We and Germany Part 6 / #2

23 March 2021

947

(part 6 / #2) Just before the match, the clock says 12.30. The wide sidewalk in front of the ticket office of the north stand, what you see in front of the radio and television is full of people. A minority of them try to buy a ticket, but it's in vain. Most, aware of this, ask aloud if someone is selling. Of course, "that" someone is always there, sometimes on a bicycle, sometimes a little further, or in front of the other sidewalk, or near the entrance, and it is understood that it is not "him" but "they". Other fans try to bribe everyone connected with today's match, the policemen guarding the entrances, the ticket inspector and even the bike keeper. A little later, just like two years ago, someone gives the watch, someone ten times the price of the ticket. In total, ten thousand people, more than the capacity, will enter the stadium in any way.. Among them many children who begged the adults to let them into the stadium justifying them as their children! The Albanian temple of football, "Qemal Stafa", showed again that inside it, there was room for all! Run my friend, run! It's cold even though spring has officially arrived. Between the stairs, no one is sitting. The stadium is inflated so much that people are suffocating shoulder to shoulder! At one point, someone, from the top step of the stadium, starts rolling over the heads of the fans towards the front steps, like a stone rolling down a hill. Then another. After a few minutes it happens again. In fact, it was not an unknown phenomenon during matches when the "Cemal Stafa" was more than full. Something like the Rolling Stones…or rolling men? This attracts the attention of foreign photographers and they come closer so as not to miss this rare phenomenon. On the field, in front of the covered tribune, the Germans are warming up. All eyes are on the "known" Rumenige, Brigel, Litbarski and the Fërster brothers. Harald Schumaker warms up in goal away from them. Without waiting, a man in a dark gray suit (common in the fashion of the time) runs like a madman and addresses the stands, the group of German players. It is something that has never happened before. People, police, insurance get confused. Rumenige is leaning towards the stands, wearing the blue adidas jacket of the German national team, and is doing the classic warm-up. Touch the tip of the right foot with the left hand and vice versa. He hears the noise of the fans but he can't raise his head. The young man reaches him and jumps on his body from behind! Rumenige, confused, seeks to remove him from himself. The fan throws his hand on his shoulders, hugs him, kisses him in a hurry and immediately runs back across the field, this time, to enter and get lost among the people in the big central stand, or "20" as it used to be called. All the organs of the People's Power have passed the bewilderment and are following him. Police and civilians. Thirty thousand people in the stadium shout at the top of their lungs encouraging the daredevil, "runapoo, run, run run robo, run, run miko". The young man reaches the railings and with the speed of light, grabs onto them with one hand and overcomes them, getting lost in the crowd of fans. The whole stadium roared with applause! A large number of policemen and agents go among the fans to find him. At the same time word spreads that the stranger is a Shkodran, of course, a die-hard fan of Germany. Meanwhile, the enthusiasm continues in the stadium. It seemed as if thirty thousand people were happy that the unknown reached the finish line before the law enforcement! Of course, even today such things are not allowed but, that afternoon, football gave the opportunity to so many people, to feel once victorious against the order! If nothing else, that match will be remembered for that at least. Before the battle, Jup Derwall, that wise man on the bench, like a rare German coach, does not expect any resistance from the Albanians. In other words, in two matches against Albania not long ago, he got a victory without suffering in Tirana 0-2 and another with a mammoth score of 8-0 in Dortmund. He deems it reasonable to give a chance to players without much of a name. Jonny Otten, Stephan Engels, Gerd Strach and…Rudi Fëler. Even for Rudi Fëler, it is his first match with "Die Nationalmanschaft". Shyqyri Rreli, this quiet and very noble man, started the reconstruction of the National Team without much noise. He mainly trusted the players from Tirana's teams. Without question, the team captain was Mujo (Muhedin) Targaj of Dinamo and with him in defense, Arjan Bimo – Tirana, Arjan Ahmetaj – Partizani and Petro Ruci of Flamurtari. The three-man midfield does not contain capital players, but strength and technique are sufficient. Two powerful players such as Haxhi Ballgjini of Lokomotiva, Ferit Rragami, who connected power with technique very well, and Luan Vukatana of Vllaznia, full of technical quality, especially in accurate close and distance passes. In attack, the well-known duo Kola-Minga from Tirana and Dashnor Bajaziti from Besa e Kavaja. At the gate…who else but Musta?! "Pearl Day" All those passionate people who secretly followed the Italian championship regularly knew the referee Menegali very well. On the other hand, West Germany, like any big team, favored over the smaller one, one way or another, would get the referee's help when it needed it. These are not just the words of someone who supports his team but an undeniable part of the match on March 30, 1983! The Germans immediately jump into the attack to secure the goal which would give them peace in the future. It's just that, the Albania they faced had nothing to do with what they had known in the past two games. Very quickly, Agustin Kola, in a duel of speed and strength, passes Karl Heinz Fërster on the left, enters the area and shoots hard with his left but the ball hits the outside net. The stadium is lit up. In other words, it was on, after the incident with the fan before the start of the match. The Germans circulate the ball densely in the midfield, but there Rragami and Haxhi Ballgjin have put their soul on the field. The German pressing and attacks from the wings are increasing. It is easier this way than to break Albania in the center, but also because the most powerful weapon of the Germans is the game in the air. It is now played in our half-field. It is an endless number of duels for the ball. Shyq Rreli is not afraid of the match. On the contrary, he performs a masterful move that perhaps no other trainer would do. In the thirtieth minute, remove the attacker Bajaziti and place reinforcements in the midfield "Tractor" Ilir Lame. is a checkmate move. The Germans have to play only with crosses from the wings. It is the only way to reach the gate, but here too, Albania has its answer. Musta pearls! It's his afternoon! For many people, his big game is the return game on November 20 in Saarbryken, for many others that game against Spain in Tirana. Only Perlati knows the most accurate answer… From the middle and until the end of the first half, the game is a furious "rain" of crosses from the wings towards the goal of Albania. Litbarski, Engels, Müller, Otten cross and Rumenige, Füler, Brigel and the tall centre-back Strach are always there. It is a game of chess between the trainers because, for the Germans, the defenders also attack and for Albania, the attackers also defend. For them, the tall and strong are in front, for us it is important to protect the results. Kola is often in the defense, who always stood out in the defensive game in addition to being an excellent striker. In any case, Musta always has the last word. Sometimes he rises above the whole by stopping a ball in the air, sometimes he flies in corner kicks taking the ball off the heads of the German players, sometimes he stretches out to divert a shot and sometimes he calmly controls the ball, slightly delaying the game. Overall, it's the king of the area! The first half ends with a chance for the Germans. Brigel, discovered, just a few meters in front of Musta, hits hard with his head. The ball hits the ground and goes to the triangle. It's a sure goal…but, no! Musta flies into the triangle and punches the ball. The Germans and the whole stadium could not believe their eyes. A minute later, the whole stadium explodes as if we had scored a goal! Musta just made another incredible intervention! There was no one to be found and there was no way for the Pearl to be broken! The second half starts with horns for the Germans. Once again, Musta comes out of the gate and cuts the ball with his characteristic plonzhon. The stadium explodes once again! Next, the case for ours. Ferit Rragami, stops Otten in midfield, takes the ball and advances to the right. Enters the area and shoots hard diagonally at half-height but, Shumaker punches, the ball ends up on the left to Agustin Kola. His left is killer, Kola is in a favorable position for him, the whole stadium rises to their feet to celebrate the goal, Kola shoots hard and…surprisingly his foot misses sending the ball wide. Agustin falls to his knees and puts his hands on his head! He can't even believe it himself! Albania is not afraid. We are still at 0-0 and the game is open. It is the 54th minute. That's where the bad happens! Bernd Fërster in midfield, starts a ball for Litbarski on the right. This one crosses a ball that doesn't look like a problem. While Musta leaves the goal to stop the ball in the air, (the late) Arjan Ahmetaj, puts his head in and changes the direction of the ball, sending it towards the net. Musta tries to go back to the goal and it seems impossible. However, at the last moment, Perlati jumps back with his body and manages to get the ball out of the gate at the last moment. There, the "fox" Rudi Fëler, with the smell of a great striker, arrives before Petro Ruci and simply pushes the ball into the net, 0-1. It is Füler's first goal with Germany and they are finally breathing. We are struck in psychology. After a quiet pause of ten minutes, Engels (Albanians were very familiar with this surname), enters the area from the right, tries to pass Targaj, a body-to-body collision follows. Stephan Engels falls easily and, right there, referee Menegali "presents himself best"! Penalty for West Germany. Rumenige will execute correctly and the Germans lead 0-2. The game immediately loses its rhythm. The Germans got where they wanted. Albania has nothing to lose and starts pushing towards the attack. In the 80th minute, Lame starts a cross with the left. Strach, inside his own area, cannot reach with his chest and uses his hand to collect the ball. Menegali cannot help awarding a penalty… After one minute, Muhedin Targaj enters history as the first Albanian to score against Germany. In the stadium, the first goal in history against the Germans is celebrated with unstoppable ovations for about five minutes. The match ends with this image, 1-2. The Germans will win by luck, by referee, rightly, wrongly… and what does it matter? For them in football, the end always justifies the means! Perlat Musta is the man of the match, but although practically unbeaten by the Germans in "open play", he officially conceded two goals! What mixed feelings! And how strange football is! It was not the first time that Albania left the field defeated by Germany, but it was the first game that ended with a goal difference after that heavy loss in Dortmund! The chapter of great football battles between Albanians and Germans had just begun… by Arian Muraj Sport Vision / Hour of Champions – March 2021