Albania came away with no points from the transfer to Finland, losing 2-1 in a match that started in the best possible way, but then changed course after the red card and the goals of the home team. After the end of the challenge, Ernest Muçi and Rei Manaj stopped to comment on what happened on the field, conveying two different messages, but with the same objective: first place in the group.
Muçi: If we were 11 against 11, it would be different
Ernest Muçi was among the players who spoke after a match where Albania was penalized not only by its moments in the game, but also by decisions that directly affected the dynamics of the match. In a challenge that the Rossoneri started with a goal advantage, the situation changed after the red card, forcing the team to play with numerical inferiority.
Muçi emphasized this moment, arguing that the match could have taken a different direction if Albania had continued with 11 players on the field. "We were a little disappointed, of course, when we conceded a goal and a red card. I think we played very well, I'm very proud of the way the whole team reacted after the goal and the card. Then the referee penalized us, in the case of the missed penalty," Muçi declared.
His words also reveal another element: despite the loss and the difficulties created during the match, the national team player praised the team's reaction. According to him, Albania did not give up even though it was left with one player less and continued to fight until the end for a positive result.
But Muçi's clearest message was related to the rivalry for first place. Finland is the team that has so far caused Albania's only defeat and for this reason the return match in Tirana takes on a special weight: "Direct rival? Finland is the only team that has beaten us so far. If we were 11 against 11, it would be something different. I believe they are our main rivals. We must definitely win in the return match in Tirana", he said.
Manaj: "Mistakes are part of football, we believe in first place"
Rei Manaj closed the match with a crucial goal, giving Albania the lead in the first half, but the striker's joy did not last until the end. Finland overturned the result and took the three points, while Manaj, despite his personal goal, emphasized the collective reaction.
The striker did not seek to dwell on individual mistakes or episodes that changed the game. On the contrary, he chose a calmer approach, considering them part of the game of football. "This is part of football, it happens to everyone to make mistakes. In three days we have another match. But we played like this, we have a good chance of reaching first place in the group," said Manaj.
He, like Muçi, still considers the race for the top of the group to be completely open. The fact that Albania will host Finland in Tirana is one of the points where the red and blacks support their optimism. "I believe that the whole team played a good match. We were with 10 players. We have a match with Finland in Tirana and I believe that in the end we will come out on top," declared Manaj.
