After the 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic, Albania’s national team coach, Sylvinho, reflected on the performance, stating that the team played well overall, except for the first 25 minutes.

“It wasn’t just us, but also the opponent. They are physical, press high, and play long balls. If we do it, we win the second ball. In this balanced group, they are a very strong team, and it’s hard to play against them,” he said.

“Everyone is physical and plays with great intensity. I didn’t like the first 25 minutes; we didn’t do well during that time,” Silvinho emphasized.

He acknowledged the challenges the team faced in building the right approach against the Czechs.

“We suffered in Prague, losing because we didn’t play well. To create the chance to win this match, we worked a lot behind the scenes. We’re not as physical as their players, who are over 1.90 meters tall,” he added.

“Tuci had a great game; he’s adapting well, giving us height and strength. Uzuni is more of a second striker, relying on speed, but this wasn’t the right match for him. Tuci was the better choice today,” Silvinho explained.

On Albania’s chances to top the group, he said, “It’s hard to predict. The group is tough and well-balanced, and anything can happen. I’m not sure if there’s a group as balanced as this. Everything is still open. The advantage we have is playing at home, but we’ll see how it goes. There’s a possibility that Ukraine won’t finish first, and the Czech Republic may not drop points. The remaining matches will be difficult.”