Football
2016 European Championship Qualifying, Group Stage 2016
ALB 
2
FT
 ARM
1
PA Sport 9y

Albania 2-1 Armenia

Surprise packages Albania once again staked their claim for a top-two finish in Group I with a 2-1 Euro 2016 qualifying win over 10-man Armenia.

Armenia had taken a fourth-minute lead through Yura Movsisyan, but after Hovhannes Hambardzumyan saw red in the 70th minute after picking up a second yellow, Albania collected the three points thanks to goals from Mergim Mavraj and Shkelzen Gashi.

Albania had secured a surprise 1-0 win over Portugal in September and followed that up with an encouraging 1-1 draw at home to Denmark.

Their qualifying hopes suffered a blow after a 3-0 win was awarded to Serbia in their next match after trouble flared between the two sides at the Partizan Stadium.

Despite the setback, Giovanni de Biasi's side would have hoped to have completed a routine victory over bottom side Armenia who had picked up just a single point from their opening three matches.

However, just four minutes in the visitors took a surprise lead when Movsisyan slotted home from close range after being played in by Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

The home side showed little intent to get back into the game, with Sokol Cikalleshi's shot on the half-hour mark, which hit the post, the only effort of note in the opening 45 minutes.

With 20 minutes left Armenia were reduced to 10 men after Hambardzumyan received a second booking.

This was to cost the visitors as after 75 minutes the home side drew level when Mavraj headed home Taulant Xhaka's cross.

And the home side won the game with nine minutes left when Gashi nodded home from close range.

^ Back to Top ^