Retrospective of 1978 | Vllaznia vs Austria Wien for the European Champions Cup!

 The Miracle of Shkodra Football, which surprised the European sports media of the time, who thought the result was a printing error!

The older generation of Shkodra, and those who witnessed this miracle, were left with the roar, the cheering for their team, as every citizen of Shkodra can remember, that great cheer, the echoes of the fans that came from the stadium, spreading to every street, neighborhood and entering every house of this ancient city, of art and sports enthusiasts, where almost every resident stood out for their sense of humor, the city after all where football itself, the "top kamba" game in Albania, had been born, especially on that day, when the extremely crowded steps of the stadium felt, along with the weight of time, that of the fans.

The rest of the others who were not lucky enough to be provided with a ticket for this match, remaining outside the stadium or on the city streets, without the possibility of having a radio nearby, could orient themselves very well according to the cheering, the booing when a goal was scored, when there were clear scoring chances, or even who was dominating the game.

This was Shkodra that day in early autumn 1978!

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The most notable event in the history of the Vllaznia club will be that of September 13, 1978, when at the “Vojo Kushi” stadium for the 1978/79 Champions Cup, the Albanian champion took to the field in the presence of 14,000 ardent Shkodra fans, alongside the Austrian champion and one of the most popular teams in Europe at the time, Austria Wien. The Austrians were finalists of the 1978 Cup Winners' Cup and semi-finalists of the Champions Cup a year later, 1979.

A day before, the meteorological bulletin records heavy rainfall, in fact it is not something unusual in Shkoder where the rain does not stop most of the time during the 365 days of the year.

The situation, on the green field of the “Vojo Kushi” stadium, seems to have some similarity to that of the semi-final match FRG vs. Poland, so-called “water battle” because it took place on a difficult terrain!

However, a colossal work is being done to bring the terrain into a practical condition for the development of this very important competition for Albanian football.

It is the first match of the first round in this Trophy that has in its fold with an elimination system all the champion clubs of Europe!! The trio of judges headed by the Romanian Otto Anderco were led forward…….

Vllaznia, which apparently played this match with a 4-5-1 formation (with only Zhega in attack), revealed all its values, starting off briskly on the wings of the enthusiasm of the start that immediately led to Zhega's goal in the 8th minute and that continued throughout the match, seriously putting the Austrians, who have big names like Prohaska, Obermayer, Robert Sara and the one who would be best known of all, Walter Shakner, in a difficult position.

The Austrians show signs of nervousness, after failing to come out to their style of playing. Prohaska uses force to stop the momentum of the Shkodran team and in the 16th minute receives a yellow card.

The audience is excited and whistles! Everyone in one chorus shouts "Vllazni” , "Vllazni” (which it means in English “Brotherhood") accompanied by the rhythm of hand clapping.

Nothing seems to be able to stop the momentum of the Vllaznia players supported by an extremely passionate fan base. It is a beautifully woven ensemble, where the technique of Hafizi stands out in the midfield, the class of Bizi as a conductor, the technique of two players like Vukatana and Axhani, the intuition of Sh. Ballgjini to connect with the attack where maestro Zhega is located!

Without forgetting, the outstanding goalkeeper Jani Kaci, although few chances, knew how to show his skills, together with the defense composed of the center "pillars" Safet Berisha, e Suad Duraj, alongside with the wings, Sait Canga and Lutfi Basha, who are unbeatable!

In the second half again in the first minutes, goal.
Shyqyri Ballgjini !!
2 – 0!!
The score will not change until the end of this challenge!!
Austria Wien does not believe it.

“The Albanian team was very prepared. It played football, technical and modern with great mobility on the field” – Prohaska will say later!

 

Vllaznia`s action to deepen the result

The victory of Vllaznia, even though its composition included "foreign" players from another albanian clubs, such as Kaci, Berisha or Sh. Ballgjini, in no way diminishes the merit of the Shkodra team in this success.

With this sensational result, it is clear that to qualify for the second round of the Champions Cup, Austria has a very difficult time, it needs to win by three goals difference. However, the Austrians achieve this success, mainly by taking advantage of the "anemic" game of Vllaznia in the second match that was played by a completely different team, losing it 1-4, at a time when they could have lost at least with a narrower result and qualified for the next round.

Shkoder: November 3, 1978
“Vojo Kushi” Stadium
Vllaznia - Austra Wien 2-0 (1-0)
8` Zhega
56` Sh. Ballgjini

VLLAZNIA: Jani Kaçi - Suat Duraj; Seit Çanga; Safet Berisha; Lutfi Basha - Astrit Hafizi; Sabah Bizi; Shyqyri Ballgjini; Fatmir Axhani; Luan Vukatana - Medin Zhega;

AUSTRIA WIEN : Hubert Baumgartner - Erich Obermayer; Robert Sara'; Günther Pospischil - Herbert Prohaska; Felix Gasselich; Ernst Baumeister; Thomas Parits - Heinrich Horvath; Franz Weiss (78`Harald Gmauff); Walter Schachner;
Referee: Otto Anderco (Romania)

 

(C) Copyright Pjerin Bj
New York: April 25, 2025

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1964-1965 "PARTIZANI" IN CHAMPIONS CUP!

 

1964-1965 "PARTIZANI" IN THE CHAMPIONS CUP! 

As every Albanian know, Football was born in Shkodra but later Partizani turned this game into magic. These are the golden years of the symbol squad, with a big name in Albanian football where in its ranks were activated the most famous football players of the country, we can only mention two names, the great Borici and Pano, technically unmatched, as representatives of that generation who wore the red jersey. It is not in vain that this team was established as a representative of the Popular Army (at the time called) as a team that had preceded the time in terms of groupings of players from the districts of the entire country. Such was the formation of Partizan in this edition of the Champions Cup 1964-1965, participating for the third time; from the goal protected by Janku and continuing with Deliallisi, Shllaku and Frasheri, Vaso, Jashari, Ndini and above all that "maestro" of the ball Panajot Pano.

In the previous two editions “Partizan”  was eliminated in the first round, 1961-1962 against the Swedish champion “IFK Norrköping”  0-2 (August 26, 1962) and 1-1 in Tirana (September 12, 1962. In 1962-1963 against “Spartak” Plovdiv 1- 0 in Tirana (September 11, 1963) and 1-3 in Bulgaria (October 2, 1963). This time the draw has faced the West German team "FC Koln", the reigning champion of German football, which left in second place "Borussia" of  Dortmund 12 points behind. In its ranks are players also known as part of "Die Mannschaft" German RF, as left-back Pot, center-back Vilden, right-back Schaefer, left midfielder Overath. The oldest player is Schaefer who joined the national team of Germany RF in 1954, when he won the title of world champion and in the world championships of Sweden in 1958, Chile 1962 playing as the captain of RF Germany in these World Cup editions.

A year ago it should be mentioned that FC Koln was defeated 1-8 by the Scots of Dundee on September 5, 1962, who did not stop scoring from the 8th minute until the 66th minute, among which Gilzean stood out with a hat-trick. In the return match (September 26, 1962) in Germany, despite the efforts of Koln (4-0), did not manage to go further than the first round of the starting event.

 

And here is the day of the match on September 9, 1964 at the National Stadium "Qemal Stafa", Partizani - Koln 0-0, for the first eliminatory round. Superiority not concretized of the reds in the presence of 20,000 spectators, including those emotionally stuck on the radio, with a belief that our team would develop a worthy challenge against the German champions. Even though, despite the great territorial superiority, "Partizan" could not satisfy its fans, because it did do not concretize his superiority with goals.

Our champions exploded in the first minutes and as a result of it they gain the right to a corner kick, it is executed by Bespalla but to no avail. Following the local pressure, the opposing team causes a foul in its penalty area, but Vilden's safe intervention removed the danger. In the 10th minute the public applauds a bicycle kick of Jashari, and the ball that ends up very near over the transverse pillar of the goal protected by Anton Schumacher, (born 1938). In `13 and `14 minutes, Pano is the author of two crosses in a row, but the wrong actions of Jashari and Ndini did not send "Partizan" to the advantage. After the 20th minute, the locals were forced by the slow and at the same time boring game of the Germans, whose goal was to gain time and put the opponent to sleep, slowed down the tempo, only at the end of the first half. "Partizani" increases the pace of the game and in the goal area of the German team some dangerous situations are created, such was that of the 41st minute when the locals executed a corner, the wrong position that Ndini had taken caused the ball to fly over him and so he lost a unique chance to score.

Immediately after the break, the Germans organized a quick counterattack where the striker Muller had the opportunity to lead his team to the result 1-0, but he also at the decisive moment was hurried throwing the ball out. This was just a faint and random discount from the opposing team, after that "Partizani" is thrown in the attack and in the minutes `48,` 49 through a corner and a foul in the penalty area created a danger for the opposing goal, but these cases were not used well by the partisan attack to score.

The first and last corner in the goal area of Janku was shot by the players of "FK Koln" in the 55th minute, but anyway our defenders were ready and removed the ball. After 60th minute, as in the first half, Partizan players slowed down and made some mistakes in combinations, in the 70th minute it was Bespalla who could lead our team to an advantage, but instead of shooting directly at the goal preferred to pass without an address followed. The pressure of "Partizan" continues and the attacks towards the German goal increase, but their defenders and goalkeeper are at a height.

It is worth mentioning the 77th minute when Pano all alone in duel with the opposing center back failed to hit the ball with his head and lead it into the net. The last minutes of the match are characterized by an attack, constant pressure of our team in search of the winning goal and two shots of Jashari and Kraja with a short interval between them did not give any change, as a result the game ended 0-0, although our team "Partizani" had a great territorial superior over the opponent. The refereeing of the match was good. (comment of the match by "Sporti Popullor" 12-9-1964).

So, as coach Borici would say after the match, "Partizani" had the supremacy and dominated it but failed to win that would have been fully deserved. The desired victory was not achieved because the attack in some decisive moments exceeded the holding of the ball, there was uncertainty in actions, with bad passes, which gave the opportunity for defense opponents to further strengthen its defenses. The midfielders did their job well, but could have been more involved in supporting the attack. The opposing team played well with an organized defense. In some cases they managed to pass in quick counterattacks but our defense also was ready.

 

 

TABLE LINEUPS

September 9, 1964 at the National Stadium "Qemal Stafa", Partizani - Koln 0-0

PARTIZANI : 1-Janku; 2-Deliallisi (Cap); 3-Shllaku; 4-Pano; 5-Frasheri; 6-Vaso; 7-Baspalla; 8-Jashari; 9-Kraja; 10-Mema;11- Ndini. Coach: Loro Borici

FC KOLN: 1-Scummacher; 2-Overath; 3- Weber; 4-Muller;5-Hemmersbach; 6-Pot; 7-Regh; 8-Schafer (Cap.); 9-Sturm; 10-Thielen; 11-Wilden. Coach: George Knopfle

REFEREE: Stjepan Varazdinec

 

 

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Sport Vision / The Champions Hour - Dec. 5, 2020