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Home , Alban Bushi, Altin Rraklli, Arlind Ajeti, Armenian Cup, Artak Grigoryan, Artur Petrosyan

EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS - 2014/16 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan - Sunday 11 October 2015 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Group I - Matchday -3 Last updated 12/07/2021 15:49CET

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Previous meetings 2 Match background 3 Squad list 4 Head coach 6 Match officials 7 Competition facts 8 Match-by-match lineups 9 Team facts 11 Legend 13

1 Armenia - Albania Sunday 11 October 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan

Previous meetings Head to Head 2016 UEFA European Championship Stage Date Match Result Venue Goalscorers reached Mavraj 77, Gashi 81; 29/03/2015 QR (GS) Albania - Armenia 2-1 Elbasan Mavraj 4 (og)

FIFA World Cup Stage Date Match Result Venue Goalscorers reached Vardanyan 60, 06/09/1997 QR (GS) Armenia - Albania 3-0 Yerevan Assadourian 82, Avalyan 88 Fraholli 58; Ter- 09/11/1996 QR (GS) Albania - Armenia 1-1 petrosyan 89

Final Qualifying Total tournament

Home Away Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L GF GA EURO Armenia - - - - 1 0 0 1 - - - - 1 0 0 1 1 2 Albania 1 1 0 0 ------1 1 0 0 2 1 FIFA* Armenia 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 - - - - 2 1 1 0 4 1 Albania 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 - - - - 2 0 1 1 1 4 Friendlies Armenia ------1 0 0 1 0 2 Albania ------1 1 0 0 2 0 Total Armenia 1 1 0 0 2 0 1 1 - - - - 4 1 1 2 5 5 Albania 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 - - - - 4 2 1 1 5 5 * FIFA World Cup/FIFA Confederations Cup

2 Armenia - Albania Sunday 11 October 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan Match background

Albania can book their place at UEFA EURO 2016 should they win their final Group I qualifier, away to an Armenia side still seeking their first home win in the section. • Albania are guaranteed a play-off berth and will overtake , who currently occupy the section's second automatic qualifying berth, with three points in Yerevan. If they draw, Denmark will finish second and Albania third due to their inferior head-to-head record with Denmark. Previous meetings • Late goals from Mërgim Mavraj and Shkelzen Gashi earned Albania a 2-1 victory in the sides' first Group I meeting, in Elbasan on 29 March, the visitors having been reduced to ten men by Hovhannes Hambartsumyan's 70th-minute dismissal. • Albania's record in four games against Armenia is now W2 D1 L1. The teams' only previous encounter in Yerevan ended in a 3-0 success for the hosts in 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying. Form guide • Armenia are yet to win a home match in Group I (D2 L1), though they might have been undefeated but for Cristiano Ronaldo, who hit a hat-trick in 's 3-2 triumph in Yerevan in June. • Albania have not conceded in their last four competitive away fixtures (W2 D2); that run includes an abandoned game in Serbia, awarded as a 3-0 victory for Albania. Disciplinary • The latest booking list is available here: http://www.uefa.org/disciplinary/disciplinary-cases/booking-lists/index.html. Trivia and links • Albania defender turns 33 the day of the Armenia match. • The nations have met in three UEFA age-group competition games, Armenia recording two wins to Albania's one.

3 Armenia - Albania Sunday 11 October 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan Squad list

Armenia Current season Overall Qual. FT Team No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers - Gevorg Kasparov 25/07/1980 35 Alashkert - 2 0 0 0 28 - - Gor Manukyan 27/09/1993 22 Pyunik - 0 0 0 0 - - - Arsen Beglaryan 18/02/1993 22 Mika - 0 0 0 0 - - Defenders - Robert Arzumanyan 24/07/1985 30 Amkar - 7 1 0 0 73 5 - Levon Hayrapetyan 17/04/1989 26 Pyunik - 6 0 0 0 19 - - Hovhannes Hambartsumyan 04/10/1990 25 Vardar - 1 0 0 0 11 - - 05/10/1992 23 Pyunik - 7 0 0 0 25 - - Varazdat Haroyan 24/08/1992 23 Pyunik - 4 0 0 0 17 - - Taron Voskanyan 22/02/1993 22 Pyunik - 3 0 0 0 12 - - Gael Andonian 07/02/1995 20 Marseille - 4 0 0 0 5 - - 21/01/1989 26 Dortmund - 6 1 0 0 55 16 - 05/04/1988 27 Marítimo - 6 0 0 0 48 9 - 25/11/1988 26 Anji - 5 0 0 0 44 2 - Davit Manoyan 05/07/1990 25 Pyunik - 0 0 0 0 18 - - Artur Yusbashyan 07/09/1989 26 Pyunik - 0 0 0 0 10 - - Marcos Pizzelli 03/10/1984 31 Aktobe - 7 1 0 0 45 8 - 19/10/1987 27 Alashkert - 0 0 0 0 2 - Spartak - Aras Özbiliz 09/03/1990 25 - 3 0 0 0 21 4 Moskva - Artem Simonyan 20/02/1995 20 Zürich - 2 0 0 0 3 - Forwards Spartak - 02/08/1987 28 - 4 0 0 0 33 9 Moskva - Artur Sarkisov 01/07/1987 28 Volga - 3 0 0 0 31 4 - Norair Aslanyan 25/03/1991 24 Almere - 0 0 0 0 7 - - Vardan Pogosyan 08/03/1992 23 Pyunik - 0 0 0 0 1 - Coach - 02/11/1972 42 - 3 0 0 0 3 -

4 Armenia - Albania Sunday 11 October 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan

Albania Current season Overall Qual. FT Team No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers - 25/09/1977 38 Skënderbeu - 0 0 0 0 6 - - 23/11/1987 27 Partizani - 0 0 0 0 - - - 10/03/1989 26 Lazio - 7 0 0 0 28 - Defenders - 25/09/1993 22 - 2 0 0 0 5 - - 20/02/1994 21 Napoli - 5 0 0 0 15 - - Berat Xhimshiti 19/02/1993 22 Zürich - 3 0 0 0 3 - - Amir Rrahmani 24/02/1994 21 Split - 0 0 0 0 1 - - 27/12/1993 21 - 0 0 0 0 1 - Midfielders - 27/07/1983 32 Nantes - 7 0 0 0 86 1 - 05/01/1987 28 Luzern - 3 0 0 0 12 2 - 22/05/1991 24 Rijeka - 4 0 0 0 25 1 - 28/03/1991 24 Basel - 7 0 0 0 7 - - 27/03/1990 25 Freiburg - 6 0 0 0 15 - - 16/01/1984 31 Zürich - 6 0 0 0 12 - - 05/08/1989 26 Nantes - 7 1 0 0 13 1 - Ergys Kaçe 08/07/1993 22 PAOK - 2 0 0 0 13 2 - 17/12/1986 28 Pescara - 2 0 0 0 10 - - Herolind Shala 01/02/1992 23 Liberec - 0 0 0 0 2 - Forwards - 19/01/1984 31 Skënderbeu - 1 0 0 0 50 11 - Shkelzen Gashi 15/07/1988 27 Basel - 3 1 0 0 8 1 - 11/01/1991 24 Rijeka - 5 1 0 0 12 1 İstanbul - Sokol Çikalleshi 27/07/1990 25 - 6 0 0 0 12 - Başakşehir - 27/05/1991 24 Zürich - 1 0 0 0 13 1 Coach - Giovanni de Biasi 16/06/1956 59 - 7 0 0 0 33 -

5 Armenia - Albania Sunday 11 October 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan Head coach Sargis Hovsepyan Date of birth: 2 November 1972 Nationality: Armenian Playing career: FC Malatia Yerevan, FC Lori Kirovakan, FC Pyunik (twice), FC Zenit, FC Torpedo-Metallurg Coaching career: FC Pyunik, Armenia Under-19, Armenia Under-21, Armenia (caretaker) • A central defender, Hovsepyan made his debut for local side Malatia as a teenager in 1990 but after just one first- team season he joined Lori Kirovakan. Was then already at the club that became Pyunik following the break-up of the Soviet Union, winning three league titles and the and twice being voted Armenian player of the year. • Moved to Zenit in 1998, going on to make 153 appearances in a five-year stay which yielded the in 1999. A spell with Torpedo-Metallurg followed in 2003 but after only a handful of games he returned to Pyunik. In 2010 he claimed his tenth championship with the Yerevan outfit. • Hovsepyan's long international career began in 1992 with a home friendly against Moldova. His first goal came from the penalty spot during a 2-1 victory in Kazakhstan on 2 June 2007, with his 100th cap awarded 14 months later as Armenia lost 4-0 to in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier. • Eventually retired in 2012 having earned 131 caps – a national record – and quickly kicked off his coaching career with Pyunik, lifting the Armenian Cup at the first attempt. • He completed the league and cup double in 2014/15 and, having combined the Pyunik role with various national- team age-group jobs, in April 2015 was appointed interim head coach of the senior Armenia side after ' resignation. Date of birth: 16 June 1956 Nationality: Italian Playing career: Treviso FC, FC Internazionale Milano, AC Reggiana 1919, Pescara Calcio, Brescia Calcio, US Città di Palermo, Vicenza Calcio, Bassano Virtus 55 ST Coaching career: FC Pro Vasto, Carpi FC 1909, Cosenza Calcio, SPAL 1907, Modena FC, Brescia Calcio, Torino FC (three times), Levante UD, Udinese Calcio, Albania • Served apprenticeship as an academy coach and on the lower rungs of the Italian football ladder before making his name overseeing back-to-back promotions at Modena – guiding them from the third division to in 2002. It ended a 38-year absence from the top flight. • Helped Modena survive first season among the elite before moving to Brescia, where he stayed two years before embarking on a tumultuous spell at Torino in 2005. • Arrived with Torino picking up the pieces after bankruptcy and exceeded expectations by steering them back to Serie A in his first campaign, only to be replaced by Alberto Zaccheroni three days before the start of the next term. He was reappointed within seven months, leading the Granata to safety. • Spent 2007/08 at Levante, winning plaudits despite relegation, then returned for a third stint at Torino with five games of the season remaining and saved them from relegation again. Sacked that December, he had a two-month reign at Udinese in 2009/10 before finding more constancy as Albania boss. • A one-time with a handful of top-flight playing campaigns under his belt, De Biasi was installed in December 2011 as successor to Josip Kuže. He signed a new deal running until the end of UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying in November 2013.

6 Armenia - Albania Sunday 11 October 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan Match officials

Referee Szymon Marciniak (POL) Assistant referees Paweł Sokolnicki (POL) , Tomasz Listkiewicz (POL) Additional assistant referees Paweł Raczkowski (POL) , Tomasz Musiał (POL) Fourth official Radosław Siejka (POL) UEFA Delegate David McDowell (SVN) UEFA Referee observer Miroslav Tulinger (CZE)

Referee UEFA EURO Name Date of birth UEFA matches matches Szymon Marciniak 07/01/1981 3 38

Szymon Marciniak Referee since: 2002 First division: 2009 FIFA badge: 2011

Tournaments: 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Finals 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship

UEFA European Championship matches featuring the two countries involved in this match No such matches refereed Other matches involving teams from either of the two countries involved in this match No such matches refereed

7 Armenia - Albania Sunday 11 October 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan Competition facts

8 Armenia - Albania Sunday 11 October 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan Match-by-match lineups Armenia

European Qualifiers Matchday 1 (07/09/2014) Denmark 2-1 Armenia Goals: 0-1 Mkhitaryan 50, 1-1 Højbjerg 65, 2-1 Kahlenberg 80 Armenia: Berezovski, Haroyan, Arzumanyan (66 T. Voskanyan), Artur Edigaryan, Hovsepyan, Ghazaryan, K. Hovhannisyan, Mkoyan, Mkhitaryan (71 Pizzelli), Hayrapetyan, Manucharyan (84 Dashyan) Matchday 2 (11/10/2014) Armenia 1-1 Serbia Goals: 1-0 Arzumanyan 73, 1-1 Tošić 89 Armenia: Berezovski, Haroyan, T. Voskanyan, Arzumanyan, Mkrtchyan (52 Hovsepyan), Artur Edigaryan, Pizzelli (84 Karapetyan), Sarkisov, K. Hovhannisyan, Hayrapetyan, Manucharyan (66 Dashyan) Matchday 4 (14/11/2014) Portugal 1-0 Armenia Goals: 1-0 Ronaldo 72 Armenia: Berezovski, Haroyan, T. Voskanyan, Arzumanyan, Mkrtchyan (84 Pizzelli), Artur Edigaryan (77 Sarkisov), Ghazaryan (62 Manucharyan), K. Hovhannisyan, Movsisyan, Mkhitaryan, Hayrapetyan Matchday 5 (29/03/2015) Albania 2-1 Armenia Goals: 0-1 Mavraj 4 (og) , 1-1 Mavraj 77, 2-1 Gashi 81 Armenia: Berezovski, Andonian, Arzumanyan, Artur Edigaryan (84 Koryan), Pizzelli, Ghazaryan, Movsisyan, Mkhitaryan, Hambartsumyan, Hayrapetyan, Manucharyan (67 K. Hovhannisyan) Matchday 6 (13/06/2015) Armenia 2-3 Portugal Goals: 1-0 Pizzelli 14, 1-1 Ronaldo 29 (P) , 1-2 Ronaldo 55, 1-3 Ronaldo 58, 2-3 Mkoyan 72 Armenia: Berezovski, Andonian, Arzumanyan, Mkrtchyan (29 Hovsepyan), Pizzelli, Ghazaryan, Sarkisov (72 Koryan), K. Hovhannisyan (61 Özbiliz), Mkoyan, Mkhitaryan, Hayrapetyan Matchday 7 (04/09/2015) Serbia 2-0 Armenia Goals: 1-0 Hayrapetyan 22 (og) , 2-0 Ljajić 53 Armenia: Kasparov, Andonian, Arzumanyan, Mkrtchyan, Pizzelli (65 Koryan), Ghazaryan (82 Simonyan), Movsisyan, Mkoyan, Mkhitaryan, Hayrapetyan, Özbiliz (59 K. Hovhannisyan) Matchday 8 (07/09/2015) Armenia 0-0 Denmark Armenia: Kasparov, Andonian, Haroyan, Arzumanyan, Mkrtchyan, Pizzelli (62 Koryan), Ghazaryan, K. Hovhannisyan (87 Simonyan), Movsisyan (83 Özbiliz), Mkoyan, Mkhitaryan Matchday 10 (11/10/2015) Armenia-Albania Albania

European Qualifiers Matchday 1 (07/09/2014) Portugal 0-1 Albania Goals: 0-1 Balaj 52 Albania: Berisha, Lenjani (75 Lila), Hysaj, Cana, Agolli, Kukeli (66 Kaçe), Xhaka, Mavraj, Balaj (82 Çikalleshi), Roshi, Abrashi Matchday 2 (11/10/2014) Albania 1-1 Denmark Goals: 1-0 Lenjani 38, 1-1 Vibe 81 Albania: Berisha, Lila (87 Çurri), Lenjani, Hysaj, Cana, Agolli, Kukeli, Xhaka (82 Rama), Mavraj, Balaj (69 Çikalleshi),

9 Armenia - Albania Sunday 11 October 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan

Abrashi Matchday 3 (14/10/2014) Serbia 0-3 Albania (Match forfeited) Albania: Berisha, Lila, Lenjani, Hysaj, Cana, Agolli, Kukeli, Xhaka, Mavraj, Balaj, Abrashi Matchday 5 (29/03/2015) Albania 2-1 Armenia Goals: 0-1 Mavraj 4 (og) , 1-1 Mavraj 77, 2-1 Gashi 81 Albania: Berisha, Hysaj, Cana, Agolli, Memushaj (46 Gashi), Kukeli, Xhaka, Mavraj, Çikalleshi, Roshi (69 Salihi), Abrashi (46 Lenjani) Matchday 7 (04/09/2015) Denmark 0-0 Albania Albania: Berisha, Lenjani (64 Sadiku), Cana, Xhimshiti, Agolli, Gashi (83 Roshi), Kukeli, Xhaka, Arlind Ajeti, Çikalleshi, Abrashi (64 Basha) Matchday 8 (07/09/2015) Albania 0-1 Portugal Goals: 0-1 Miguel Veloso 90+2 Albania: Berisha, Lenjani, Cana, Xhimshiti, Agolli, Gashi (70 Roshi), Kukeli, Xhaka, Arlind Ajeti, Çikalleshi (86 Balaj), Abrashi (54 Basha) Matchday 9 (08/10/2015) Albania 0-2 Serbia Goals: 0-1 Kolarov 90+1, 0-2 Ljajić 90+4 Albania: Berisha, Lila (46 Kaçe), Lenjani (83 Meha), Hysaj, Cana, Xhimshiti, Agolli, Basha, Memushaj , Xhaka, Balaj (69 Çikalleshi) Matchday 10 (11/10/2015) Armenia-Albania

10 Armenia - Albania Sunday 11 October 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan Team facts

UEFA European Championship records: Armenia History 2012 – did not qualify 2008 – did not qualify 2004 – did not qualify 2000 – did not qualify 1996 – did not qualify Qualifying win 4-0: Armenia v , 12/10/10 0-4: v Armenia, 06/09/11 Qualifying defeat 0-4: Armenia v Spain, 11/10/03 Overall appearances 47: Sargis Hovsepyan 37: Roman Berezovski 25: 24: Armen Shahgeldyan 24: Robert Arzumanyan 23: Overall goals 7: Henrikh Mkhitaryan 5: Artur Petrosyan 5: Gevorg Ghazaryan 5: Marcos Pizzelli 4: Yura Movsisyan 4: Armen Shahgeldyan

UEFA European Championship records: Albania History 2012 – did not qualify 2008 – did not qualify 2004 – did not qualify 2000 – did not qualify 1996 – did not qualify 1992 – did not qualify 1988 – did not qualify 1984 – did not qualify 1980 – did not qualify 1976 – did not qualify 1972 – did not qualify 1968 – did not qualify 1964 – did not qualify 1960 – did not participate Qualifying win 3-0: five times, most recently v Albania, 06/06/07 Qualifying defeat 9-0: Spain v Albania, 19/12/90 Overall appearances 29: Fotaq Strakosha 29: 26: Lorik Cana 25: 25: Klodia Duro 23:

11 Armenia - Albania Sunday 11 October 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan

23: Overall goals 5: Edmond Kapllani 4: Sokol Kushta 4: Alban Bushi 4: Altin Rraklli 4: 4:

12 Armenia - Albania Sunday 11 October 2015 - 18.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit Republican Stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, Yerevan Legend

:: Previous meetings

Goals for/against: Goal totals include the outcome of disciplinary decisions (e.g. match forfeits when a 3-0 result is determined). Goals totals do not include goals scored during a penalty shoot-out after a tie ended in a draw

:: Squad list

Qual.: Total European Qualifiers appearances/goals for UEFA EURO 2020 only. FT: Total UEFA EURO 2020 appearances/goals in final tournament only. Overall: Total international appearances/goals. DoB: Date of birth Age: Based on the date press kit was last updated D: Disciplinary (*: misses next match if booked, S: suspended)

:: Team facts

EURO finals: The UEFA European Championship was a four-team event in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976 (when the preliminary round and quarter-finals were considered part of qualifying).

From 1980 it was expanded to an eight-team finals and remained in that format in 1984, 1988 and 1992 until 1996, when the 16-team format was adopted. UEFA EURO 2016 was the first tournament to be played as a 24-team finals.

Records of inactive countries A number of UEFA associations have been affected by dissolution or splits of member associations. For statistical purposes, the records of these inactive countries have been allocated elsewhere: therefore, all Soviet Union matches are awarded to Russia; all West – but not East Germany – matches are awarded to Germany; all Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro matches are awarded to Serbia; all Czechoslovakia matches are allocated to both the and Slovakia.

Abandoned/forfeited matches For statisical purposes, when a match has been started and then abandoned but later forfeited, the result on the pitch at the time of abandonment is counted. Matches that never started and were either cancelled or forfeited are not included in the overall statistics. Competitions Other abbreviations (aet): After extra time pens: Penalties No.: Number og: Own goal ag: Match decided on away goals P: Penalty agg: Aggregate Pld: Matches played AP: Appearances Pos.: Position Comp.: Competition Pts: Points D: Drawn R: Sent off (straight red card) DoB: Date of birth Res.: Result ET: Extra Time sg: Match decided by silver goal GA: Goals against t: Match decided by toss of a coin GF: Goals for W: Won gg: Match decided by golden goal Y: Booked L: Lost Y/R: Sent off (two yellow cards) Nat.: Nationality N/A: Not applicable Disclaimer: Although UEFA has taken all reasonable care that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of publication, no representation or guarantee (including liability towards third parties), expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, reliability or completeness. Therefore, UEFA assumes no liability for the use or interpretation of information contained herein. More information can be found in the competition regulations available on UEFA.com.

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