The AF Elbasani Sentinel
Squad9 Nov 2026
12 saves: Jan Eicher was the team
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the whole of the defence. 12 saves, several of them the kind nobody expects to see made, and ten outfield players who owe him a drink.
Squad9 Nov 2026
Ibrahim Diabaté falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
The terraces9 Nov 2026
The crowd has taken to Jan Eicher
At 22 he is being sung about by people twice his age, which is an affection a signing has to earn over years and a local kid gets for turning up. It is also the hardest thing in football to live up to.
Match7 Nov 2026
AF Elbasani get the job done against Teuta Durrës
A 1‑0 win over Teuta Durrës, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.
Player ratings9 Nov 2026
Nongo in the eights
A performance of 8.39 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Match9 Nov 2026
AF Elbasani at the halfway mark
Half the programme played, position 10, 6 on the board. Doubling it is the sum every supporter has done and the only one nobody at the club will do out loud.
The dugout9 Nov 2026
The manager makes an example of Erjon Sina
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
The dugout9 Nov 2026
The manager’s verdict
“I am not going to get carried away and I will not let them either. It was a good day. There will be harder ones.” Esat Kola kept it short after the 1‑0 win, which is what managers do when they are happy.
The dugout9 Nov 2026
Skender Lilaj knocks on the manager's door
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at AF Elbasani, and both men came out saying it was fine.
In brief
- Player ratings Nothing got past Reild Kurti
- Squad Klevi Qefalija wants out of the dugout
- Squad A AF Elbasani teenager takes the young player award