Albania Beat San Marino 2-1 in Dramatic Finale to Move Top of the Group

 Albania secured a victory that seemed almost unthinkable just minutes before the final whistle, beating San Marino 2-1 at the “Air Albania” Stadium and moving to the top of the group.

 

The Red and Blacks made a strong start and took the lead in the 11th minute through Kristjan Asllani, who scored a superb long-range goal. However, the game became increasingly complicated after the break.

San Marino equalized in the 66th minute through Lorenzo Lazzari, stunning the stadium and putting Albania in an unexpected and difficult situation.

Albania pushed forward in search of a winner during the remaining minutes but struggled to find a breakthrough. The decisive moment came in the 90th minute, when the hosts were awarded a penalty. Asllanaj stepped up and converted it, sealing a dramatic 2-1 victory.

Despite a disappointing performance, the result carries significant importance for Albania, thanks in part to what happened in the other match in the group.

Belarus defeated Finland, opening the door for the Red and Blacks to take the lead in Group C1. After four matches, Albania has moved to 9 points, while Finland and Belarus remain on 7 points each.

What had looked for most of the evening like a major disappointment therefore ended with Albania sitting at the top of the group.