Elbasani take the bait

With no coaches having been dismissed in the last four weeks, it has been an unusually stable time for Albanian football, with KS Elbasani rising to the challenge of chasing champions KF Tirana.

Elbasani encounter
Tirana remain top of the table having won nine of their ten games, with their 100 per cent start to the campaign coming to an abrupt end at Elbasani on 24 October. Eriol Merxha opened the scoring for Elbasani after nine minutes with Albert Kaci adding a second after 26 minutes.

Tirana defeated
Indrit Fortuzi pulled a goal back for Sulejman Starova's side seven minutes after the interval but Artan Bushati's men were not to be denied, with Klevis Dalipi scoring to seal a 3-1 win after 62 minutes and signal Elbasani's intentions to push the champions all the way.

Form team
Elbasani have had a fine few weeks, winning their last four games to steal their way up to second place where they are two points adrift of Tirana - who are seeking their third successive title - and seven points ahead of third placed KS Vllaznia.

Shkumbini slump
Early season challenger KS Shkumbini have now dropped down to fifth after a dismal month. Having won five games in a row after their opening-day defeat to Tirana, Agim Canaj's side have lost at home to all three of the sides above them in their last four games and were held to a 1-1 draw at FK Partizani.

Three-in-a-row
Partizani remain in fifth, level on 13 points with local rivals KS Dinamo Tirana and also KS Teuta, who have recovered from a wretched start with victories in their last three games. KS Lushnja have also been in form recently, and are out of the relegation zone after three straight wins of their own.

Luckless Laçi
KF Egnatiahave now joined luckless KS Laçi in the relegation zone. Hysen Dedja's side have lost three games in a row since winning 2-0 against the side the coach started the season with, Laçi. Laçi themselves are still without a win all season, though a 1-0 defeat to in form Elbasani on 7 November gave some cause for hope.