A match full of tempo, tension and several decisive moments in Korçë ended without a winner. Skënderbeu responded after going behind in the first half, while Tirana were forced to defend the draw late on with one player fewer.
Fast start and penalty overturned
The fourth-round clash in the Abissnet Superiore began at high intensity. As early as the fourth minute, referee Koçi awarded a penalty to Tirana, but the decision did not stand.
The penalty was not taken, as after a signal from VAR and a review of the footage on the monitor, the referee overturned it. The incident immediately set the tone for a match filled with debate and decisive interventions.
Ndong puts Tirana ahead
Despite the controversial moment early on, the White and Blues managed to find the breakthrough in the 18th minute. A quick move was finished by Ndong, who sent Tirana into the break with a 0-1 lead.
The goal gave the capital side relative control in the first half, but without truly putting the match to bed, as Skënderbeu stayed in the game and showed signs of a response.
Skënderbeu increase the pressure and find the equaliser
The second half brought a different picture of the match. The home side pushed forward immediately and increased the pressure on Tirana’s goal.
The first warning came in the 47th minute with a dangerous free-kick, while the Korçë side’s persistence was rewarded in the 73rd minute. Musa sent the ball into the net and restored parity at 1-1.
Red card and the post keep Tirana alive
The ending became even more difficult for Tirana when, in the 82nd minute, Colley was shown a red card. With 10 players on the pitch, the White and Blues dropped back to protect at least a point.
Skënderbeu tried to make immediate use of their numerical advantage and in the 89th minute came very close to a turnaround. Bismark’s powerful shot was stopped by the post, in the moment that denied the home side victory. Until the end, the score remained 1-1.
With this draw, both teams take a point from a match that featured chances, nerves and interventions that directly affected the flow of play.
There was no winner in Korçë, but there were enough incidents to keep open the debate over what might have been a very different evening for each side.