1999–2000 Albanian National Championship

The 1999–2000 Albanian National Championship was the 61st season of the Albanian National Championship, the top professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1930. The season began on 18 September 1999 and concluded on 7 June 2000. Tirana began the season as defending champions 1998–99 season and Shqiponja was the only team promoted from the Albanian Second Division as the league was reduced from 16 teams to 14.

Albanian National Championship
Season1999–2000
ChampionsTirana
19th Albanian title
RelegatedPartizani
Elbasani
Champions LeagueTirana
UEFA CupTomori
Teuta
Intertoto CupVllaznia
Matches played182
Goals scored401 (2.2 per match)
Top goalscorerKlodian Arbëri (18 goals)
← 1998–99
2000–01 →

Tirana retained their title, as they won it for the 19th time and their 5th time in the previous 6 seasons. Partizani were the first team to be relegated, followed by relegation/promotion playoff losers Elbasani down to the Albanian Second Division.

Teams

Promotion and relegation

A total of 14 teams competed in the 1999–2000 season, 2 less than the previous where 16 teams competed. Of these 14 teams, 13 were from the 1998–99 season with Shqiponja being the only promoted side from the Albanian Second Division. 3 sides from the 1997–98 season were relegated, and they were Burreli, Laçi and Besa.

Stadia and last season
Apolonia
Bylis
Dinamo Tirana
Flamurtari
Lushnja
Partizani
Skënderbeu
Shkumbini
Shqiponja
Teuta
Tomori
Vllaznia
Locations of the 1999–2000 Albanian National Championship teams
TeamLocationStadiumCapacityLast season
ApoloniaFierLoni Papuçiu Stadium10,00013th
BylisBallshAdush Muça Stadium6,0003rd
DinamoTiranaQemal Stafa Stadium[note 1]19,7006th
ElbasaniElbasanRuzhdi Bizhuta Stadium15,0009th
FlamurtariVlorëFlamurtari Stadium15,00011th
LushnjaLushnjëAbdurrahman Roza Haxhiu Stadium12,0005th
PartizaniTiranaQemal Stafa Stadium19,70010th
SkënderbeuKorçëSkënderbeu Stadium12,00012th
ShkumbiniPeqinShkumbini Stadium6,0007th
ShqiponjaGjirokastërGjirokastër Stadium9,000Second Division
TeutaDurrësNiko Dovana Stadium12,0408th
TiranaTiranaQemal Stafa Stadium19,700Champions
TomoriBeratTomori Stadium14,7504th
VllazniaShkodërLoro Boriçi Stadium15,0002nd

Regular season

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Tirana (C) 26 16 4 6 40 14 +26 52 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
2 Tomori 26 15 7 4 35 22 +13 52 Qualification for the UEFA Cup qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
3 Teuta 26 15 4 7 36 16 +20 49
4 Vllaznia 26 11 4 11 29 28 +1 37 Qualification for the Intertoto Cup first round[lower-alpha 2]
5 Bylis 26 10 7 9 28 29 −1 37
6 Lushnja 26 10 5 11 34 31 +3 35
7 Shkumbini 26 10 5 11 31 31 0 35
8 Skënderbeu 26 10 4 12 33 33 0 34
9 Shqiponja 26 8 9 9 21 21 0 33
10 Dinamo Tirana 26 8 7 11 27 31 −4 31
11 Apolonia 26 9 4 13 22 41 −19 31
12 Flamurtari 26 9 3 14 25 35 −10 30
13 Elbasani (R) 26 8 5 13 19 32 −13 29 Qualification for the relegation play-offs
14 Partizani (R) 26 6 6 14 21 37 −16 24 Relegation to the Kategoria e Parë
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points
(C) Champion; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Teuta won the 1999–2000 Albanian Cup and qualified for the 2000–01 UEFA Cup qualifying round, therefore forfeiting their Intertoto Cup first round place that they had won.
  2. Vllaznia and Bylis finished the season level on points so the Albanian Football Association decided to organise a playoff game to determine which side will take the Intertoto Cup first round place that Teuta had forfeited.

Playoffs

Championship playoff

Tirana and Tomori finished the season level on points so the Albanian Football Association decided to organise a championship playoff game to determine the winner of the 1999–2000 Albanian National Championship. The game was played at Ruzhdi Bizhuta Stadium in Elbasan and Tirana won on penalties following a 1–1 draw to retain their title. Had the league been decided on goal difference Tirana would have won it, but if it had been decided on their head-to-head record Tomori would have won it.

Tirana1–1 (a.e.t.)Tomori
Nevil Dede  88' Erjon Rizvanolli  57'
Penalties
Alimehmeti
Kenesei
Memishi
Driza
Dede 		5 – 4 Hasa
Lako
Gega
Arbëri
Muzhaj
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Bujar Pregja

Intertoto Cup playoff

Vllaznia and Bylis finished the season level on points so the Albanian Football Association decided to organise a playoff game to determine which side will take the Intertoto Cup place. Although Teuta finished 3rd and would have taken the Intertoto Cup place had they not won the 1999–2000 Albanian Cup, meaning they forfeited their Intertoto Cup place in order to take up their UEFA Cup place for winning the Albanian Cup. Vllaznia won the game 4–3 at the Selman Stërmasi Stadium in Tiranë.

Vllaznia4–3Bylis
Sula  27' (o.g.)
Beqiri  50'
Bylykbashi  60'
Osja  82'		 Jakupi  5'
Bilali  73'
Shehu  90'

Relegation/promotion playoff

Elbasani finished in penultimate place in the league, and although they were not automatically relegated like Partizani, they were placed in a relegation/promotion playoff against the Kategoria e Parë playoff runners-up Besa. The game took place on 7 June 2000 in Tiranë and Besa won 2–1, thanks to goals from Armand Daiu and Demneri, to earn promotion to the 2000–01 Albanian National Championship, with Elbasani being relegated down to the Kategoria e Parë.

Besa2–1Elbasani
Daiu  25' (pen.)
Demneri  50'		 Ibërshimi  41'

Season statistics

Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Klodian Arbëri Tomori 18
2 Vladimir Gjoni Shkumbini 14
3 Daniel Xhafa Flamurtari/Bylis 12
Rigels Qose Skënderbeu
5 Anesti Vito Flamurtari/Tirana 11
6 Edi Martini Vllaznia 8
Alban Rexha Partizani
Artan Bano Lushnja
Fjodor Xhafa Dinamo Tirana
Justin Bespalla Teuta

[1]

Notes
  1. Dinamo Tirana, Partizani and Tirana all shared the Qemal Stafa Stadium as well as the Selman Stërmasi Stadium.

References
  1. “Këpucët e Arta” të Shqipërisë, nga Refik Resmja te Iir Përnaska
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