National cups are something special for many teams and supporters. Today's match will decide whether it's Luftëtari Gjirokastër or Elbasani that keep their silverware dream alive.
Luftëtari Gjirokastër form and stats
Last season, Luftëtari Gjirokastër's Albanian Cup journey ended in the 2nd round against Apolonia Fier.With 2 Superliga wins, 5 draws and 11 defeats from their home games, Luftëtari Gjirokastër are certainly not brimming with confidence. All in all it has been a very rough period for Gjirokastër who hasn’t won a league-game in their last 20 attempts. Their previous win was against Skenderbeu Korce, 319 days ago. Gjirokastër are slowly digging their own grave here with the depressing streak of not having won a home league game in ten attempts. The last victory here came in the Skenderbeu Korce match.
Gjirokastër's previous game was also a home match, the defeat 2-5 versus Kukesi.
As you can tell by the result above, the goals flowed freely in the previous game and the stadium rocked. Could there be another goal fest today?
There's a new game coming up fairly quickly for Gjirokastër as they are travelling to their away game against Pogradeci in the 1st Division. That match is three days after this one.
The goals haven't exactly been flowing for Luftëtari Gjirokastër here in the league, with less than one goal per game on average (10 from 18 games). It's been trouble in front of goal recently, as only -1 of these goals has been scored in their last three home matches. Gjirokastër have conceded 33 from these games. There's been improvement defensively lately, as only -1 of these goals has been conceded in their last 3 home matches.
Elbasani form and stats
Elbasani's mission in Albanian Cup last season failed in the 1st round against Laci.That result followed a home victory 3-1 versus Devolli in the 1st Division.
As you can tell from the result, the match against Shenkolli was as crazy as a clown in a village circus. Great fun for the neutral supporter with 10 goals, will the fun continue today? It's hard not to mention K. Nuri's lethal finishing against Shenkolli. six goals were a big reason for the important victory.
The visitors are returning home after this fixture, hosting Egnatia Rrogozhinë in just three days.
Head 2 Head
Head-2-head stats last three meetings: zero - two - one (Luftëtari Gjirokastër wins - draws - Elbasani wins). As for goals, one match ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), two had two or less.Luftëtari Gjirokastër missing players
Elbasani missing players
| Luftëtari Gjirokastër | Elbasani | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 13 | Played | P | 13 | 25 | ||
| 1 | 1 | Won | W | 5 | 12 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Drew | D | 1 | 1 | ||
| 20 | 9 | Lost | L | 7 | 12 | ||
| 12 | 6 | Scored | S | 18 | 41 | ||
| 67 | 26 | Conceded | C | 29 | 45 | ||
| 92% | 85% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | ||
| 76% | 62% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 69% | 76% | ||
| 48% | 31% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 62% | 64% | ||
| 36% | 23% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 38% | 44% | ||
| 24% | 23% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 31% | 28% | ||
| 36% | 23% | BTTS | BTTS | 46% | 52% | ||
| 12% | 23% | Clean Sheets | C S | 15% | 20% | ||
| 60% | 69% | Failed to Score | F T | 38% | 28% | ||
| 0 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2.3 | 2.8 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 0 | 1.5 | ||
| 2 | 1 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 1 | ||
| 86 | 33 | Total Shots | T S | 0 | 50 | ||
| 30 | 11 | Shots on Target | S O | 0 | 21 | ||
| 27% | 27% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 0% | 38% | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Tirana | 36 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 67 | 35 | 18 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 35 | 15 | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 32 | 20 | 32 | 70 |
| 2 | Kukesi | 36 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 59 | 31 | 18 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 32 | 12 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 27 | 19 | 28 | 66 |
| 3 | Laci | 36 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 61 | 34 | 18 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 37 | 14 | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 24 | 20 | 27 | 64 |
| 4 | Skenderbeu Korce | 36 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 42 | 43 | 18 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 27 | 20 | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 23 | -1 | 58 |
| 5 | Teuta Durres | 36 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 41 | 34 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 21 | 11 | 18 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 20 | 23 | 7 | 57 |
| 6 | Partizani Tirana | 36 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 51 | 40 | 18 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 30 | 15 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 21 | 25 | 11 | 53 |
| 7 | Bylis Ballsh | 36 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 46 | 38 | 18 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 25 | 16 | 18 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 21 | 22 | 8 | 51 |
| 8 | Vllaznia Shkoder | 36 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 36 | 41 | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 25 | -5 | 46 |
| 9 | Flamurtari | 36 | 2 | 9 | 25 | 32 | 72 | 18 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 26 | 41 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 31 | -40 | 15 |
| 10 | Luftëtari Gjirokastër | 36 | 2 | 8 | 26 | 19 | 86 | 18 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 33 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 53 | -67 | 14 |