FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The President of the Albanian Football Federation, Armand Duka, spoke on the eve of the match against Andorra for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, in an interview with journalist Alban Xjihani on TV Klan.
The head of the Albanian football government praised tomorrow's match as one of the most important of this edition, emphasizing that the team must be fully focused to get the three points and keep alive the hope of qualifying for the play-off stage.
The match against Andorra? - Every match for the National team is important. All are worth three points, despite the fact that some have emotions other than football. For me, this is the most important of the season, because it keeps us in hope of playing the play-off matches in March. Of course, we also have an eye on England. But the team must be focused on doing its job and getting the three points in this stadium.
Have we played a few matches here with Andorra? – In the first match we lost at the old stadium with a score of 2-0 to Andorra, it was a friendly match. We won official matches in Andorra in 2019 and 2021. But they were difficult matches, they were not easy. In Elbasan Arena in November 2019 we drew when we were at a 1-2 disadvantage. It was not an easy match. Andorra today is better than before. There is a team that fights. England scored with difficulty, 0-1 here and 2-0 in England with an own goal. It remains a difficult match, but I am very convinced that our team knows the importance of the match. There is no room for complacency, only for maximum commitment and to do the job.
The qualifying edition, is there anything to improve in mentality? - Deep analysis. There are many things why we are not always at the same level. This is the difference with big teams with less big ones, like us. If we played all the matches at the same level, then we would no longer be Albania. We would not be a team fighting for the play-offs, but we would be England that has secured first place. For me, Latvia is not a weak team. They play organized and have put us in a lot of trouble even in Tirana. But the result forgets things. We won 1-0, when they could have drawn us. However, we are in Andorra to give our maximum and to continue the hope for the World Cup. First of all, the boys for the pleasure that a World Cup can give them and for all the fans who have supported and support them, not only on the steps of the stadium, but also through television, etc. Let's hope that we will do the task and I am convinced that we will not make any false steps.
Andorra is full of Albanian fans – I think that we as fans, in a way, have gained sports culture and have understood that there are no easy matches anymore. The supporters of the National team know that it is not an easy match, but they know that it must be won. That is precisely why they are present on the steps of the stadium, to support the team, to support it, to lead it to victory. I believe that we are the country that feels the National team the most. It really feels it and supports it at every moment.
World Cup Play-off Phase, Possible Opponents? – Of course, we have also thought about plans, but we have focused more attention on tomorrow here in Andorra. Let's close the story and not have to fight it in Tirana. Let the match at Air Albania against England remain a luxury match for us and for England.
Lini një Përgjigje