Egnatia starts the defense of the title in the most convincing way possible. The reigning champions defeated Tirana 3-0 in Rrogozhina, in a match they controlled almost entirely and practically decided in the first 45 minutes. Nevil Dede's team showed clarity in the game, efficiency in front of goal and a noticeable maturity in managing the advantage, immediately sending a signal to their rivals that they remain a team to be taken seriously in the title race.
Egnatia with reservations, Tirana truncated
The difference between the two teams became apparent in the first minutes. Egnatia entered the field with pace and aggression, not giving Tirana time to organize and forcing it to defend close to its area. The pressure of the home team was rewarded very quickly. In the 9th minute, Diabate found the way to the net and gave Egnatia the advantage, immediately setting the match on the trajectory desired by the champions.
Tirana tried to react, but had difficulty finding the necessary space to seriously trouble the Rrogozhina defense. On the contrary, Egnatia continued to control the pace and look for the second goal. It arrived about 20 minutes after the first advantage. This time it was defender Ajeti who scored, bringing the score to 2-0 and making the capital's mission even more complicated.
At this point, the match began to look more and more like a sure victory for the home team. Tirana was unable to find a response, while Egnatia made the most of the advantage they had created. The final blow came just before the break. Sota joined the scorers and scored the third goal, practically ending the challenge in the first half.
Egnatia manages the advantage, Tirana finds no solution
After the break, the pace of the match changed. With a three-goal advantage in their favor, Egnatia no longer needed to take risks and chose to calmly manage the score. The champions maintained control of the game and did not give Tirana the opportunity to restore emotions in a match that had been decided very early.
The capitals tried to create something more in the offensive phase, with Xhixha and Alvarez trying to bring danger to the Egnatia area. However, their efforts were not enough to change the history of the match. The home team's defense proved to be consolidated and, above all, Egnatia had the merit of not allowing the opponent to take advantage of any moment of weakness. In the end, 3-0 was a result that clearly reflected what happened on the field, especially in the first 45 minutes. Egnatia took the first three points and gave a strong message from the start of the championship: the champions do not intend to give up their status easily.
For Tirana, meanwhile, this is a start that requires reflection. The capital team appeared helpless in the face of a more organized and efficient opponent, while the situation created by the transfer market blockage has significantly limited the opportunity to intervene in the reinforcement of the team. For this reason, the first challenge of the season was not simply a defeat with deep numbers, but a clear indication that Tirana still has a lot to fix if it intends to be competitive in the coming weeks.
