EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS - 2014/16 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Municipal - Aveiro Sunday 7 September 2014 20.45CET (19.45 local time) Portugal Group I - Matchday 1 Albania Last updated 03/06/2015 06:12CET EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS OFFICIAL SPONSORS Match background 2 Legend 3 1 Portugal - Albania Sunday 7 September 2014 - 20.45CET (19.45 local time) Match press kit Municipal, Aveiro Match background Portugal begin their bid for a place at UEFA EURO 2016 with a first UEFA meeting against Albania at senior level, the visitors eager to make a positive start in Aveiro after drawing their last game in Portugal. Match background • The countries have met five times with Portugal boasting the record W4 D1 L0 (W2 D1 L0 at home – W2 D0 L0 in Albania). They are meeting for the first time in UEFA competition. • The sides first met in 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying. Artur Jorge's Portugal won 3-0 in Tirana on 9 October 1996, with goals from Luís Figo (11), Hélder Cristóvão (77) and Rui Costa (89). João Pinto (14) and Figo (70) were on target as Portugal won the return fixture 2-0 in Porto. • The sides next met in an action-packed friendly in Lisbon on 11 October 2003: Luiz Felipe Scolari's side took a seventh-minute lead through Figo, but it was 2-1 to Albania by the break, Ardian Aliaj (13) and Igli Tare (44) on target. Simão (51) Rui Costa (57), Pauleta (59) and Miguel (65) all scored for Portugal after the break, Aliaj (61) replying as the game ended 5-3. • Their last meetings, in 2010 World Cup qualifying, were closer, Arie Haan's Albania holding Carlos Queiroz's Portugal to a 0-0 draw in Braga on 15 October 2008. Under Josip Kuže, they came within seconds of earning another draw in Tirana, Erjon Bogdani (28) cancelling out Hugo Almeida's opener (27), only for Bruno Alves to score a 90th- minute winner. • 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. • The nations' most recent competitive meetings came in 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification. Albania twice came from behind to draw 2-2 in Durres in the first meeting on 14 November 2011 – despite ending the game with ten men – but lost the return fixture 3-1 in Marinha Grande on 6 June 2012. • In the 20 UEFA games between Albanian and Portuguese sides – including club games, youth games, women's matches and futsal – there has been just one Albanian victory. Rigels Qosa (68) scored the only goal in Tirana as Albania beat Portugal 1-0 in a UEFA European Under-16 Championship qualifier on 3 March 1993. Of the remaining 19 games, 15 have been Portuguese wins. 2 Portugal - Albania Sunday 7 September 2014 - 20.45CET (19.45 local time) Match press kit Municipal, Aveiro 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 2016 only. FT: Total UEFA EURO 2016 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 is 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 Germany – 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 Czech Republic 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. 3.