Among all the results in the various competitions, the 3-0 victory of 17 Nentori against Partizan in Shkoder for the “Vllaznia Club Cup” stands out!

2.
1985-1986 Championship
The championship starts on September 8 as expected. 14 participating teams and a two-point scoring system for each victory.

The first category this season does not have two popular teams in Albanian Football, Besa and Skenderbeu who have fallen to the second category.

The contenders based on an average of goals scored, are listed as follows:
17 Nentori (1.7); Dinamo (1.6); Vllaznia (1.3); Partizani (1) and 5th Flamurtari (0.8).
17 Nentori, Flamurtari, Vllaznia and Dinamo will fight for the first places. Partizani will have a disappointing season.

3. First Phase
Week 1 – 13
Of the contenders, only Dinamo starts better than the others. 17 Nëntori plays in Tirana carelessly against Besëlidhje and draws 0-0! The sharpness of the “lezhians” was the successful design and implementation on the field of a tactic based on complete control of the opponent who is given the opportunity to score even with an penalty that is signaled in the 80th minute, but Hasku’s skill neutralizes it by restraining the reigning champions who appear in this challenge as if they have lost the brilliance of a previous season. It is those matches, those lost points that ultimately might cost a championship title!

Meanwhile, Dinamo, thanks to a better game in the second half with the introduction of Imami, deservedly wins 2-0 in Elbasan with a brace from Abazi (74`, 79`). Vllaznia makes mistakes in Gjirokaster in the first minutes, while Partizani starts quickly but does not go further than 1-1 against Lokomotiva.

In Berat, the same result for Flamurtari, who, although playing better against the local Tomorri, does not manage to make the match their own. After all, the standings are headed by Apolonia, which defeated Traktori 3-1 in Fier (5`Demce, 27`Kokuri, 40`Paco, 64`Gazheli);

The best 11 of the first week:
G. Hasku (Beselidhja), Cabeli (Luftetari), Targaj (Dinamo), Cela (Lokomotiva), Bilbili (Partizani), Imami (Dinamo), Lubani (Besa), M. Hysi (Luftetari), Tole (Apolonia), Abazi (Dinamo), V. Ruci (Flamurtari)

Weeks 2-3!
17 Nentori, wins in Tirana (1-0) against Tomori, Dinamo only draws (1-1) at its stadium against Apolonia, while Partizan loses in Vlora in the most important match of the week (0-2).

After the second week there are seven teams leading with 3 points, starting with Beselidhja in first place thanks to the better goal difference!

A week later, on September 22, 1985, the heavy 7-3 victory of 17 Nentori against Partizan stands out! The loss of Vllaznia (1-3) in Fier against Apolonia as well as the victory of Dinamo in Stalin City (3-0) against the locals of Naftetari!
Now there are three leaders: 17 Nentori, Dinamo, Apolonia all three with 5 points!

Week 4
29 September 1985
“17 Nentori” continues to fly on the wings of enthusiasm from the success of a past season and will easily liquidate Luftetari in Tirana 3-0; Mersini – Baci (Liti 77`), Hodja, Lekbello, Omuri – Harasani (Mema 46`), Muca, Josa – Ramadani, Minga, Kola, will be the 11 of this match led by coach Enver Shehu.

Dinamo beat Shkendija 2-0; Flamurtari wins 2-1 against Labinoti, Vllaznia does the same but 4-0 against Naftetari and Lokomotiva 3-0 against Apolonia!

Partizan’s defeat in Berat 1-2 (Kovaci 6` pen., A. Arberi 68`, Tomori 78`) stands out, against a local Tomori that played with this line up: Cilingiri-Halili,
R. Kokalari, Kule, Karkanjozi-Matrapazi (Th. Arberi 78`), Mehmeti, A. Kokalari-A. Arberi, Zingjiria (Mile 46`) Kovaci. Coach: Guxim Mukli.

Tomori of Berati line up of the season 1985-1986

At the top of the table are “17 Nentori” and Dinamo with 7 points each, followed by Lokomotiva and Flamurtari with 6 points each, and at the end Labinoti….and surprisingly Partizani closes the ranking with 1 point!
While the top scorers table is led by Dinamo’s Abazi with 5 goals.

Week 5
“17 Nentori” and Dinamo travel together equal with 8 points each, and even the numbers are equal: 3 wins, 2 draws and zero losses. Both leaders come after two draws, the first in Elbasan (0-0) and the second, Dinamo in Lushnje, 1-1.

The Tirana team must thank their goalkeeper Mersini again and again, becoming the main player of the 5th week. He faced calmly, technically the pressure of the players together with the fervent enthusiasm of the Elbasan fans.

While the meeting in Lushnje, if both teams had different names, would not be distinguished from each other, in the sense that Dinamo against Traktori was not the usual one and Traktori on the other hand does not know its own possibilities well.

Lokomotiva and Apolonia, with 7 points each, follow behind. The victory eluded the Durres team, despite leading 2-1 against Naftetari in Kucove until the 62nd minute when Gega equalized at 2-2!

Meanwhile, Apolonia was able to win against the contender Flamurtari 1-0 (Majaci 60′). Vllaznia also won in Tirana against Shkendia (1-0), Partizan wins also 2-0 against Beselidhja, but both are still far from the top of the standings, and Partizan is in 12th place with only 3 points!

The team of the week based on a survey organized this season is this:
Mersini (17 nentori); Baci (17 nentori); Jera (Vllaznia); Taho (Flamurtari); K. Rama (Labinoti); Boni (Luftetari); Demollari (Dinamo); Kokuri (Apolonia); Agalliu (Partizani); Abazi (Dinamo); F. Rama (Beselidhja)

To mark the occasion, just before the 6th week, on October 16, within the framework of “Enver`s Week”, the birthday of the communist and Albanian leader, who passed away in April of this year (1985), the Tirana derby took place, 17 Nentori-Dinamo, where the 4-1 dominant victory of the white and blue jerseys stands out, (Zenuni 14`; Kola 26`; Muca 65`; Omuri 77`, 86`)

Week 6.
Played on October 20, except for Dinamo which is preparing for Wednesday’s challenge in Tirana (October 23) against Sporting in the UEFA Cup.

Photo from the match “17 Nentori” – Apolonia 6-0

After defeating Partizan (7-3), Naftetari (5-0) a few weeks ago, 17 Nentori scores 6-0 against Apolonia of Majaci, where Kola stands out with 4 goals scored
(17`, 20`, 74`, 84`). “Nentorasit” who activated these players against Apolonia: Mersini (Bathorja 80`) – Baci, Bimo, Lekbello, Josa – Ramadani, Mema, Harasani (Alimehmeti 46`) – Minga, Muca, Kola, now lead the table standings alone with 10 points and a goal difference of 17-3, but Dinamo, which is in second place with 8 points, has one game less.

Lokomotiva and Flamurtari also have 8 points. After them they are three teams with 7 points, Vllaznia, Tomorri and Apolonia followed by Luftetari 6 and Partizani 5 points.

A ranking that shows the balance of this beautiful championship this season. Lokomotiva left the match against Shkendija with untouched nets (0-0), Flamurtari has won in Vlora (3-1) against Naftetari.
His line up was this: Birce – P. Ruci, (Laluci 76`), Cipi, Iljadhi, Lushaj-Zijai, Gjondeda, Memushi-Ziu (Kapllani 46`)-Bubeqi, V. Ruci.

Vllaznia 2-0 against Traktori in Shkoder, while Partizan starts to climb when it wins 2-0 against Luftetari.

Abazi continues to lead the list of scorers with 6 goals followed by Kola
(17 Nentori) with 5.

The team of the week: Musta (Partizani); Zmijani (Vllaznia); Kokalari (Tomorri); A. Lekbello (17 Nentori); Bimo (17 Nentori); Millo (Luftetari); Muca
(17 Nentori); Rragami (Vllaznia); A. Arberi (Tomori); Minga (17 Nentori) and Kola (17 Nentori).

So, a total of 5 players of “17 Nentori” team that show their strength up to this moment.

Weeks 7-8!
On November 3, in Tirana: Dinamo – Vllaznia 2-2.
“17 Nentori”, his winning streak continues with goal festival.
This time in Kucove they win 5-1.
Flamurtari is not far behind, winning against Shkendija in Tirana 4-1, a team that has remained very far from its successes in the 70s!

In the 8th week, it is up to “17 Nëntori” to win against Shkendija (2-0), Flamurtari crushes Traktori 5-0, Dinamo who still has a match to recover, does not go further than 0-0 in Durres. 3-2 is the victory of Partizan against Apolonia in Tirana.

The standings reads like this:
17 Nëntori, leader with 14 points. Behind him is Flamurtari with 12 points and in third place, Dinamo who has 10 points, together with Vllaznia and Tomori!

Labinoti, the champion of the previous two seasons, is in last place together with Shkendia with 3 points each!

Week 9, played on November 17, 1985.
Nothing to note.
“17 Nentori” continues to lead with 16 points. Dinamo, who recovered the game with a victory against Beselidhja on November 13, is in second place with 14 points. Flamurtari and Tomori share third place with 12 points, followed by Vllaznia with 11 points.

Photo from the card match of this week, Dinamo vs Flamurtari , played in Tirana.

The reigning champions won in Lushnje 2-1 with goals from Kola and Baci.
In the card match for this week, Dinamo defeated Flamurtari 1-0, their direct rival for the title (Abazi 32`) even without Demollari in absence.

Both teams played with these players:
Dinamo: Luarasi-Noga, Targaj, Ndreu, Ibro – Canaj, Zenuni (Vila 80`), Kove, Jance, (Kuqi 67`) – Marko, Abazi. Coach: Fatmir Frasheri
Flamurtari: Birce-Zijai, Cipi, Taho. Lushaj – Lutaj (iljadhi 46`), Memushi, Gjondeda, Ferko – Bubeqi, V. Ruci. Coach: Leonidha Curri.
Referee: P. Kotherja, Xh. Zajmi, P. Brahja
Viewers: 3400

Vllaznia draws 1-1 against Lokomotiva in Shkoder; Tomorri wins 4-1 against Shkendija in Tirana. Partizani, only a 1-1 draw in Stalin City against Naftetari, ranking 8th in this difficult season for the red-shirted team.

Week 10th
24 November 1985
This date marks the big match, the challenge between the leader “17 Nentori” (16 points) and the challenger “Dinamo” in second place with 14 points.

It is a championship, seemingly for two, although Flamurtari is always close to both of them. They wins against Vllaznia (2-1) and is ranked as the third force with 14 points, one more than Tomori.

Partizani, has started the year with the graduate of Convercianos, Neptun Bajko. It is in a generational regeneration and will reap the fruits a year later.

This week they win 1-0 against Shkendija (Kushta 21`) with a line up like this:
Musta-Eksarko, Duro, Gega, Frasheri- Lame, Tomorri, Ramadani-Kushta, Agalliu (Shehu 50`), Hasanpapa (Kacaci 28`).
Gega, after having tried roles as a striker and midfielder, now has returned to central defender, in the absence of Hametaj and Hysi, who is about to retire.

Let’s go back to the match of the year,
“17 Nentori” – Dinamo!
The traditional duel between attack and defense. Well, according to the general opinion, Tirana was more “English” than ever and Dinamo, had never been so “German” style!
17 Nentori, misses Baci, Muca and Ramadani who have passed to the ranks of Partizan, while coach Shehu seems to have made a revolution in the starting lineup, lining up Liti as a defender, Omuri in the midfield and Josa in the attack who played in defense two games ago!

For Dinamo, their coach Frasheri has placed Demollari in attack alongside Vila, pulling Marko into midfield.

It was a match that did not disappoint anyone. It was the match where Demollari was consecrated as the best footballer in Albania and of course he denies this, but he cannot deny that it was the match of his life in terms of his career in Albania. His hat-trick into that 5-3 for Dinamo.

Now, Dinamo has already tied the leader “17 Nentori” who continues to stay first thanks to the better goal difference (29-10 of the “nentorasve” to 19-8 of Dinamo).

The nervousness of the players of 17 Nentori was unjustified and where, surprisingly, the goalkeeper Mersini was also involved, losing his cool, and here the referee of the match Hiqmet Kuka had to play a role as well, who could not prevent some unethical performances.

To be a champion, you must also demonstrate it, accepting the challenge even in the event of defeat without losing control of your composure, as happened to the “nentoras”.

The championship is becoming more and more beautiful, more interesting and with more unknowns, a championship that until this week showed an attacking emphasis, many goals scored and large scores: 5-3 Dinamo against 17 Nentori, the latter 7-3 against Partizan, 5-0 against Naftetari, 6-0 against Apolonia, 5-2 Luftetari against Tomori, and we can continue with many scores like this, more often in this championship season like 3-2, 4-1, 4-0, 2-2…..
is it a championship of attacking play?

It may still be early, but so far 184 goals have been scored, which is an average of 2.8 goals per match, the highest in the last 17 years since 1968.

The team of the week: A. Lekbello (Lokomotiva); Lushaj (Flamurtari); Tegu (Apolonia); Targaj (Dinamo); Bimo (17 Nentori); H. Balgjini (Lokomotiva); Memushi (Flamurtari); Kuqi (Dinamo); Omuri (17 Nentori); Demollari (Dinamo); Gj. Kalluci (Luftetari).

Meanwhile, the list of goal scorers is now led by Kola (17 Nentori) with 9, followed by Minga (17 Nentori), Abazi (Dinamo) and Luci (Vllaznia) with 7 each.

Week 11!
The championship’s turn in favor of Dinamo is dated December 1, 1985.
The week that marks the overthrow of the champions of “17 Nentori”, who were defeated in Shkoder 4-0, losing the top spot in the Stadings.

Now the situation is: Dinamo leading with 18 points, 17 Nentori 16, Flamurtari 15 and Vllaznia close to the top three contenders with 13 points, the same as Tomori in 5th place.

After losing directly to Dinamo (5-3), 17 Nentori falls badly in Shkoder 4-0. Vukatana 32`, Luci 36`; Lacja 52` and Rragami 78` make the Tirana team sit down with their feet on the ground who believed they were “invincible”, as too strong to lose!!!

In front of 13,000 ardent Shkodran spectators at the “Vojo Kushi” stadium, both teams activated these players:
Vllaznia: Hoxha- Zmijani, B. Bilali, Dedja, Pashaj – Rragami, Vukatana (Borshi72`), Jera, Mlloja (Lacja 46`)-Fakja, Luci. Coach.A. Hafizi

17 Nentori: Bathorja-Baci, Hodja, Bimo, Omuri-Liti, Mema, Josa – Minga, Muca, Kola. Coach: E. Shehu

Dinamo has liquidated Tomori 3-0 in Tirana without problems (Abazi 11`, Vila 68`, Jance 82`). Flamurtari cannot pass in Durres. Ferko’s goal in 44` was answered by Miha 78`. 1-1!

Now Dinamo leads the championship!
It is an impressive first phase of Dinamo! It is a beautiful Dinamo of 1985 year, from runner-up of the last championship now they are “Winter Champions” but, it will be a Dinamo that is no longer the same in 1986.

Exactly on December 2, 1984, a year ago, it seems that Dinamo’s turnaround began, which in the 11th week of the last championship beat Traktori 7-1. It is interesting, but since that day and until now, in a full 26 weeks of matches in both championships, Dinamo has only lost once, and that was to Traktori (0-1). However, it is time for this young and attractive leader to guard against any infection of complacency.

17 Nentori will never forget these last two defeats that shook the foundations. For Vllaznia, it is a sensational and profound victory achieved against Tirana after 24 years (February 25, 1951, they won 5-0 against 17 Nentori)

This is the team of the week:
Hoxha (Vllaznia); Zmijani (Vllaznia); Gjeci (Traktori); Zoi (Shkendia); Papuciu (Apolonia); Canaj (Dinamo); Vukatana (Vllaznia); Memushi (Flamurtari); G. Gega (Naftetarit); Minga (17 Nentori); Abazi (Dinamo).

Week 12

Dinamo leading the Championship. Deserved but difficult victories for the two contenders 17 Nentori and Flamurtari.
Kola breaks away in the small championship of goal scorers!

In this photo taken before the kickoff of the Partizani-Dinamo, are S. Kushta and Demollari

On December 8, Partizani-Dinamo is played.
A great, very balanced game. Dinamo wins with its “edges”, Demollari scores with a calibrated shot inside the area (41`) and Luarasi denied Ramadani’s penalty shot. For Partizan, perhaps the worst season in its history.

Dinamo continues to lead with 20 points.
17 Nentori 3-2 against Lokomotiva, second position now with 18 points.
Ballgjini 22`, Hado 26` raise the score to 0-2 in Tirana. However, Muca scores twice in 59` and 67`, tying it at 2-2. Finally, Kola in 72` gives Tirana the victory 3-2!

The result of the matches in Lezha between Beselidhja and Flamurtari (2-3) in favor of the guests (V. Ruci 31`; Ferko 60`; Hoxha 64`; Deda 80` and Bubeqi 88`), in a challenge where the locals from Lezha tied from 0-2 to 2-2 but failed to stop the guests’ victory with a goal by Bubeqi two minutes from the end!

In Berat, the Shkodra team won against Tomori (2-3) with two goals from Rragami (13`, 48`), Kovaci 29` and 51` (pen.) and Briza who gave Vllaznia the victory in min. 61`.

The third place is taken by Flamurtari already with
17 points followed by Vllaznia 15 points.

The team of the week:
Luarasi (Dinamo); P. Ruci (Flamurtari); Cela (Lokomotiva); Tegu (Apolonia); Cabeli (Luftetari); Rragami (Vllaznia); Muca (17 November); Lleshi (Labinoti); Canaj (Dinamo); Luci (Vllaznia); V. Ruci (Flamurtari)

Goal Scorers: Kola (17 Nentori) 10 Goals; Abazi (Dinamo), Luci (Vllaznia), Kovaci (Tomorri) 8 goals!

Week 13

The week that ends the first phase is played on
December 15, 1985

Dinamo is the Winter Champion!

After 9 years, the winner of the first phase (November 14, 1976)!
13-time champion Partizani, for the first time, drops to 9th place.

After 17 years, the average of goals scored rises to 2.6 per match.

Three are the most important matches of this last week. Dinamo – Luftetari 3-1 (Ibro 4`, Marko 40`, Boni 50`, Abazi 64`) 22 points, 26-9 goal difference with 9 wins and 4 draws. One loss!!!

Flamurtari – “17 Nentori 1-1” (V. Ruci 44`, Omuri 48`).
17 Nentori in second place with 19 points which does not go further than the draw in Vlora of Flamurtari, the rival in this championship, which closes the first phase in third place with 18 points.

Right behind them is Vllaznia of Shkodra with 16 points which has just been divided in a 1-1 draw in the historic challenge against Partizan (Y. Shehu 17`, Luci 60` pen.).

Team of the week:
Musta (Partizani); B. Bilali (Vllaznia); Targaj (Dinamo); Cela (Lokomotiva); Omuri (17 November); Zijai (Flamurtari); Haxhiu (Traktori); Gega (Naftetari); V. Ruci (Flamurtari); Y. Shehu (Partizani); Sh. Ballgjini (Lokomotiva).

Top scorers for the first phase:
Kola (17 Nentori) 10 goals; Abazi (Dinamo) 9;
Luci (Vllaznia) 9; Kovaci (Tomori) 8;

4 . Second phase
The championship will resume on February 23.

The leader Dinamo, apparently, has an easy schedule of the first matches. What is not immediately visible but whose consequences will be felt later, will be the suspension of one of its most important players, Andrea Marko.

Labinoti as an opponent in the first week of the second phase, is no longer the same champion team of a year ago. However, Dinamo wins but not so easily,
(2-1). 17 Nentori wins in Lezha 1-0, against Beselidhja, but the draw left in Tirana against them in first turn, will pay with the price of an entire Championship in the last week.

In fact, this crazy football season is best expressed through Beselidhja. They got the draw in Tirana against 17 Nentori and later when everything seemed certain, again Beselidhja, with a 0-0 draw in Tirana against Dinamo, signaling the beginning of the crisis of Dinamo’s results, will revive the hopes of Flamurtari and “17 Nentori”.

In conclusion…Besëlidhja at the end of the season fell from the 1st category!
Unbelievable but true!

Flamurtari not without difficulty, as expected, passes through Berat with a victory, Vllaznia “destroys” Luftëtari with a 4-0, proving once again that it was the team that deserved to be in the top four.

Lokomotiva also a contender for the top four defeated Partizan in Durrës, where later, 17 Nëntori’s enthusiasm would be interrupted in the race towards the finish.

Week 15-16

The head match is played in Fier. Apolonia cannot stop Dinamo, which with the momentum of the spectacular team of the first phase wins 1-3.

17 Nentori wins 0-1 in Berat while Partizan stops Flamurtari with 0-0 and Labinoti plays as real champion in Elbasan, defeating Vllaznia 2-0.

In the 16th week, which is played on March 9, 1986, Partizan defeats
17 Nentori 2-1, while the leading Dinamo wins with the same result in Tirana against Naftetari.

Flamurtari stops in Vlora against Luftetari in a draw with untouched nets, 0-0! Dinamo is now 4 points away from the second place of “17 Nentori”, which has 23. In third place, Flamurtari with 22 points.

Week 17
The feverish race between Dinamo and “17 Nëntori” continues. Dinamo had the luxury of an easy match, winning as expected against Shkëndija 3-0.

Tirana wins in Gjirokastër 1-0 and follows constantly with four points less than Dinamo. Flamurtari, who completes the three contenders, wins where Vllaznia lost a week ago, in Elbasan, 0-1. The contenders of the first four, Lokomotiva, stops in Fier 1-1 and Vllaznia loses in Kuçovë 1-0 to Naftëtari.

Week 18!
Leader Dinamo achieves a multiple goals victory over Traktori 7-1 in Tirana.

“17 Nentori” wins 3-0 against Labinoti and 3-1 is the score of Flamurtari against Apolonia.

With the exception of Beselidhja, which is determined to gets 0-0 draws against Tirana teams, this time a draw against Partizan, everything flows normally according to the predictions, without any change of table standings and the battle for the winner of the Championship (Dinamo 31 points, “17 Nentori” 27 points and Flamurtari 26) but also the team that completes the first four (Lokomotiva and Vllaznia).

Week 19

Apolonia, Fier

Kujtim Majaci (Apolonia) without a doubt one of the stars of Albanian football

A week later, “17 Nentori” does not take advantage of the opportunity but, on the contrary, will be defeated in Fier 4-1 by Kujtim Majaci’s Apolonia which will take revenge on Tirana team in a way for the heavy defeat of the first phase in Tirana (6-0).

Thus, Flamurtari after the 0-1 victory in Stalin City, will move to second in the classification immediately after Dinamo which draws 0-0 against Beselidhja in Tirana. Traktori defeats Vllaznia 3-2 and Lokomotiva wins in Tirana against Shkëndija 1-2.

Week 20,
It`s April 6, 1986.
The card game of the week is played in Shkoder. Vllaznia defeats Dinamo 1-0, which after two weeks has only received one point. “17 Nentori”, on their part, take out all the anger of the defeat in Fier, and against Naftëtari they win 5-2.

Flamurtari, which a week ago managed to climb to second place by passing Tirana, surprisingly leaves a draw in Vlora with Shkëndija team, in last place in the standings, (1-1) and perhaps in this match Flamurtari lost the title of champion.

Officially, at the end of the season, Flamurtari found itself with equal points with Dinamo, which was declared champion due to the best goal difference. So, it is understandable what Flamurtari lost with this draw.

Locomotiva runs out of steam or steams out little by little.
They fall victim to another surprise, 0-1 against Traktori in Durrës, showing in a way that fifth place in the classification was the maximum for them and they could not claim to surpass Vllaznia in fourth place, even losing in the standings.

Partizani climbs to fifth place, having won in Tirana 4-1 against Labinoti. It was perhaps the most culminating week in terms of results of the entire 1985-1986 season.

Week 21, played on April 13, 1986, Dinamo continues in the crisis of results. This time in Tirana against Lokomotiva 1-1.
It is now clear that week after week, Dinamo is more based on the possible mistakes of the followers after each negative score of its own.

The subsequent negative consequence will be that in the last week of the championship, Dinamo, would no longer have its fate directly in its hands. It could only hope that it would be helped by himself first and secondly by the result that it could get.

Flamurtari and “17 Nëntori” continue with equal points between them in pursuit of Dinamo. The difference has narrowed frighteningly to two points.
Only one negative score.

Yet…

In the northern derby, “the wet people” (Vllaznia of Shkodra where the rain never stops) gives the final blow to “the uncombed” (Besëlidhja of Lezha city where the wind never stops) which was only one point behind Naftëtari in the fight for survival.

On the contrary, in one of the Myzeqea derbies, Naftëtari, with the victory over Tomorri, increases the distance from Besëlidhja to three points.

Week 22,
April 20, 1986
One of the most interesting weeks of the calendar! Flamurtari, finally, as it had been waiting for a long time, gets in the way of Dinamo. The Vlora match is an early championship final.
This match will be broadcast LIVE from Vlora, for the first time by TVSH, the Albanian Public Television.

Flamurtari wins over Dinamo 3-1 and finally, after 11 weeks of leading and four weeks before the finish, Dinamo, Flamurtari and 17 Nëntori, who defeated Traktori 4-0, are on equal points, 33 points each with 17 Nëntori in first place based on goal difference.

Flamurtari, Vlora of the 1985-1986 Season!

In Durrës, the battle between Lokomotiva and Vllaznia, who were competing to complete the top four, did not produce a winner (1-1), while the winner was Partizan, who climbed to that position after the victory over Naftëtari (2-1).

Week 23,

April 27, 1986.
The championship continues to become more interesting and dramatic. After the “final” in Vlora, Dinamo comes to the other “final” in Tirana against
“17 Nëntori”. At all costs, they must not lose!

The battle between the 1st and 2nd Place standings, the derby of Tirana, Dinamo-“17 Nentori”

If “17 Nëntori” wins, they will have secured the championship, or at least, as things stand, they will knock Dinamo out of the title race! And a 0-0 draw!

Flamurtari, who had won a week earlier against Dinamo, forgets that Vllaznia is a constant force in Albanian football. They lose in Shkodër 2-0 and do not benefit from the draw between Dinamo and “17 Nëntori”.

Partizan, as always unstable in this season, suddenly leaves a 1-1 draw with Shkëndija and loses 4th place to Vllaznia, which has the best goal difference.

Meanwhile, in the last places, Naftetari, Labinoti and Beselidhja are at war with each other over who will accompany Shkendija to the second category!

Week 24 is dated May 4, 1986
After the final whistle in Berat, Dinamo’s players find themselves hopelessly out of contention for the title. They made a wrong step again, Tomorri has just won 2-1! In the full sense of the word, Dinamo, now in third place, one point behind Flamurtari and two behind 17 Nentori, two weeks before the end of the championship, no longer has its own destiny in its own hands.

They hope only for a miracle, a possible mistake by its opponents (until yesterday its followers). Dinamo has not won a single victory since week 18. Or six weeks one after the other with three losses and three draws.

Flamurtari and “17 Nentori”, in the fight for the title, give Partizan a hand for fourth place by defeating respectively Lokomotiva and Vllaznia.

17 Nentori after defeating in Tirana, Vllaznia (3-1) now leads alone with
36 points, while Flamurtari is in second place with 35;

In the survival zone, the Labinoti-Naftetari duel ends in a draw, leaving things as they were a week ago. Beselidhja, even though they won this week, remains in 13th place, which means that they will accompany Shkendija in the second category when they have last two games left.

Week 25, May 11, 1986
The championship in each week that approaches the end, contains in itself a dramatic finale! All the attention of Albania is focused there.

You can doubt that in general, wherever there is work, the whole week is discussed only about this finale of championship. Schools are no exception.

The whole country lives only with the football rhythm of a championship which, as never before, is a matter for three teams and no one can predict anything.

Dinamo should not lose to Partizan. This is now its main goal because for weeks, Dinamo has not been able to win a single game.

However, based more on a miracle, they hope!

Because mathematically it is still there, in the fight for the title. During the six weeks without a single victory, Dinamo always had help from the “suicides” that 17 Nëntori and Flamurtari have committed.

In this championship, no team from the leaders can win easily. And here Dinamo wins against Partizan, 1-0, while help comes from Lokomotiva, which, in Durrës, wins 2-1, in a stadium full of its fans alongside with those of
17 Nëntori who came from Tirana to support their team.

Flamurtari, who also plays with anxiety, escapes the evil that Besëlidhja (already mathematically in second league) had caused to the teams of Tirana, and by winning only 1-0, leads in the penultimate week with two points ahead of Dinamo and one point ahead of 17 Nëntori.

Last week, May 18, 1986.
The dramatic end of the 1985 – 1986 football season.

From Monday, May 12, to Sunday, May 18, almost two million people in Albania did nothing but mathematical calculations as to in whose hands and how the title would end. As events had flowed from match to match, this last week brought to Tirana, the final of the entire championship, “17 Nentori” and Flamurtari.

Flamurtari leading with one point more, “17 Nëntori”, second with one point less, but Dinamo, which was traveling to Gjirokaster, also had the same number of points.

In case of Flamurtari’s victory, they would be declared champions. In case of Tirana’s victory, especially with a two-goal difference, it was almost certain that “17 Nëntori” would be declared champions even if Dinamo wins in Gjirokastër.

In the case of a possible 3-0 victory, it`s no longer even to be discussed anything, because in this case, everyone remembered that “17 Nëntori” had scored four against Vllaznia, five against Naftëtari, six against Apollonia and seven against Partizan. So, everyone left some room to think in a possibility for a victory with multiple goals

From the trio of Muça – Minga – Kola, you expected any kind of mammoth score!

As far as Dinamo was concerned…
Anyone who asked would answer that Dinamo was no longer capable of a victory! Nobody knew that Flamurtari, more precisely Vasil Ruci, had somehow mocked Luftetari a year earlier when it was trying to survive in the first category and, nobody knew that Dinamo gave like a gift to Luftetari players a sports bag with a new uniform inside for each and every one.

Either way, Dinamo’s victory was assured before the match in Gjirokastër started. But that wasn’t enough. Dinamo was powerless! In order to win the title, “17 Nëntori” and Flamurtari had to draw. Only then would a victory in Gjirokastër lead them to the title they had so much hoped for and fought for!

Two captains, Cipi (Flamurtari) and Minga (17 Nentori) before the kickoff of the match played in Tirana.

Alfred Ferko (Flamurtari) photo taken some years ago after the match against Barcelona in Spain.

In Tirana, in the “Qemal Stafa” filled to capacity, as only happened in matches against Germany, ten minutes before the end, there is no change in the score and the ball weighs so much and the legs get heavy that Tirana`s Millan Baçi, a penalty master, in the golden opportunity for 17 Nentori, from the penalty spot, sends the ball to the crossbar! 0-0!

It was a minute when all of Albania fans around the country held its breath. Dinamo, which was leading 0-3 against Luftëtari, played those last ten minutes with its body in Gjirokastra and its mind in Tirana.

For the Vlorë team, the miracle of winning the first championship in their history did not happen!

“17 Nentori” of Tirana, in the year of achieving an indescribable abundance of goals, 57, just as it had started against Besëlidhja, it also closed the year against Flamurtari, with a goalless tie 0-0 result and the title of the Albanian Football Championship for the 1985 – 1986 edition, finally went where it had started since the 11th week, to Dinamo!

Dinamo was crowned champion thanks to goal difference against Flamurtari, just like Vllaznia won the championship title two seasons ago against Partizan when both teams left equal points.

Towards the end of this season with more goals than ever, in the last two matches in a “Qemal Stafa” that was filled up with spectators every time like never before, surprisingly, the goalless spoke first!
Dinamo – 17 Nëntori 0-0, and 17 Nëntori – Flamurtari 0-0!

In the end, Beselidhja, despite winning 4-3 against its rival Naftetari, fell to the second category.

Dinamo Team:
Ilir Bozhiqi, Ilir Luarasi, Muhedin Targaj, Genc Ibro, Pjerin Noga, Arben Ndreu, Arjan Stafa, Durim Kuqi, Naum Kove, Luan Zenuni, Imami, Agim Canaj, Ardian Jance, A. Goxhaj, Arben Duka, Vangjush Thimio, Sulejman Demollari, Andrea Marko, Eduard Abazi, Arben Vila.

Coach: Fatmir Frasheri.

By Arian Muraj
© Copyright protection May 2025
___________________
Sports Vision + Plus / Champions Hour in activity since 2013
Photos used are taken from “Sporti Popullor” personal collection of the Albanian newspaper (P.B)

Share this post and spread the love: