Skenderbeu Korce vs Partizani

Panoirko's double save around the 70th minute — first from a goalmouth scramble, then from a follow-up shot — kept Partizani's lead intact. Skënderbeu had built momentum after the restart and looked likeliest to score. Had the equaliser arrived, the complexion of the final 20 minutes would have shifted entirely. Instead, Partizani absorbed the pressure and broke away to kill the game.

• Xhuliano Skuka — The 27-year-old forward led the line with purpose, winning and converting the penalty that put Partizani ahead. His movement off the ball caused problems throughout the first half.
• Rowan Human — The South African midfielder, signed earlier in the summer from Moroka Swallows, made an immediate impact off the bench with a well-taken 81st-minute goal. His arrival adds depth to Partizani's midfield.
• Panoirko (Partizani goalkeeper) — Two outstanding saves in quick succession during Skënderbeu's strongest spell kept the clean sheet intact. Named unofficial man of the match for his contribution.

Partizani's 16 head-to-head wins from 40 meetings now sit one behind Skënderbeu's 16 (with 9 draws), but the visitors have now gone six matches unbeaten against their rivals. The 0-2 scoreline is consistent with the fixture's broader trend: only 38% of H2H meetings have produced over 2.5 goals, and this match followed that pattern with a disciplined defensive display from Partizani.

Skënderbeu's second-half surge — creating at least three clear chances inside a 15-minute window — suggests they are further along in their fitness build-up than the scoreline reflects. The concern for them will be converting pressure into goals.

For Partizani, this is a second consecutive clean-sheet friendly win during their Pogradec training camp, building momentum ahead of the new Kategoria Superiore campaign. The defensive solidity, combined with the early impact of new signing Human, are positive signals.

Skënderbeu, meanwhile, remain in pre-season preparation. The performance showed improvement from their first friendly, but they will need to sharpen their finishing before competitive fixtures resume.

Both sides now turn their attention to the start of the Albanian league season, with the exact dates yet to be confirmed.

A professional pre-season display from Partizani, who were clinical when it mattered and stubborn when asked to defend. Skënderbeu had periods of encouragement but lacked the cutting edge to turn dominance into goals. The scoreline was a fair reflection of the game's efficiency gap.