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TIRANA, Sep. 7 – Hamdi Salihi scored a first-half goal as Albania beat Luxembourg 1-0 Tuesday in a qualifier for the 2012 European Championship.
Salihi netted from close range after meeting a cross from defender Armend Dallku in the 37th minute.
The Albanians eased up in the second half but failed to add to the score after Luxembourg were reduced to 10 men in the 57th minute when Slovakian referee Richard Trutz showed a second yellow card to Mario Mutsch for diving inside the Albanian area.
Albania’s best effort came in the 80th when Salihi hit the bar with a header.
Luxembourg posed little threat in the Group D match. In the 73rd, midfielder Tom Laterza hit the bar from a chip in the area, but was ruled offside.
