Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al/ publishes some unknown articles of the newspaper Rilindja e Kosovës in the early ’80s, where its sports page reflected the football matches of the Prishtina team of the capital of Kosovo, which at that time competed in the superior league of Yugoslavia. Marshal Tito, facing with dignity the best teams of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, such as: Crvena Zvezda and Partizan Belgrade, Dinamo Zagreb, Hajduk Split, Zeleznicar, Rabotnicki of Skopje, Buducnost of Titograd, Sarajevo, , Iskra, Osiek, Vojvodina, Sloboda, etc., where at that time the big names of Yugoslav football were active and played, such as: Dragan Stojkovic, Dejan Savicevic, Safet Susic, Zlatko Vujovic, Faruk Hadzibegic, Darko Pan Darko Sarko etc., who made a big name even in the European cups or in the championships of the various countries where they were sold. How were the matches of the Prishtina team reflected at that time, where in the basic formation were activated: Shuica, Shenguli, Sinani, Cimili, Mehinovic, Tortoshi, Trajkovic, Rugova, Muriqi, Vokrri, Cana, Krasniqi, Batrovci, etc.
The very good performance of the football team of the Kosovo representative in international activities immediately after its admission to the organization of FIFA and UEFA, achieving high results and claiming to participate in European championships, is not a coincidence, as the football teams of Kosovo before the ’90s, since the reign of Marshal Josip Broz Tito and later, had a level of football that in terms of standard and quality, competed with dignity with the best teams of Yugoslavia of that time, such as: Crvena Zvezda and Partizan Belgrade, Dinamo Zagreb, Hajduk Split, Zeleznicar, Buducnost of Titograd, Rabotnicki of Skopje, Osiek, Velez, Rijeka, Radnicki, Vardar, Sutjeska, Sloboda, etc. they competed successfully in European leagues.
Thus, the capital team ‘Prishtina’ (founded in 1922), which led the championship of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo in the second league, in 1983, was deposed in the first league of Yugoslavia and faced with dignity the best teams of the championship of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, where at that time big football names were active, such as: Dragan Stojkovic, Dejan Savicevic, Safet Susic, Zlatko Vujovic, Faruk Hadzibegovic, Darko Pancev, Davor Suker, Robert Prosinecki, etc.
Since the beginning of the ’70s but also later in the’ 80s, with the Prishtina team of the Kosovar capital were activated and were part of some big names such as: Fahrudin Jusufi (who was also the first footballer of Albanian origin who MP with the representative of Yugoslavia) Xhevat Prekazi, Fadil Vokrri, Kujtim Shala, Fadil Muriqi, etc., who were later sold, becoming part of the elite Yugoslav football teams, such as Dinamo Zagreb, Partizan Belgrade, etc.
All these, etc., at that time were reflected in the Kosovar daily Rilindja e Prishtinë, which in its sports pages, among other things, devoted a special place to the Prishtina team and the Kosovo championship, where in the basic formation, were activated: Shuica, Shenguli, Sinani, Cimili, Mehinovic, Tortoshi, Trajkovic, Rugova, Muriqi, Vokrri, Cana, Krasniqi, Batrovci etc.
Due to the fact that the newspaper in question (Rilindja), was not allowed to enter the communist Albania of that time and the National Library in Tirana was the reserves (forbidden fund that was given only with a special authorization to be seen only in a room of of that library), Memorie.al brings an article by journalist Azem Brovina and unknown photos from the pages of that newspaper of the early 80’s, which reflected not only the football championship of the lower league of Kosovo, but also he Yugoslavia of that time, where the Prishtina team successfully debuted.
Writing of the newspaper ‘Rilindja’ of Prishtina for the match Buducnosti – Prishtina held on December 5, 1983 in the city of Titograd
PRISTINA – THE SEVENTH
Yesterday: Buducnosti – Prishtina 3: 0 (3: 0)
In the match of the 17th week, the last one, of the autumn part of the championship of the First Federal Football League, Buducnosti defeated Prishtina with a result of 3: 0 (3: 0). Goals I scored: Lumovii in the 12th minute and Radinovic in the 20th and 44th minute. The meeting took place in cold weather, in the presence of 8000 spectators. Judges: Josip Glazhari (Riekë), his assistants Davor Zekani (Split) and Husref Muharemagic (Tuzëll).
Buducnosti: Lukovçani 7 – Vlaisavljevic 7, Vorotovic 7 – Bakraçi 7, Vlahovici 8, Drobnjak 8 – Bozhiqi 7 (Veshoviqi), Lumoviqi 8, Janovic 7, (Savicevic) Radovici 7, Radinovic 8.
Prishtina: Shuica 7- Shengyli 5, Sinani 5 – Cimili 5, (Tortoshi), Mehinovic 5, Trajkovic 5 – Rugova 5, Muriqi 5, Vokrri 6, Cana 5 (Krasniqi), Batrovci.
The footballers from Prishtina, who arrived in Titograd on Saturday after a difficult journey, which lasted about 11 hours, failed to realize the wish to win at least one point in the last match of the autumn part of the championship.
The Buducnost players, for whom the points were important to improve their position in the standings, from the beginning rushed towards the gate of Shuica and with uninterrupted attacks constantly endangered it. Although they managed to avoid the dangers after several attacks in the first ten minutes, Prishtina, however, quickly conceded a goal. In the 12th minute the local players organized an attack from the right wing. The fast and agile Radinovic penetrated well and crossed nicely to the line of the penalty area. In the front position, in front of Shiica’s gate, was Lumovi., Who with a precise shot sent the ball to the lower right corner of utica, whose efforts to defend this shot were in vain. Thus Buducnosti advanced 1: 0.
Even after the advantage, the Titogradas did not stop. Constantly attacking they managed to score the second goal. It happened in the 20th minute, when we saw a quick and fluent action of Buducnost players, which started in the middle of the field. Local footballers penetrated through the defense of Prishtina, whose players did not manage to stop this action. The ball was then taken by Radovic, who served the left striker, Radinovic, inside the penalty area and he, with a precise shot of about 8 meters, defeated Shuica and -2: 0 for Buducnost. The more agile the local players were at the moment, the more agile those of Prishtina were.
After the 0: 2 disadvantage, Prishtina opened the game, started to balance the forces on the field and even dominated the field for 10-18 minutes, attacking Lukovcan’s gate more and more often. These were the moments when it was expected that the Pristina team could eventually reduce the score, but their efforts did not bear fruit, because the actions ended, usually near the Buducnost penalty area, or with inaccurate shots. In fact, it was during this period that Buducnosti scored the third goal. A beautiful action of Bakraq, Lumovii and Radinovic,, the latter successfully completed, shaking, with a strict shot, the net of utica.
In the second half, the people of Prishtina, who at first tried to do something more, but despite their efforts failed, after some penetrations of Vokrri, to seriously endanger the gate of Lukovci. On the other hand, the local players, satisfied with the high advantage, did not engage as in the first half. However, after a short period, they again dominated the field and several times endangered the gate of Prishtina. Thus, in the 60th minute, after a penetration of Radinovic on the left wing, and his cross in front of the goal, Bozovic shot from close range, but Shuica stopped the ball. Seven minutes later (67), Radovici suddenly shot from 20 meters, but the ball hit the place where the vertical and horizontal poles meet. Shuica was lucky because, although he tried to get this ball, he did not succeed. The goalkeeper of Prishtina was also distinguished in the 70th and 81st minutes, when he defended two dangerous shots of Vorotovi,, respectively of Vescovi..
The finish of the match was calm, because the locals were happy with the victory, while Prishtina had no hope of achieving a favorable result.
It was hoped that Pristina would leave a better impression on Titograd, but its footballers did not achieve this. If we say that goalkeeper Shuica was the best player in Prishtina, then it is clear that the victory of the locals is fully deserved.
Azem Brovina
