National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10300 (Terracing: 7725, Seating: 2369, VIP seats: 206) U21 Albania's Frai Shehu started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. Gabrijel Jovanovski came out of the goal in the 6th minute to try and stop a shot by U21 Albania's Frai Shehu. But to his dismay, Frai Shehu quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-0. Sefedin Gjyle's late challenge caught a U21 Croatia's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Sefedin Gjyle helped the player get up and apologised. The supporters of U21 Croatia booed when U21 Albania was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 9 match minutes in a wonderful position. Sefedin Gjyle didn't get a good kick on the ball. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Vinko Papo in the 13th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Parid Veliaj saved U21 Albania from getting behind. Armando Borja's late challenge caught a U21 Croatia's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Armando Borja helped the player get up and apologised. After a rather tough play, U21 Albania's Armando Borja got a free kick in the 15th minute. Parid Veliaj showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Vinko Papo in the 16th minute of the match. In the 18th minute the ball was on its way in behind U21 Albania's goalkeeper Parid Veliaj, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. The audience was convinced that Vinko Papo's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Parid Veliaj was relentless in the 21st minute of the game. U21 Albania's Parid Veliaj played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Vinko Papo in the 25th minute of play. Eduard Turčin received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 36th minute. Parid Veliaj tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by Vinko Papo in the 40th minute of play forced U21 Albania's goalkeeper Parid Veliaj to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 46th match minute, U21 Albania was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Lek Kasapi to maneuver through the defense. In the 47th minute of the match Kevin De Bruyne sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Parid Veliaj skillfully saved the ball. Af the end of the first half the score was 1-0. The first half had gone as expected for the home team.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Eduard Turčin stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. 51 minutes into the match, U21 Croatia's goal looked a bit too open when Klevis Selvia came free, but Gabrijel Jovanovski reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 57th minute Frai Shehu shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gabrijel Jovanovski saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. U21 Croatia's Gabrijel Jovanovski played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Frai Shehu in the 59th minute of play. 62 minutes into the match, U21 Croatia's goal looked a bit too open when Klevis Selvia came free, but Gabrijel Jovanovski reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Parid Veliaj showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Vinko Papo in the 67th minute of the match. Parid Veliaj made an important save on a dangerous shot by Vinko Papo in the 69th minute. Parid Veliaj stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Vinko Papo's shot from short distance in the 70th minute. A collision led to U21 Albania getting a freekick after 86 minutes play. Lek Kasapi hit a great ball. Despite being the better team, U21 Croatia failed to find the winning goal and were forced to settle for a single point.