Albania v Portugal background

Albania will look to prove that their opening-day success in Portugal was no one-off as the sides meet again in UEFA EURO 2016 Group I; a home win would take Albania above the visitors.

• Tiago Mendes is suspended following his red card against Armenia in June. The following players are a booking away from a ban: Ansi Agolli, Burim Kukeli and Taulant Xhaka.

Previous meetings
• Albania pulled off the first major shock of UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying when they won 1-0 in Portugal in their opening Group I game, Bekim Balaj volleying the crucial goal.

• The countries have now met six times with Albania's record W1 D1 L4 (W0 D0 L2 in Albania; W1 D1 L2 in Portugal).

Form guide
• Albania are unbeaten in two Group I home games (W1 D1), and also beat France in a friendly at the Elbasan Arena, their temporary home while the Qemal Stafa Stadium is undergoes refurbishment.

• Portugal have won their last five away qualifiers, and are unbeaten in six qualifying games on the road (W5 D1), scoring 16 goals in the process.

Trivia and links
• The nations have met in ten men's UEFA age-group competition games, with Albania's record in those matches W1 D2 L7; their respective Under-21 teams will come together the day after this Group I game in a UEFA European Under-21 Championship game.

• Portuguese and Albanian clubs have met in four UEFA competition games: the Portuguese teams' record is W3 D1 L0 (W2 D0 L0 at home – W1 D1 L0 in Albania) with eight goals scored and none conceded.