Elbasan Arena

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Elbasan Arena
Elbasan Arena stadium in Elbasan, Albania 2.jpg
Elbasan Arena
LocationSheshi Ruzhdi Bizhuta 1, 3001 Elbasan, Albania
Coordinates 41°06′57.15″N20°05′31.17″E / 41.1158750°N 20.0919917°E / 41.1158750; 20.0919917
Operator FSHF
Capacity 12.800 [1]
Record attendance12.800 Albania vs. Denmark (11/10/2014, Euro 2016) [2]
Field size105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Opened1967
Renovated2001, 2014
Tenants
Elbasani

Elbasan Arena (Albanian : Elbasan Arena, formerly known as Ruzhdi Bizhuta) is a multi-purpose stadium in Elbasan, Albania. The stadium was completed in 1967 and has been the home ground of KF Elbasani ever since. The stadium was under reconstruction and was officially inaugurated on 8 October 2014 in time for the match against Denmark, valid for the qualifiers of UEFA Euro 2016, with total capacity of 12,800, [1] making it the 3rd largest in Albania, after the Air Albania Stadium in Tirana.

Contents

History

Elbasan Arena first opened in 1967 under the name of Ruzhdi Bizhuta Stadion who was one of KF Elbasani’s most famous players. Constructed in the 1960s, the ground was built to replace the club’s former ground which had slowly become a set of outdated facilities.

For the majority of Ruzhdi Bizhuta’s history, the stadium has been used exclusively by KF Elbasani but in January 2014 it was announced that the ground would host Albania’s qualification matches of Euro 2016. This decision was taken by the Albanian Football Federation in order to allow the usual national stadium Qemal Stafa to undergo extensive renovation work.

2014 Reconstruction

Before Elbasan Arena could host the matches however it would have to undergo refurbishment itself, and in total over €5.5 million [3] invested into the stadium. Work to bring up the stadium to UEFA’s required standards began in February 2014, and finished 7 months later in October.

Cheering at Elbasan Arena Panoramic view of Elbasan Arena.jpg
Cheering at Elbasan Arena

Numerous improvements were made to the stadium including the installation of new floodlights, 12,500 new plastic seats, new changing rooms, executive seating areas, new scoreboards, and to top it all of a brand new playing surface was laid.

The stadium then reopened on 8 October when Albania hosted Denmark [4] in their second qualification match of the campaign. Played out in front of a sell-out crowd of 12,800 – the record attendance to date, Albania earned a 1-1 draw against their more favoured opposition.

Inauguration

The opening ceremony of the stadium was held on 11 October 2014, [5] with a historical exhibition match against Denmark. Playing for the first time at the recently refurbished Elbasan Arena, the hosts grabbed a 38th-minute lead through Ermir Lenjani's deflected strike but Denmark substitute Lasse Vibe slotted home an 81st-minute equaliser as the Group I rivals went joint-top.

Albania 1–1 Denmark
Ermir Lenjani Soccerball shade.svg38' Lasse Vibe Soccerball shade.svg81'
Elbasan Arena, Elbasan
Attendance: 12,800
Referee: Viktor Kassai
Albania (4–3–3):
GK1 Etrit Berisha
RB4 Elseid Hysaj
CB5 Lorik Cana
CB15 Mërgim Mavraj
LB7 Ansi Agolli
DM13 Burim Kukeli
CM22 Amir Abrashi
CM14 Taulant Xhaka Sub off.svg 82'
RW2 Andi Lila Sub off.svg 87'
LW3 Ermir Lenjani
CF19 Bekim Balaj Sub off.svg 69'
Substitutions:
GK12 Orges Shehi
GK23 Alban Hoxha
CB6 Debatik Curri Sub on.svg 87'
RW8 Herolind Shala
FW9 Edmond Kapllani
LM10 Valdet Rama Sub on.svg 82'
RM11 Emiljano Vila
FW16 Sokol Cikalleshi Sub on.svg 69'
CM17 Alban Meha
FW18 Hamdi Salihi
CM20 Ergys Kaçe
MF21 Armando Vajushi
Manager:
Gianni De Biasi
Denmark (4–3–3):
GK1 Kasper Schmeichel
RB2 Peter Ankersen
CB3 Simon Kjær
CB5 Andreas Bjelland
LB7 Nicolai Boilesen
RM9 Pierre-Emile Højbjerg
CM10 William Kvist
LM11 Christian Eriksen
RW12 Yussuf Poulsen
LW19 Michael Krohn-Dehli
CF23 Nicklas Bendtner
Manager:
Morten Olsen


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References

  1. 1 2 "Elbasan Arena - Albania". Football Tripper. 8 August 2015.
  2. "Albania-Denmark | European Qualifiers 2016". Union of European Football Associations.
  3. "Elbasan Arena - Stadiumi Ruzhdi Bizhuta, Elbasan | ACP". Albanian Construction Portal.
  4. "Shqipëri- Danimarkë, ndeshja e parë në "Elbasan Arena". Ja çmimi i biletave".
  5. "Elbasan Arena, të mërkurën inagurimi". Albanian Football Association. Archived from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2016.