Albania loses in tough ‘derby’ with Switzerland in Euro debut
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TIRANA, June 11 - Albania paid dearly for their rather amateur mistakes in their debut opening match in a European championship against Switzerland, but showed strength while in 10 men for almost 60 minutes and could have even drawn had they not wasted three golden chances.
It all started bad for underdogs Albania when goalkeeper Berisha made a terrible mistake in the fifth minute allowing Swiss defender Schaer to comfortably head their winning goal. Albania's chances of a positive result received another blow in the 36th minute after captain Lorik Cana was sent off following a needless intervention in the first booking and a second defensive mistake when he was shown a red card.
The much-awaited Albania debut had brought together thousands of fans in the central squares of the country's main cities while Albanian fans in the Lens stadium outnumbered Swiss ones.
The match was more like an Albanian derby as Switzerland's 11-men squad featured five players of Albanian roots while Albania had three players of Kosovo origin who were born and raised in Switzerland.
Albania's Taulant Xhaka and Switzerland Granit Xhaka became the first brothers to play each other in a European championship.
"It was special for my family here, with two brothers playing on different sides. It was great for us too – if perhaps a bit more special for me than him. Albania are terrific, very solid," said Switzerland's Granit Xhaka, Arsenal's new signing who was announced the man of the match.
Coach Gianni De Biasi said Albania's emotions of the first minutes in the country's first participation in a major competition cost the national side too much.
"We paid dearly for the first minutes and first time emotions. We play better when we have nothing to lose. The most positive thing is that we had two golden opportunities even in ten men but were unlucky," De Biasi said after the match.
"We lost the first match but we have two other games remaining and we will do our best to the end although we have tough rivals," added De Biasi.
Albania wasted two golden opportunities with strikers Sadiku and Gashi while in ten men.
The national side will take on hosts France on June 15 and play Romania in their last group stage match four days later.
France and Switzerland are the favourites to make it to the knockout stage after their first group victories but Albania can still hope for a third-place qualification.
A new regulation allowing the four best third-placed teams to advance to the round of 16 when it becomes a knockout competition increases Albania’s chances of progressing from the group stage.
