Albania suffered its first defeat in the Nations League, losing 2-1 to Finland in Helsinki, in a match where the Rossoneri played for more than an hour with 10 players.
The game started in the best possible way for Albania. In the 4th minute, Kristjan Asllani took a corner kick and Rey Manaj headed it in, giving the Rossoneri the lead.
But the advantage did not last long. In the 22nd minute, Etrit Berisha stepped outside the penalty area and was sent off, leaving Albania with one player less. Alen Sherri entered the goal.
Finland immediately took advantage of the numerical advantage and just four minutes later, in the 26th minute, Leo Walta equalized with a free kick. The first half ended in a 1-1 draw.
In the second half, the home team increased the pressure and pushed Albania closer and closer to its goal. The Red and Blacks tried to take risks on the counterattack, while Stavro Pilo had a chance to regain the advantage, but was unable to finish.
Finland continued to insist and in the 71st minute found the turning point. Again it was Leo Walta who punished Albania, scoring his second personal goal and giving Finland the 2-1 victory.
With this result, Finland climbs to the top of Group C1 with 7 points, while Albania remains in second place with 6 points after three matches. The Red and Blacks had won their first two matches against Belarus and San Marino, but have now suffered their first defeat in this edition of the Nations League.
