FOOTBALL FINAL OF THE REPUBLIC CUP 1972 | "VLLAZNIA" WINNER, R. RRAGAMI ITS ARCHITECT!

By: Arian Muraj In truth, Besa was only one title away from being officially called a powerhouse of Albanian football. Vllaznia, Tirana, Skënderbeu, Partizani, Dinamo, were the holders of Albania, in cups and championships in their palmares. However, at the beginning of the 70s, everyone in the city believed that it was only a matter of time. The team, built with a lot of work, talent and modern vision by Zihni Gjinali and Bet Vila, had enough footballers and schemes to bring a title to the city. It may seem surprising, but within a short period of time, Besa implemented the multi-pass game on the field, what is now called "cic-mic" and already, quite advanced for the time, successfully used the artificial offside. For the others…? A stadium was once going to be built in Kavaja, the most powerful man in the country, Enver Hoxha, had declared himself a fan of Besa, the Municipality of Durrës, to which Kavaja belonged, was always ready to help. It was just something, a part of the football game, the penalty, which it seems that for Kavaja was her curse, the only and…insurmountable obstacle as fate brought her to prove! Nine years ago, midfielder Ali Mema of KF Tirana (at that time, November 17), found the goalkeeper as the only solution for his team, during the execution of penalties, cut three such shots from T'habit Rexha, took away Besa the right to win the Cup of the Republic! The cup goes to Tirana, even though in the first match in Tirana, Besa won 3-2, even though in the second match, both goalkeepers of Tirana, Metani and Beliu, were injured! Was this a lesson? A warning? A whim of fate? Whatever it was, Besa, it was so close to the first title. After almost ten years, Besa is back in the final, having won the first match 2-0. The result is more than optimal for such events, the best team, even, comes to this final, a year after losing the final for the title of Balkan Champion (1-2 and 1-1 against Panionios, Greece). Precisely from this final, Leshteni, Kapidani and Feshti, by decision of the Durra Municipality, have been transferred to strengthen Besa. Everyone rightly thinks that the day has come for a title to arrive in this city! Few remember the final lost on penalties nine years ago. In fact, Besa, in the semi-finals, after two games, 0-0 and 1-1, eliminated Dinamo right after the penalty shootout. No one can imagine everything that will happen during the second leg of the final of the Albanian Cup in the 1971-1972 edition… Football in Shkodër is said to have been brought by the Maltese priest Gut Ruter in 1908. Maybe yes, maybe not but, it that is certainly known, is the creation of the "Independence" team from Palokë Nika in 1912. The match of the first team formed in this country, "Independence" of Shkodra, is the most representative of the war navy of the Austro-Hungarian forces located in Shkodra. The history of Vllaznia football, but also of Albanian football, starts from here. In a confrontation with the Austrians, as is often said, it is difficult even today to be referred to as Austro-Hungarian, but in the case of Vllaznia, there was, for history, something like an omen: Austria! The city from where Albanian football begins, has enjoyed a title, for the last time 26 years ago. It was the time when Vllaznia won the first two pre-war championships, those of 1945 and 1946. It is time that Shkodra finally enjoyed a title. It is the time when the superpowers of the capital have been handed over to the districts. In fact, Vllaznia and Besa, with their geographical differences, seem to bring all of Albania to a final. The result of the first match in Kavaja does not leave much hope, but this Vllazni cannot be predicted. For the sake of truth, there is a perfect quartet of "fuoriclasse" players, starting with goalkeeper Ndoja and the other three who are actually the heart of the Albanian National Team: Sabah Bizi, Medin Zhega and Ramazan Rragami! As high as the others and as potent for Vllaznia as the three Dutchmen Gulit, Rijkard and Van Basten of Milan! You can't predict the youth of 1972! Although Din Zhega will not be in the final. Why are we talking about such a Vllazni, it was logical that more than 13,000 spectators filled the Vojo Kushi stadium beyond capacity at 3:30 p.m. on April 23, 1972. For them, the remaining 90 minutes, which started with the score 0-2, were enough to Vllaznia recovered the result and in the end lifted the cup. Because in addition to Biz and Rragami, there were also Sait Canga, Suad Duraj, Leke Koçobashi, Hoxha, Ç.Ndoja, etc. on the field. A whole golden generation of Shkodran football. The first half is a long monologue of the Shkodran attack with the Kavaje defense. Ndoja warns by hitting Besa's cross within the first 20 minutes. In 31', Besa's durrsak, Feshti, makes a mistake at the exit during a cross. The ball ends up at the dangerous Cesk Ndoja, he immediately shoots towards the goal and Dyla uses his hand to avoid the goal! Penalty! The first! Ramazan Rragami, on the biggest day of his career, as he knows, with concentration, self-confidence and measured even in the steps he takes towards the ball, shoots hard, sideways and scores. 1-0 for Vllaznina. The first penalty of the second final is successful for Vllaznina and Rragami! It's 1-0, there are still 60 minutes of play left for Besa to win the first cup or Vllaznia to win its second cup. Ramazan Rragami has only taken the first step towards a world record maybe… Besa trusts the defense again even in the second half. Vllaznia endlessly tries to attack. There are less than five minutes of play and twice the defender Qerolli, on the fatal line, denies the goals to Hoxha and Biz. In the 54th minute, captain Kapidani wrongly interrupts Hoxha and for the referee Ramiz Pregja it is a penalty. Rragami faces Feshti again… and scores again, 2-0! The overall score is equal and will remain equal until the end. Despite the inspirations of Sabah Biz and the efforts of Ç. For Ndoja, Rragami and Hoxha, the result does not change until the end. Ramiz Pregja's last shot, in her second final, sends Besa to penalties for the second time as well. Vllaznia sends Ramazan Rragami. He scored two penalties during the 90 minutes and brought Vllaznina this far. There are still five penalties to give him the title…and he will score all five! As if emptying a pistol, Ramazan Rragami fired seven times and didn't miss a single one. To put it into perspective, Rragami alone scored more than Holland vs Italy in a similar match in terms of penalties during Euro 2000 or, think if Barcelona vs Steaua had a player like Rragami to shoot penalty… Since that day, Vllaznia won other titles, cups and championships, but Rragami belongs to world football history. Since that day – as a well-known figure had prophesied "half of today's spectators in the stadium will have died, but players like Zani, Dini and Sabahi will not see again" – almost 40 years have passed and… still players like Ramazan Rragami, Medin Zhega and Sabah Bizi have not appeared anymore. Vllaznia, as an excellent team, won the championship that year, becoming the first Albanian team to achieve the double! Communist tendencies, for completely absurd reasons, condemn him to participate in the competition of the Cup of Champions where he would face Rapid Vienna. Austria! Besa, due to completely unexpected circumstances but at the same time deserving it, will play in Europe and will pass the first round of the Cup of Cups against BK Fremad Amager of Denmark. The beautiful Vllaznia of Albanian football, without losing its luster yet, after a break at the national level of representation in international competitions, will be the first of the Albanian teams to play in Europe, in 1978. And in this return of Albania in these competitions and the Shkodra team where it was denied six years ago, in "Voj Kushi" Vllaznia will win 2-0 against Austria Vienna. Austria again! What stubborn coincidences! Besa and Vllaznia, after nine years, found themselves opponents again in the final of the Republic Cup in 1981. Besa again wins the first match in Kavajë, 2-1. After the second final in Shkodër, Vllaznia, winning 5-1, takes the cup back. To this day, just as for the final of 1972, the opinion of Kavaja football fans accuses the judgment as guilty of this… Finally, in the city of Kavaja, the first cup would arrive after a full 35 years, in 2007! Shkoder, April 23, 1972. In the "Vojo Kushi" stadium, Vllaznia – Besa 2-0 (0-2) P: 5-3 The teams take the field with these formations: Vllaznia: P.Ndoja – Basha, Duraj, Canga, Dedja – Bizi, Leka, Rakiqi (Kocobashi) – R. Rragami, Hoxha, C. Ndoja. Tr. Xhevdet Shaqiri Besa: Feshti – Mullaliu, (Shyti), Kapidani, Dyla, Mili – Kariqi, Qerolli, Kashami, Pagria – Merhori, Bishtaja Tr. Muhamet Vila Judges: Ramiz Pregja, main (international category), assistants Haxhi Pellumbi and Tomson Neviri Penalties: R. Rragami (Vllaznia) 5 realized. Merhori (Besa) 3 realized. ____________________________ Brought to the page: Arian Muraj, translated into English: Pjerin B November 25, 2020 / Vizion Sportiv / Hour of Champions. Copyright © protection