by Layth Yousif in Tirana 

THE headline in Albania’s national sports newspaper the morning after the night before was telling.

The Panorama Sport daily paper thundered: “Albania is asleep, Ukraine gives us a cold shower,” after the home side were unexpectedly beaten 2-1 in Tirana by Serhiy Rebrov’s Ukraine.

Prior to kick-off the scene had been set for Albania to be promoted to the top table of international football on the continent — or at the very least a valid expectation from its passionate fans at the exciting prospect of reaching the European Nations League play-offs, in a bid to reach the top level next spring.

As darkness fell in the intriguing Albanian capital before kick-off, excitement was high following a series of excellent results by Albania’s battling underdogs. 

However, in the space of 10 minutes, those dreams had been shattered to give an impregnable base that allowed Ukraine beat Albania, thereby avoiding relegation from Nations League — and instead giving the yellow and blue visitors a chance of promotion, previously hoped-for by Shqiperia, the Eagles.

Zinchenko shines against Shqiperia

Arsenal’s experienced Oleksandr Zinchenko stunned the raucous home crowd in the near-capacity 20,547 attendance at the Arena Kombetare by scoring after only five minutes.

Worse was to come a mere five minutes later for Brazilian Sylvinho’s side, when Roman Yaremchuk scored to make it 2-0.

Yaremchuk, an experienced 28-year-old Lviv born attacker, who has had previous stints at Benfica, Bruges and Valencia, while now playing his trade with Olympiacos in Greece, headed past Albania’s former Brentford keeper Thomas Strakosha. Who in a further blow, now plays for Yaremchuk's Athens rivals AEK to double Ukraine’s lead — effectively killing the clash as a contest — even if Albania’s passionate fans kept up their relentlessly impressive support throughout the whole 90 minutes.

As the clock ticked down, hopes flickered briefly when Albania’s Rangers’ Swiss-born attacker Nedim Bajrami successfully slotted home his spot-kick with 15 minutes remaining. But try as they might Albania couldn’t reach parity, let alone grab the unlikely victory required.

For Zinchenko the victory was hugely satisfying, given that the former Manchester City defender has been used sparingly by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners left-back was influential when featuring in central midfield for his country, who prior to kick-off were bottom of Group B1, and staring at possible relegation to League C.

Yet, amid the pressure, Zinchenko’s early opener handed Ukraine a dream start, when a shot deflected into his path, before the seasoned 27-year-old volleyed the ball low into the bottom corner for his 10th international goal during his 70th cap for his war-torn country. Thereby sending his team on their way to a memorable victory in the Albanian capital.

Honest reflection from Shqiperia’s distraught players followed fast.

Ardian Ismajli, captain of the national team assessed the situation, correctly, and with a searingly forthright honesty by saying: “The first half was the worst we have played in the last three years,” adding: “It's really painful because we could have reached the playoffs.

“We need to learn from this defeat; we gave Ukraine too many chances in the first half.”

Referring to his side’s previous victory over the Czech Republic in the same group he explained: “It was the same against the Czechs — we started poorly, but back then we were lucky. This time, luck was not on our side, and we conceded two goals.

“In the second half, we were more focused. We had nothing to lose. The second half was very good, but it was not to be.”

Leader Ismajli, who plays as a centre-back for Serie A club Empoli, was born in nearby Kosovo, which has a majority Albanian population, with a number who had travelled to Tirana on Tuesday evening to support Albania.

Not least with their lively pre-match corteo — a procession of passionate fans who gathered to march together to the stadium while singing booming songs and lighting colourful red pyro. Fittingly the engrossing spectacle took place near to Free Ukraine Street in the centre of beguiling Tirana.

Inter Milan midfielder Kristjan Asllani doubled down on the honesty, laced with bitter disappointment.

The San Siro midfielder said: “We started the game very poorly; at home, you can’t concede two goals in the first 10 minutes,” he admitted after the loss.

“These things happen in football, but the match shouldn’t have gone this way. In the first half, we struggled a lot without the ball.

“I think it was our worst performance because we had many issues. In the second half, we changed formation, and the game shifted.

“Today, we wanted to take points, if not a win, at least a draw. But football is like this, and we’ll improve.

“At half time, the coach didn’t say much; it was more about the opponent changing their approach.

“In the first half, we had so many problems — they were always free and we were chasing shadows. 

“In the second half, we mostly went one-on-one, and they became hesitant.

“I’m really disappointed because we could’ve at least earned a point.”

Those heartfelt feelings, coupled with Georgia’s loss to the Czechs, saw Ukraine jump two places to second in the group, and secure a promotion play-off against Serbia, Scotland, Hungary or Belgium, cruelly crushing Albania’s hopes of reaching League A in 2025.

With boss Sylvinho’s future now uncertain after such a damaging defeat, no wonder Tirana’s Panorama Sport newspaper concluded: “Tired Albania, Ukraine made us feel cold.”