1999–2000 Albanian Superliga

Albanian National Championship
Season 1999–2000
Champions Tirana
19th Albanian title
Relegated Partizani
Elbasani
Champions League Tirana
UEFA Cup Tomori
Teuta
UEFA Intertoto Cup Vllaznia
Matches played 182
Goals scored 401 (2.2 per match)
Top goalscorer Klodian Arbëri (18 goals)

The 1999–2000 Albanian National Championship was the 61st season of the Albanian National Championship, the top professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1930. The season began on 18 September 1999 and concluded on 7 June 2000. Tirana began the season as defending champions 1998–99 season and Shqiponja was the only team promoted from the Albanian Second Division as the league was reduced from 16 teams to 14.

Tirana retained their title, as they won it for the 19th time and their 5th time in the previous 6 seasons. Partizani were the first team to be relegated, followed by relegation/promotion playoff losers Elbasani down to the Albanian Second Division.

Teams

Promotion and relegation

A total of 14 teams competed in the 1999–2000 season, 2 less than the previous where 16 teams competed. Of these 14 teams, 13 were from the 1998–99 season with Shqiponja being the only promoted side from the Albanian Second Division. 3 sides from the 1997–98 season were relegated, and they were Burreli, Laçi and Besa.

Stadia and last season

Locations of the 1999–2000 Albanian National Championship teams
Team Location Stadium Capacity Last season
Apolonia Fier Loni Papuçiu Stadium 10,000 13th
Bylis Ballsh Adush Muça Stadium 6,000 3rd
Dinamo Tiranë Qemal Stafa Stadium[note 1] 19,700 6th
Elbasani Elbasan Ruzhdi Bizhuta Stadium 15,000 9th
Flamurtari Vlorë Flamurtari Stadium 15,000 11th
Lushnja Lushnjë Abdurrahman Roza Haxhiu Stadium 12,000 5th
Partizani Tirana Qemal Stafa Stadium 19,700 10th
Skënderbeu Korçë Skënderbeu Stadium 12,000 12th
Shkumbini Peqin Shkumbini Stadium 6,000 7th
Shqiponja Gjirokastër Gjirokastër Stadium 9,000 Second Division
Teuta Durrës Niko Dovana Stadium 12,040 8th
Tirana Tirana Qemal Stafa Stadium 19,700 Champions
Tomori Berat Tomori Stadium 14,750 4th
Vllaznia Shkodër Loro Boriçi Stadium 15,000 2nd

Regular season

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Tirana (C) 26 16 4 6 40 14 +26 52 Qualification to Champions League first qualifying round
2 Tomori 26 15 7 4 35 22 +13 52 Qualification to UEFA Cup qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
3 Teuta 26 15 4 7 36 16 +20 49
4 Vllaznia 26 11 4 11 29 28 +1 37 Qualification to UEFA Intertoto first round[lower-alpha 2]
5 Bylis 26 10 7 9 28 29 −1 37
6 Lushnja 26 10 5 11 34 31 +3 35
7 Shkumbini 26 10 5 11 31 31 0 35
8 Skënderbeu 26 10 4 12 33 33 0 34
9 Shqiponja 26 8 9 9 21 21 0 33
10 Dinamo 26 8 7 11 27 31 −4 31
11 Apolonia 26 9 4 13 22 41 −19 31
12 Flamurtari 26 9 3 14 25 35 −10 30
13 Elbasani (R) 26 8 5 13 19 32 −13 29 Qualification to the Promotion/relegation playoff
14 Partizani (R) 26 6 6 14 21 37 −16 24 Relegation to Albanian First Division
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points
(C) Champion; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. ↑ Teuta won the 1999–2000 Albanian Cup and qualified for the 2000–01 UEFA Cup qualifying round, therefore forfeiting their UEFA Intertoto first round place that they had won.
  2. ↑ Vllaznia and Bylis finished the season level on points so the Albanian Football Association decided to organise a playoff game to determine which side will take the UEFA Intertoto first round place that Teuta had forfeited.

Playoffs

Championship playoff

Tirana and Tomori finished the season level on points so the Albanian Football Association decided to organise a championship playoff game to determine the winner of the 1999–2000 Albanian National Championship. The game was played at Ruzhdi Bizhuta Stadium in Elbasan and Tirana won on penalties following a 1–1 draw to retain their title. Had the league been decided on goal difference Tirana would have won, but if it had been decided on their head-to-head record Tomori would have won it.

28 May 2000 (2000-05-28)
Tirana 1–1 (a.e.t.) Tomori
Puncheon  78' Mata  81'
Lingard  110'
  Penalties  
Alimehmeti
Kenesei
Memishi
Driza
Dede 		5 – 4 Hasa
Lako
Gega
Arbëri
Muzhaj
Ruzhdi Bizhuta Stadium, Elbasan
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Bujar Pregja

Intertoto Cup playoff

Vllaznia and Bylis finished the season level on points so the Albanian Football Association decided to organise a playoff game to determine which side will take the Intertoto Cup place. Although Teuta finished 3rd and would have taken the Intertoto Cup place had they not won the 1999–2000 Albanian Cup, meaning they forfeited their Intertoto Cup place in order to take up their UEFA Cup place for winning the Albanian Cup. Vllaznia won the game 4–3 at the Selman Stërmasi Stadium in Tiranë.


Vllaznia 4–3 Bylis
Sula (o.g.)  27'
Beqiri  50'
Bylykbashi  60'
Osja  82'		 Jakupi  5'
Bilali  73'
Shehu  90'

Relegation/promotion playoff

Elbasani finished in penultimate place in the league, and although they were not automatically relegated like Partizani, they were placed in a relegation/promotion playoff against the Albanian Second Division playoff winners Besa. The game took place on 7 June 2000 in Tiranë and Besa won 2–1, thanks to goals from Armand Daiu and Demneri, to earn promotion to the 2000–01 Albanian National Championship, with Elbasani being relegated down to the Albanian Second Division.

7 June 2000 (2000-06-07)
Besa 2–1 Elbasani
Daiu  25' (pen.)
Demneri  50'		 Ibërshimi  41'

Season statistics

Top scorers[1]

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Albania Klodian Arbëri Tomori 18
2 Albania Vladimir Gjoni Shkumbini 14
3 Albania Daniel Xhafa Flamurtari/Bylis 12
Albania Rigels Qose Skënderbeu
5 Albania Anesti Vito Flamurtari/Tirana 11
6 Albania Edi Martini Vllaznia 8
Albania Alban Rexha Partizani
Albania Artan Bano Lushnja
Albania Fjodor Xhafa Dinamo
Albania Justin Bespalla Teuta
11 Albania Saimir Malko Lushnja 7
Albania Erion Rizvanolli Tirana
Albania Sajmir Maloku Tomori
Albania Dorian Bylykbashi Vllaznia
15 Albania Ervin Bardhi Shkumbini 6
Albania Hekuran Jakupi Bylis
Albania Dorian Bubeqi Apolonia
Albania Ardian Mema Tirana

Notes

References

  1. ↑ “Këpucët e Arta” të Shqipërisë, nga Refik Resmja te Iir Përnaska
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/3/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.