KF Besa Kavajë

Klubi i Futbollit Besa is a professional Albanian football club based in Kavajë. It is currently competing in Albania's First Division, the 2nd tier of Albanian football. They play their home games at Besa Stadium.

Besa Kavajë
Full nameKlubi Sportiv Besa Kavajë
Nickname(s)Verdhezinjtë
FoundedOctober 25, 1925 (1925-10-25)
as Shoqata Sportive Adriatiku
GroundStadiumi Besa
Kavajë, Albania
Capacity8,000
OwnerBashkia Kavajë
ChairmanNexhat Bizhdili
ManagerGugash Magani
LeagueKategoria e Parë, Group B
2019–20Kategoria e Parë, Group B, 4th

History

Early years (1925–1944)

Klubi Sportiv Besa was founded on 25 October 1925 originally as "Shoqata Kulturore-Sportive Adriatiku" which was a multi-disciplinary sports club based in Kavajë, Albania. In 1930, the club changed its name to "Sport Klub Kavajë". That same year the football team played its first ever friendly at Mali i Robit, Golem against an amateur team formed of students from the Albanian-American Institute of Agriculture. A short time later, SK Kavajë joined the newly formed Albanian Football Association and participated in the 1930 second tier championship where they would repeat their participation for the next two seasons before joining the top tier Kategoria e Parë in 1933. In their first top flight championship SK Kavajë finished last in the 5 team league, losing 7 games and winning just one, a 2–1 victory over local rivals Teuta Durrës.[1]

Club logo in 1930 when it joined the newly formed Albanian Football Association.

In 1935, the club took the shape of an organized one under the leadership of chairman Irfan Berati. The vice-chairman was Fehmi Kazazi, the secretary was Dervish Cara, the committee members were Sulejman Karkini and Reshat Asllani, the cashier was Rasim Sulejmani and Dhori Fora was in charge of the trade of craft. The following year, the club was renamed "Besa Kavajë" also known as "Besa Sport Klub", derived from the name Besa, the Albanian cultural precept meaning "to keep the promise" and "word of honor".

During World War II, many members of the club lost their lives as soldiers, including Mehmet Babamusta, Adil Alushi, Sami Karriqi and Millan Radosalja. The activities of the club became very limited and support came primarily from the local residents of the city. There were no official competitions held in Albania at this time.

Rise (1945–1965)

But between 1945 and 1950, the club experienced a revival which was due to young talented players coming through the ranks of the youth teams, including the likes of Qamil Teliti who went on to receive national success. During the 1945–46 season, the club won the unofficial Sports Federation President's Cup. Many of the club's players during the late 1940s would go on to play for the Albanian national team, including Qamil Teliti, who scored the winning goal against Romania that won Albania the 1946 Balkan Cup.

In 1958, the club achieved a second-place finish in the top tier Albanian Championship, narrowly losing out to Partizani Tirana for the title by one point.[2] Also during the 1958 season, they reached the semi final of the Albanian Cup, again losing out to eventual winners Partizani Tirana. The club would go on to reach the finals of the Albanian Cup in 1961, losing to Partizani Tirana once again and also the following season in 1962–63, where they lost on penalties to KF Tirana. In 1963, Besa won the unofficial cup competition held by the 'Sport' newspaper, and in 1965 it won the 'Bashkimi' newspaper competition.[3]

Golden generation (1965–1975)

The period between 1965 and 1975 has been called the golden generation of football in Kavajë, due to the domestic achievements especially in the Albanian Cup which resulted in the club's first ever European games. In 1971, they finished as runners-up in the Albanian Cup after losing 2–0 in the finals to Dinamo Tirana. They repeated this feat the following year, losing on penalties in the cup final following a 2–2 draw with Vllaznia Shkodër, but as Vllaznia also won the league in that same year, this gave Besa the opportunity to participate in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in the 1972–73 season.

Their first European opponents were Danish side, Fremad Amager, who Besa managed to overcome on away goals following a 1–1 draw away in Copenhagen and a goalless draw at home. In the next round however they were beaten by Scottish side Hibernian, whom they lost to on aggregate 8–2, following a 7–1 away loss and a 1–1 draw at home. The end of the golden generation era was marked with the completion of the club's first purpose built stadium, Besa Stadium. Construction was completed in 1974 and the new stadium had a capacity to seat 9,000 spectators.

Recent years

Besa confirmed their place in the 2007–08 UEFA Cup after a 3–2 win against neighbours KS Teuta in the 2006–07 Albanian Cup final. They met Bežanija of Serbia in the first qualifying round, drawing 2–2 away and 0–0 at home to progress on away goals. In the second qualifying round, they fell 3–0 in each leg to Bulgarian side Litex Lovech. In 2008, they qualified for the Intertoto Cup due to their third-place finish in the league, drawing Ethnikos Achna 0–0 at home and 1–1 in Cyprus and continued on away goals. In the 2nd round of the Intertoto cup they were eliminated by Grasshopper Zürich from Switzerland.

Besa in European competitions

As of October 2015

Season Competition Round Country Club Home Away
1972–73 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Fremad Amager 0–0 1–1
2R Hibernian 1–1 1–7
2007–08 UEFA Cup 1QR Bežanija 0–0 2–2
2QR Litex Lovech 0–3 0–3
2008–09 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R Ethnikos Achna 0–0 1–1
2R Grasshopper Zürich 0–2 1–2
2010–11 UEFA Europa League 2R Olympiacos 0–5 1–6
  • 1QR = 1st Qualifying Round
  • 2QR = 2nd Qualifying Round
  • 1R = 1st Round
  • 2R = 2nd Round
  • 3R = 3rd Round

Current squad
As of 19 September 2019

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  ALB Ilir Dabjani
2 MF  ALB Xhoi Hajdëraj
3 DF  ALB Skerdian Perja
4 DF  ALB Alessandro Kacbufi
6 MF  ALB Uheid Hoxha
7 MF  ALB Alked Çelhaka
8 MF  ALB Glejdis Ndraxhi
9 FW  NGA Chinonso Onuh
10 FW  ALB Tedi Cara
11 MF  ALB Klevis Shaqe
12 GK  ALB Princ Çali
13 DF  ALB Orjad Beqiri
14  ALB Alban Hoxha
15 DF  ALB Egzon Shimaj
16 DF  ALB Erion Xhafa
No. Pos. Nation Player
20  ALB Drilon Murja
21 DF  ALB Arbër Deliu
22 MF  ALB Alfred Zefi
27 MF  KVX Bler Thaçi
28 DF  ALB Senad Hysenaj
37  ALB Flavio Meçja
— GK  ALB Ali Patoshi
— DF  ALB Arianit Krasniqi
— DF  ALB Rexhep Memini
— DF  KVX Ardian Shaljani
— DF  ALB Bajram Kullolli
— DF  KVX Adonis Zeqiri
— MF  MKD Armend Çajani
— MF  ALB Sajmir Celhaka

B Team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK  ALB Andi Sula
— GK  ALB Ardit Morina
— GK  ALB Elton Maksuti
— DF  ALB Orneid Shala
— DF  ALB Totila Okshtuni
— DF  ALB Jurgen Karriqi
— DF  ALB Glen Herri
— MF  ALB Mario Rokaj
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  ALB Denis Gjeçi
— MF  ALB Haxhi Matera
— MF  ALB Xhuljo Bizhdili
— FW  ALB Rexhep Kanapari
— FW  ALB Aldo Duro
— FW  ALB Ildo Muho
— FW  ALB Rrushi
— FW  ALB Egli Trimi

Historical list of coaches

Honours

Kategoria Superiore

  • Runners-up (2): 1958, 2009–10
  • 3rd Place (11): 1936, 1937, 1945, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1966–67, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1978–79, 1992–93, 2007–08

Kategoria e Parë

  • Winners (4): 1932, 1977–78, 1985–86, 2004–05
  • Runners-up (2): 1999–00, 2001–02

Albanian Cup

  • Winners (2): 2007, 2010
  • Runners-up (6): 1961, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1982, 1992

Albanian Supercup

  • Winners (1): 2010

Records
  • Biggest Victories: 9–1 vs Ismail Qemali (1937); 12–0 vs Bashkimi Elbasanas (1945); 7–0 vs Shkumbini (17.02.1963); 11–0 vs Apolonia Fier (1965); 8–1 vs Poliçani (28.08.1991); 7–1 vs Tirana (1992)
  • Biggest Defeats: 1–9 vs Skënderbeu (16.04.1933); 0–6 vs Partizani (09.02.1975); 1–7 vs Tirana (12.09.2003)
  • Most points in a season: 56 (2007–08)
  • Fewest points in a season: 1 (1948)
  • Most ties in a season: 14 (1973–74, 1976–77, 1989–90)
  • Fewest ties in a season: 0 (1933)
  • Most losses in a season: 23 (2003–04)
  • Fewest losses in a season: 3 (1958)
  • Best Goal Differential: +27 (1937)
  • Worst Goal Differential: -43 (2003–04)

Sponsors
  • Official Kit Sponsor: PORTA KAVALJA
  • Official Sponsor: BASHKIA KAVAJË

See also

References
  1. Albania – Campionato 1933
  2. Albanian Football Season 1958
  3. Fatmir Efica. "Besa e Kavajës: Një histori... 1925–1995"
  4. Ramadan Shehu, trajneri i ri i Besës - Panorama (in Albanian)
  5. Besa emëron trajner ish-futbollistin e njohur – Newsport (in Albanian)
  6. Gentian Begeja, trajner i Besës për të tentuar Superioren – Supersport (in Albanian)
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