Pogradeci vs Besa Kavajë

Pogradeci went into the break with a 1-0 lead, Preknicaj finding the net in the 35th minute to give the Kategoria e Parë side the advantage at their home ground. The hosts controlled much of the opening 45 minutes.

Besa Kavajë — who had won their two previous pre-season fixtures, beating Partizani Tirana 2-1 on 18 July and Laci 1-0 — showed greater resolve after the restart. Neto levelled the scores in the 66th minute, and neither side could find a winner in the remainder of the match.

Besa's equaliser in the 66th minute shifted the momentum. After a first half in which Pogradeci had looked the sharper side, Besa's adjustments at the break — likely tactical tweaks or personnel changes common in pre-season run-outs — allowed them to assert themselves. The visitors had lost only one of their previous 41 matches by more than a single goal, per pre-match data, and their resilience told as they saw out the draw.

Kristian Preknicaj (Pogradeci) — scored the opening goal in the 35th minute, producing a moment of quality that gave the home side a justified lead at the break. The forward has been a consistent performer for Pogradeci and carried that form into pre-season.

Neto (Besa Kavajë) — netted the equaliser in the 66th minute to earn Besa a share of the spoils, ensuring the visitors maintained their unbeaten pre-season record.

The 1-1 draw was the most likely drawn scoreline in pre-match models (9.69% probability), and the match followed a pattern Pogradeci and Besa know well — 48% of their 21 competitive meetings have seen both teams score. The fixture has averaged 2.29 goals per game historically, and this match fell slightly below that mark. Pogradeci were rated as 66.21% favourites pre-match, but the draw — a 20.41% probability — landed. The goals arrived at 35' and 66', roughly 31 minutes apart, with neither side able to add a third.

This was a standard pre-season workout for both Albanian clubs. Pogradeci continued their preparations with their next friendly scheduled against Partizani Tirana on 31 July 2026, followed by a trip to Elbasani on 6 August. Besa Kavajë, having already recorded wins over Laci and Partizani, extended their unbeaten pre-season run. Neither side will read too much into the result, with fitness and minutes the priority at this stage of the calendar.

A predictable pre-season friendly that followed the script: Pogradeci started stronger, Besa grew into the game, and a draw was a fair reflection of the balance of play. Both managers will have taken useful information into the final weeks of pre-season, with the new Albanian campaign approaching.