Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Koper defeated Vllaznia Shkodër 4-2 in a pre-season friendly in Slovenia. Rimac, Oddei, Ruedl and El Manssouri scored for the hosts after Murataj's opener.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Vllaznia drew first blood after 28 minutes when midfielder Edon Murataj found the net to put the Albanian side ahead against the run of play in Koper's coastal training camp.
Koper responded emphatically inside two minutes either side of the half-hour mark. Rimac levelled on 35 minutes before Oddei turned the game around two minutes later, giving the hosts a 2-1 lead at the interval.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Ruedl extended Koper's advantage on 62 minutes with a well-taken finish, and El Manssouri made it 4-1 from the penalty spot on 75 minutes, according to Albanian media reports.
Tafili pulled one back for Vllaznia deep into stoppage time (90+2'), but it was no more than a footnote on the scoreline.
The Turning Point
Koper's quickfire double between the 35th and 37th minutes flipped the match entirely. Having fallen behind to Murataj's opener, the Slovenian side scored twice in rapid succession — Rimac's equaliser and Oddei's go-ahead goal — to take control before half-time and force Vllaznia onto the back foot for the remainder of the contest.
Key Performers
Luka Rimac (Koper) — The Croatian midfielder sparked the comeback with a composed finish on 35 minutes, his first pre-season goal for the club.
Brian Oddei (Koper) — The Italian winger struck two minutes later to put Koper ahead, demonstrating sharp movement in the box.
Edon Murataj (Vllaznia) — Scored the opening goal on 28 minutes and was one of the brighter performers for the Albanian side, who struggled to contain Koper after the break.
Ensar Tafili (Vllaznia) — Came off the bench to score a stoppage-time consolation, his second goal in three pre-season appearances.
Player of the Match: Luka Rimac — his equaliser was the catalyst for Koper's dominant display.
By the Numbers — Interpreted
The final scoreline of 4-2 reflects a game that Koper controlled after weathering an early Vllaznia spark. The hosts' three goals in quick bursts (35-37 minutes in the first half and 62-75 in the second) suggest a team that raised its intensity in short, decisive windows — typical of a pre-season fixture where fitness loads and rotation patterns shape the rhythm.
Vllaznia's two goals came from their only real moments of sustained pressure: Murataj's opener in the first half and Tafili's late strike. The Albanian side will take encouragement from scoring in back-to-back friendlies after being shut out 4-0 by Olimpija Ljubljana four days earlier.
What It Means
This was Koper's third pre-season outing ahead of the 2026/27 PrvaLiga campaign, which begins on 17 July away to Nafta Lendava. They are building towards the new season with confidence after three wins on the bounce.
For Vllaznia, this was the third and final match of their Slovenian training camp. Coach Edi Martini's side now turn their attention to the first qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League, where they will face European opposition in mid-July. The Shkodër-based club finished runners-up in the Abissnet Superiore last season to qualify.
In three friendlies in Slovenia (L 0-4 vs Olimpija, W 6-3 vs NK Rudeš, L 2-4 vs Koper), Martini has used each match to test different combinations. Aron Jukaj started in goal for the third consecutive friendly, suggesting he is the preferred option for the European campaign.
Verdict
A convincing win for Koper against an organised but ultimately outclassed Vllaznia side. The Slovenian runners-up looked sharper in both halves and capitalised on their quality in the final third. Vllaznia have work to do defensively before their European qualifiers, but scoring in both of their last two friendlies offers a positive sign in attack.
Match Events
Key match events between Koper and Vllaznia Shkodër — 6 goals and 0 cards recorded during the match.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 29 Jun 2026