Month: December 2017

Mysterious Albania. Terribly difficult to found pictorial material, among other things – even now. KS Traktori (Lushnje) won the Second Division championship – on goal-difference. KS Skenderbeu (Korce) was 2nd and both teams were promoted. Worth noticing that both teams were relegated the previous season – together they were returning to top flight right away.

KS 24 Maji (Permet) was the absolute outsider, finishing last with 13 points. KS 31 Korriku (Burrel) was 13th with 20 points. Relegated both, just like they were promoted together the year before. Up the table nothing much until the very top – no shifts of power. KS Dinamo (Tirana) was 3rd with 32 points, KS Flamurtari (Vlore) – 2nd with 33 points. The champion was a bit of surprise, however.

May be not a photo of this season, but at least from the period. KS 17 Nentori (Tirana) was confident champion with 37 points – 4 more than the 2nd placed. 15 wins, 7 ties, 4 games lost, 42-15 scoring record. It had been a long wait – 17 Nentori failed to win the championship since 1970! This was their 11th title, including the 6 titles won by their predecessor SK Tirana in the 1930s. However, they were still the 3rd most successful Albanian club, trailing behind Dinamo and Partizani.

A chance for a double – 17 Nentori reached the Cup final, facing KS Dinamo (Tirana). Dinamo won the first leg 1-0. 17 Nentori won the second leg 3-2. The rule of away goals made Dinamo the winner.

Like the photo above – may be not from this year. Dinamo won its 10th Cup. Only Partizani had higher record – 11 Cups.

Malta. The smallest league in Europe – only 8 teams. Two relegated, though. Insignificant as it was, this season was historic. On the field – nothing to catch attention really. Zebbug Rangers and Rabat Ajax finished at the top of Second Division and were promoted.

Gzira United was the big outsider in the outsider land: they finished the season with a single point, losing all games but one. Senglea Athletics was the other relegated from First Division – 7th with 10 points. The rest was uneventful – there was a single dominant team and no other came close. Sliema Wanderers was 2nd with 18 points: 8 points less than the champions. And they had amazing record – 12 wins and 2 ties. Not even one match was lost – Sliema lost 4 games, for instance. 36-7 scoring record! Yes, the league was small, weak, and the championship consisted of only 14 rounds, but such dominance was rare and especially in small leagues – hard to achieve. Hibernians was really formidable champion. And there dominance was completed with the Cup – at the final they won over the 2nd best team, Sliema Wanderers, 2-0. A double.

Fantastic season, but even such dominant year would not be historic one for a club familiar with success – this was 6th title for Hibernians and their 5th Cup. But they never had a double before. Or after… so, it was the best ever season and remains so: the only time Hibernians won a double. One day they may win another double.

Iceland. Trottur Reykjavík confidently won the II Division.

They lost just a single match, won 12, and received only 8 goals – the best records this in both I and II Divisions.

Thor Akureyri was 2nd with 23 points – 5 less than Throttur. Both teams were promoted.

KA Akureyri – 10th with 14 points, and Fram Reykjavík – 9th with 15 points, were relegated from I Division. Valur Reykjavík lost 2 games for using illegible player – they were awarded to Valur’s opponents, but the consequences were mild – Valur was strong and 4 lots points did not endanger it, but not strong enough to worry about lost title – they finished 5th after penalties, otherwise would have been 3rd. Now 3rd was KR Reykjavík, which managed to tie 11 of total 18 championship games – only 2nd division Fylkir had more ties this year – 12. ÍB Vestmannæyjar ended with silver medals and 22 points.

23 points were enough to win the championship and Vikingur Reykjavík achieved that after 7 wins, 9 ties, and 2 losses. They scored 25 goals, receiving 18 in the same time. Vikingur got second consecutive title and their 4th in total.

The Cup final opposed ÍB Keflavík to ÍA Akranes and Akranes prevailed 2-1.

The Cup was theirs, which was great.

IA Akranes had long strong presence in Icelandic football, becoming one of the recognized Icelandic clubs in Europe, but usually they won the championship. So far, they had just a single Cup in their trophy room, so it was much desired second Cup victory.

 

Norway. What came to the world’s attention was little, as always – more or less, the final table. But Norwegian football was vast.

A glimpse of the depths: Third Division Alta IF.

Anyway, top level football was the only really important thing. The highest division was still small, 12 teams, two of them directly relegated and one going to promotion/relegation play-offs. Thus, second level comes to the surface and the end of this season was remarkable: Fredrikstad was 10th and went to the play-offs to meet the second division candidates, Steinkjer and Eik. Eik, to the world, was the same as already mentioned Alta IF – entirely unknown. Looked like Fredrikstad would not have any trouble keeping its place among the best. But they lost their opening match at home against this very Eik and although they won – away – the match with Steinkjer, it was not enough. Eik took full advantage of their home game against Steinkjer, prevailing 2-1. In fact, the unknown team already knew the result of Fredrikstad vs Steinkjer and needed only a tie.

This was the biggest success in the history of the club. Eik IF was founded in 1928 and represented Sem municipality. So far, they played in total obscurity and most certainly were pleasant surprise, going to debut in the top league the next season.

As for the rest of Second Division:

Strømsgodset Drammen failed to win promotion, but

Brann was successful.

Molde finished last in First Division with 16 points.

Sogndal was 11th , also with 16 points. These, plus Fredrikstad, were relegated.

Start survived – 9th with 20 points.

At the more important higher end of the league nothing really dramatic happened. Lillestrom ended 3rd with 25 points and Bryne bested them by a point to finish 2nd and earn the sole Norwegian spot in the UEFA Cup.

Viking (Stavanger) practically had no challengers this season, winning the championship with 29 points from 11 wins, 7 ties, and losing 4 games. 39-24 was their scoring record. Three points difference hardly suggests dominance, but remember that Norwegian league was small and fairly equal. Viking won their 7th title.

The champions had no chance for a double, for they did not reach the Cup final. The finalists were technically lowly teams – Molde, which was last in the championship, and 2nd Division Brann. Brann (Bergen) prevailed 3-2 and won the Cup.

Second row from left: Oddvar Løkkeberg (assistant coach), Thor Åge Johansen, Paul Danielsen, Bjørn Erik Brandt, Nils Espen Eriksen, Stein Norstad, Geir Andre Johannesen, Tore Strand, Terje Rolland, Neil MacLeod, Ingvar Dalhaug.

Sitting: Arne Møller, Asgeir Kleppa, Øyvind Pettersen, Kjell Rune Pedersen, Arve Mokkelbost (coach), Geir Austvik, Hans Brandtun, Finn Krogh, Geir Midttveit, Magnar Heggen.

Their 5th Cup! Also, it is always nice to see lower division team winning a trophy – and inevitably contributing to the fall of the Cup Winners Cup…