1999–2000 Albanian National Championship

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 Kategoria e Dytë as the league was reduced from 16 teams to 14.

Albanian National Championship
Season1999–2000
Dates18 September 1999 –
7 June 2000
ChampionsTirana
19th Albanian title
RelegatedPartizani
Elbasani
Champions LeagueTirana
UEFA CupTomori
Teuta
Intertoto CupVllaznia
Matches played182
Goals scored401 (2.2 per match)
Top goalscorerKlodian Arbëri (18 goals)

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 Kategoria e Dytë.

Teams edit

Promotion and relegation edit

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 Kategoria e Dytë. 3 sides from the 1998–99 season were relegated, and they were Burreli, Laçi and Besa.

Stadia and last season edit

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 Tirana 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 Kategoria e Dytë
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 edit

League table edit

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 for the Champions League first qualifying round
2 Tomori 26 15 7 4 35 22 +13 52 Qualification for the UEFA Cup qualifying round[a]
3 Teuta 26 15 4 7 36 16 +20 49
4 Vllaznia 26 11 4 11 29 28 +1 37 Qualification for the Intertoto Cup first round[b]
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 Tirana 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 for the relegation play-offs
14 Partizani (R) 26 6 6 14 21 37 −16 24 Relegation to the 2000–01 Kategoria e Dytë
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Teuta won the 1999–2000 Albanian Cup and qualified for the 2000–01 UEFA Cup qualifying round, therefore forfeiting their Intertoto Cup 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 Intertoto Cup first round place that Teuta had forfeited.

Results edit

Home \ Away APO BYL DIN ELB FLA LUS PAR SKË SKU SHQ TEU TIR TOM VLL
Apolonia 1–1 0–2 0–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 2–1 0–1 2–1 0–0 2–0
Bylis 1–0 2–1 2–0 6–3 1–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 1–1 0–2[a] 0–0 1–0 2–1
Dinamo 0–1 0–0 2–1 1–0 2–0 2–1 1–0 3–0 2–1 1–2 1–2 3–3 0–2
Elbasani 0–2 3–1 2–1 0–0 2–1 1–1 0–0 1–0 0–0 2–1 1–0 0–1 1–2
Flamurtari 3–1 1–0 0–0 3–0 0–3 1–2 3–1 2–1 1–0 1–0 1–0 0–1 3–1
Lushnja 2–0 1–1 3–1 4–0 2–0 1–0 3–2 0–1 1–0 3–2 2–0 1–1 1–1
Partizani 3–1 0–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 1–1 2–3 1–1 1–2 2–0 0–0 0–1 2–2
Skënderbeu 7–0 2–1 1–1 2–0 2–1 2–1 1–0 3–1 1–0 0–0 0–1 2–2 1–0
Shkumbini 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–1 3–0 2–0 2–0 3–2 0–1 3–0 2–1
Shqiponja 0–0 2–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 1–0 3–0 2–0 2–1 0–0 1–1 0–0 3–2
Teuta 4–0 2–0 1–1 1–0 3–1 2–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 1–0 1–0 2–0 1–0
Tirana 7–0 2–0 4–0 2–1 2–0 2–1 3–0 1–0 3–1 4–1 1–0 0–0 1–0
Tomori 2–0 4–3 2–1 2–0 2–1 3–2 2–1 2–0 3–1 1–0 0–0 1–0 2–0[a]
Vllaznia 1–0 1–0 0–0 1–2 3–1 3–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 0–0 2–0 0–2 1–0
Source: [citation needed]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Match awarded.

Playoffs edit

Championship playoff edit

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 it, but if it had been decided on their head-to-head record Tomori would have won it.

Tirana1–1 (a.e.t.)Tomori
Nevil Dede   88' Erjon Rizvanolli   57'
Penalties
Alimehmeti  
Kenesei  
Memishi  
Driza  
Dede  
5 – 4   Hasa
  Lako
  Gega
  Arbëri
  Muzhaj
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Bujar Pregja

Intertoto Cup playoff edit

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.

Vllaznia4–3Bylis
Sula   27' (o.g.)
Beqiri   50'
Bylykbashi   60'
Osja   82'
Jakupi   5'
Bilali   73'
Shehu   90'

Relegation/promotion playoff edit

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 Kategoria e Dytë playoff runners-up 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 National Championship, with Elbasani being relegated down to the Kategoria e Dytë.

Besa2–1Elbasani
Daiu   25' (pen.)
Demneri   50'
Ibërshimi   41'

Season statistics edit

Top scorers edit

Rank Player Club Goals
1   Klodian Arbëri Tomori 18
2   Vladimir Gjoni Shkumbini 14
3   Daniel Xhafa Flamurtari/Bylis 12
  Rigels Qose Skënderbeu
5   Anesti Vito Flamurtari/Tirana 11
6   Edi Martini Vllaznia 8
  Alban Rexha Partizani
  Artan Bano Lushnja
  Fjodor Xhafa Dinamo Tirana
  Justin Bespalla Teuta

[1]

Notes edit

References edit