Late Gjasula Goal Earns Albania Dramatic Draw Against Croatia in Thriller

Albania’s 2-2 draw with Croatia proved to be a morale booster despite falling short of a victory.

Klaus Gjasula’s 95th-minute equalizer sparked jubilation among Albania’s supporters long after the match concluded at Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion. The atmosphere reverberated with drum beats and sporadic firecrackers as fans celebrated.

Albania, likely facing an early exit from the European Championship in Germany, displayed resilience throughout the tournament. Despite not securing a win yet, they set an early tone against Italy with a 23-second goal in their Group B opener, eventually losing 2-1. Against Croatia, they took the lead once more before rallying to salvage a draw.

“We are proud,” declared Albania manager Sylvinho post-match. “The nation should be proud about the result and the performance. The players left everything inside the pitch. It was amazing and represents our people.”

In contrast, Croatia’s mood was somber despite sharing the scoreline. Following a semi-final appearance in the 2022 World Cup, their chances of progressing from the group stage now hang by a thread. With just one point from two Group B games, they face a must-win scenario against Italy in their final match to stay alive.

“The Croatian players were fuming,” observed former Premier League footballer Clinton Morrison on BBC Radio 5 Live. “They know they have a tough game against Italy, they have to keep believing, but their body language looks like they are out.”

The draw leaves both teams with challenging prospects heading into the final matchday of the group stage.