The champions left little room for interpretation in the opening round of the Abissnet Superiore. Egnatia beat Tirana 3-0 in Rrogozhinë and settled the contest in the first 45 minutes, while for the White and Blues the start of the season comes with serious warning signs.
The match was decided quickly
Egnatia started with intensity and found the opening goal as early as the 9th minute through Ibrahim Diabaté, taking control of the match from the outset.
Tirana failed to settle, and in the 29th minute the second goal arrived, scored by Numan Ajetovikj. The two-goal advantage gave the champions even more calm in managing the game.
The first half, the decisive blow
Shortly before the break, in the 39th minute, Eljon Sota added the third goal. With that, the match took on an almost irreversible direction in the first half.
For Tirana, the opening 45 minutes were a complete failure in reaction, organization and keeping pace against an opponent that exploited almost every space.
Egnatia managed it, Tirana had no answer
In the second half, the Rrogozhinë side significantly lowered the tempo, but without putting its lead in doubt. With the result in their favor, the champions managed the advantage without exposing themselves.
On the other hand, Tirana did not find the strength to reopen the match, nor the way to the opposition goal. The heavy defeat in the opening round immediately puts the team in front of the kind of question marks that usually appear later in the season.
The European rhythm made the difference
One element in Egnatia’s favor was also the continuity of matches during the summer. Their involvement in the European cups appears to have given the team a higher competitive rhythm.
In this picture, Tirana looked a step behind, not only in the result, but also in intensity and reaction. The champions’ 3-0 start is a strong signal to their rivals, while for the White and Blues it is an alarm that cannot be downplayed even in the first round.
Egnatia’s victory in Rrogozhinë confirms the continuity of the champion side at the start of the new campaign.
For Tirana, the clear defeat and lack of reaction turn the opening round into a failed test, with many question marks already emerging.