By Tirana Times Staff | October 12, 2025
LESKOVAC . Albania stunned Serbia with a 1–0 victory on Saturday night, a result that not only strengthens its bid for a first-ever World Cup but also carries enormous symbolic weight in one of the most politically charged rivalries in European football. In a stadium closed to the general public and under extraordinary security measures, Rey Manaj’s decisive strike just before halftime gave the Red and Blacks their most meaningful victory in years one that Albanians will remember as more than just three points.
The memory of the infamous 2014 Belgrade match still haunts this fixture. What began as a European qualifier turned into a violent confrontation after a drone carrying an Albanian nationalist flag flew over the stadium, provoking chaos on the pitch and in the stands. The game was abandoned, later awarded 3–0 to Albania by UEFA, but the consequences went far beyond football. In the days that followed, relations between Tirana and Belgrade hardened dramatically, and both countries seemed to slide back into a Cold War–like climate where political hostility overwhelmed dialogue. For more than a decade, every meeting between the two sides has carried not only sporting stakes but also the heavy burden of history.
On Saturday, Serbian authorities were determined to prevent another scandal. The federation moved the match to Leskovac, away from the capital, and restricted access to invited guests only, fearing that even the smallest provocation could trigger violence and draw FIFA sanctions. For Albania, therefore, victory in these conditions was not just a sporting triumph but also a symbolic reclaiming of normalcy: the match was decided on the pitch, not by politics or disciplinary rulings.
Serbia began with intensity, pushing forward through Dušan Vlahović and Aleksandar Mitrović, but Albania absorbed the pressure with composure. In the final seconds of the first half, an errant clearance fell to Rey Manaj, who struck cleanly into the corner of the net. The goal transformed the atmosphere, giving Albania belief and forcing Serbia into a desperate chase. After halftime, the hosts launched wave after wave of attack, but goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha and captain Berat Gjimshiti held firm, supported by a disciplined defensive unit that turned away every cross and blocked every shot.
The final whistle confirmed more than a famous win. It extended Albania’s unbeaten run to five matches and left the national team in second place with 11 points, four clear of Serbia with just two matches to play. A win against Andorra would all but guarantee a playoff spot, regardless of results against England. For Albania, which has only once before played in a major tournament Euro 2016 the path to a World Cup is closer than ever.
Beyond the qualification arithmetic, the victory in Leskovac represents a psychological breakthrough. For the first time, Albania defeated Serbia on Serbian soil in a competitive match, overcoming not only the opponent but also the ghosts of the past decade. Where once both countries seemed trapped in the bitterness of a Cold War style standoff, this night offered a different image: that football could finally be the arena where rivalry is decided fairly, and where Albania can dream on the world’s biggest stage.
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