The Albanian U-21 national team played its second and final friendly match for the June international break, suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat against Turkey at the "Atatürk Olimpiyat" Stadium in Istanbul. The only goal of the game was scored in the 27th minute by Turkish forward Kilicsoy.
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| Albanian team, U-21 |
Head coach Alban Bushi started the match with the following lineup:
Simon Simoni (C), Ermis Selimaj, Ervin Bashi, Gabriel Ramaj, Kevin Dodaj, Etnik Brruti, Rrok Toma, Aidon Shehu, Arlind Kurti, Enes Osmani, and Dion Ajvazi.
The opening minutes of the match were evenly balanced, with both teams battling for control in the midfield. However, in the 27th minute, Turkey broke the deadlock when Kilicsoy found the back of the net, a goal that would eventually decide the outcome of the match.
In the second half, Albania pushed forward in search of an equalizer, creating several promising chances. Despite their efforts and attacking intent, the young Reds and Blacks were unable to convert opportunities into goals.
Coach Bushi made several changes in the second half, introducing Feta Fetai, Erald Maksuti, Burak Alili, Zylyf Mucaj, Fabjan Perndreca, and Dario Daka to provide fresh legs and maintain offensive momentum.
The match concluded with a narrow 1-0 win for Turkey, bringing Albania’s June friendlies to a close. Earlier in the break, Albania U-21 had secured an impressive 2-1 victory over Hungary.
Overall, the two friendly matches provided a valuable opportunity for Coach Bushi to test his squad ahead of future U-21 European Championship qualifiers.