XXX ALBANIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 1975-1976 | DINAMO`S 11-th TITLE!
Pernaska – Zeri – Ballgjini!
It is the championships of the late 70s in Albania where football has reached a satisfactory level, regardless of the deep lack of recognition from the european side and this is perhaps due to the isolation of the country. The element is more distinctive, the teams also, where now in addition to the dominance of the confirmed ones, Dinamo and Partizani, or the other duo “17 Nentori” and Vllaznia, during this decade other teams such as Besa, Labinoti, Skenderbeu vice champion 1976-1977, and Flamurtari were also seen as rivals, without forgetting the team of “Shkendija” that stood out not only for its beautiful contemporary game but also as a nursery of Albanian football.
We wouldn’t even have a complete picture if we left out Traktori of Lushnje, a team that finished in 5th place in the 1972-1973 championship season, behind champion Dinamo, Partizani, Besa and Vllaznia.
In the international arena, the Albanian representative and its clubs will not participate, withdrawing themselves from any activity.
The new season of this championship 1975-1976, starts with reduced participation, there will be 12 teams, from 14 in the previous season.
Dinamo comes as the reigning champion while Labinoti is the winner of the Republic Cup, defeating Lokomotiva in the finals both in Elbasan and Durres with the identical result of both matches 1-0.
Labinoti’s team confirmed its very good form even in the final match for the “Sporti Popullor” newspaper Cup, against the champion Dinamo, defeating it after a penalty shootout when the match including extra time ended 1-1.
This season, Luftetari will be the new participant that will come from the second category. It will not be Beselidhja and Punetori, from last season, that will be added to the II category championship.
The calendar of this championship has determined that in the first week the clash Dinamo-“17 Nentori” where the reigning champion team loses 2-1. After this loss, Dinamo gets two more draws, against eternal rivals, Partizani (0-0) and against Besa (1-1). A slow start for a team like Dinamo, however, regardless of the “easy” start, it will know how to recover much later since Dinamo will then “sail with half-mast” by positioning itself in the first four or five places most of the time.
Vllaznia of Shkoder
It is a championship that will have two main protagonists in most of its path, Vllaznia-Dinamo.
After the 6th week, the team from Shkodër owns the classification table. Vllaznia leads with 10 points, Partizan has 8 points, right behind them “17 Nentori” and Dinamo have 7 points. They have tied 2-2, after a spectacular match in Tirana against “17 Nentori”, while Partizan does not go further than a goalless draw against Lokomotiva (0-0). Later, “Vllaznia” and Partizan meet in Shkodër in a heated sporting atmosphere that occurs as always in their clash. Vllaznia strengthens the leading positions by defeating Partizan 2-0. With the same result, Dinamo defeats Shkendija but not easily (2-0).
Vllaznia sprints lightning fast, even though it was defeated in Kavaje by
Besa 1-3, in week 8. Partizani defeated “17 Nentori” 2-0 while Dinamo-Labinoti ended 2-1 with a victory for the reigning champions who have not yet found the right rhythm, but still with this victory they occupy second place with 11 points behind Vllaznia which has 12 of them.
However, Vllaznia cannot withstand the “sea waves” of Vlorë, losing to Flamurtari 1-2, while Dinamo “benefits” by defeating Lokomotiva in Tirana 3-0. This leading duo will remain until the last week of the first phase when Dinamo defeats Vllaznia in Shkoder (1-0) closing the first round at the top with 16 points, followed by Vllaznia and Partizani with 14 points and
“17 Nentori” with 13 points.
Dinamo is the “Autumn” Champion!
Out of 47 championship meetings between them, Vllaznia against Dinamo has won only 3 and drawn 17!!!
The second phase begins.
The leading Dinamo is alert and tries to break away. It has tied 2-2 against “17 Nentori” and is now three points ahead of Vllaznia.
Strong “seismic” swings will occur in week 16. Dinamo goes and loses in Vlora against Flamurtari 0-2, but the biggest surprise occurs in Shkoder when Naftetari beats Vllaznia 1-0. Completely different from the other rounds when Naftetari left Shkoder with “suitcases full of goals”, this time their victory has caused the strongest swings in the championship, leaving “shkodranet” who thought an easy victory with a bitter taste… but the surprises this week end with the draws of Partizan in Tirana against Traktor 0-0 and “17 Nentori” (0-0) against Lokomotiva. All the leaders seem to have agreed to stall this week.
A week later, Vllaznia has not recovered yet, losing
2-3, again in Shkoder to “17 Nentori”. But Partizani is not doing any better either, losing in Durres to Lokomotiva 1-0; Dinamo feels that the time and the right moment have come, when they beat Naftetari 5-0 in Tirana, hoping to make a “joke” of Dinamo, just like they did against Vllaznia. Now Dinamo leads with 24 points and in second place is “17 Nentori” with 21. Behind them come Vllaznia and Flamurtari with 19 points and Partizani with 18 points.
The championship has entered an interesting phase. In the 19th week, Partizani does not forgive and defeats their rivals “17 Nentor” 3-2 after a match for strong hearts, full of emotions. Dinamo is in a difficult position as it loses to
Labinoti 1-2 in Elbasan, but Vllaznia does not benefit by drawing against Besa in Shkoder.
In week 20, Dinamo, after defeating Traktor in Tirana 4-0, regardless of the other matches, became the champion of Albania for the 11th time and for the second season in a row.
In the last week, on the 21st, Vllaznia travels to Tirana, but even though it wins against Dinamo (3-2), it ends this season in third place, one point behind “17 Nentori”, which has 26 points. The champions of Dinamo, the famous trio of Pernaska-Zeri-Ballgjini, led by coach Durim Shehu, have ended this championship season with 28 points, after 11 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses with a goal difference of 44-22.
They have a very aggressive attack that is finalized with Pernaska, several times the top scorer of the Albanian championships, with Sh. Ballgjini, and of course V. Zeri, a director with a wide creative imagination, alongside whom Ceco and Ciraku act with mastery.
In defense, Rama, Mergjyshi and Ibershimi stand out although there are fluctuations in some matches.
At the bottom of the table, meanwhile, there is a separate championship for survival, where three teams fight with drama to knock each other out, Luftetari, Naftetari and Traktori. And suddenly, Traktori wins 2-1 against Labinoti in Elbasan.
Until the 40th minute of the second half, Naftetari feels itself in the first category, they are in a 2-1 victory over Besa. But the match is not over yet and Bishtaja equalizes the score at 2-2, sending Naftetari to the second category.
In fact, all three of these teams close the championship with equal points, 19, but Naftetari has bad luck due to the goal difference of 17-28 to 17-24 of Traktori.
In the two finals of the Republic Cup, they faced “17 Nentori” and Skenderbeu of Korce, team who was in the second category at the time and have reached the final after 11 years. “17 Nentori” won the cup by defeating Skenderbeu in the two finals, 3-1 in Tirana and 1-0 in Korce.
Skuadra Kampione
Dinamo:
Ahmet Ahmedani; Jani Rama, Haxhi Mergjyshi, Muhedin Targaj,
Faruk Sejdini, Rifat Ibershimi, Ibrahim Kodra, Torez Ciraku, Gani Xhafa, Luan Zenuni, Xhorxhi Puka, Petrit Gjoni, Fatos Petani, Medin Zhega, Iljaz Ceco, Ilir Pernaska, Vasillaq Zeri, Shyqyri Ballgjini
Trainer: Durim Shehu.
© By Pjerin Bj
“Bryant Park” New York: May 12, 2026
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