Albania v Denmark background
Monday, June 2, 2014
Article summary
Albania will look for inspiration from a 1963 home encounter as they take on Denmark in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group I, with the form book favouring the visitors.
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Article body
Albania will look to record their first victory against Denmark in over 50 years as the sides meet in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group I.
Match background
• In eight senior international meetings with Denmark, Albania's record is W1 D1 L6 (W1 D1 L2 at home, W0 D0 L4 in Denmark).
• The sides' only UEFA European Championship meetings came in the first round of the 1964 competition. Poul Eyvind Petersen's side beat Loro Boriçi's Albania 4-0 in Copenhagen on 29 June 1963, Panajot Pano scoring the only goal as Albania earned a 1-0 win in the second leg on 30 October – still Albania's only winner against Denmark.
• The sides have since been paired in FIFA World Cup qualifying three times, Josip Kuže's Albania finally bringing an end to a five-match losing streak against Denmark by holding Morten Olsen's Danes to a 1-1 draw in their most recent meeting in Tirana on 9 September 2009. Nicklas Bendtner (40) put the Danes in front, but Erjon Bogdani (50) levelled after the break.
• Albanian and Danish clubs have met in eight UEFA matches, with the Albanian sides yet to record a victory over 90 minutes – W0 D2 L6 (W0 D1 L3 at home, W0 D1 L3 in Denmark). However, KS Besa did eliminate BK Fremad Amager on away goals in the first round of the 1972/73 European Cup Winners' Cup.
• In 26 meetings between Albanian and Danish sides – including club, youth, women's and futsal matches – 19 have ended in Danish wins with just three victories for Albania. No Albanian side has beaten a Danish counterpart in nine games (D2 L7) since a 3-0 away win for the Under-19s on 10 October 2004 – ten years and a day before the senior sides' latest meeting.
