Ahmed Januzi

Ahmed Januzi (born 8 July 1988) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Kosovar club Dukagjini. He previously represented Albania national team, collecting 8 appearances.

Ahmed Januzi
Personal information
Date of birth (1988-07-08) 8 July 1988
Place of birth Vučitrn, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Dukagjini
Number 27
Youth career
0000–2006 Kosova Vushtrri
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2007 Besa Kavajë 30 (7)
2007–2015 Vorskla Poltava 169 (28)
2016–2018 Prishtina 18 (11)
2018–2019 Llapi 35 (20)
2019—2020 Prishtina 26 (14)
2020–2021 KF Llapi 27 (5)
2021– Dukagjini 26 (7)
International career‡
2009–2010 Albania U21 7 (1)
2010–2013 Albania 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 August 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23 December 2015

Club career

Early career

Ahmed Januzi was born in Vučitrn to Kosovar Albanian parents. Growing up in Vučitrn, Januzi joined the city club, KF Kosova Vushtrri. At the age of nineteen, Januzi joined Albanian Superliga club, Besa Kavajë as a senior.

Besa Kavajë

Januzi only played for half a season in Albania. He made thirty appearances and scored seven times. During the winter break, Januzi transferred to Vorskla Poltava in February 2007.

Vorskla Poltava

Januzi made his debut on 7 March 2007, against FC Shakhtar Donetsk at the Donbass Arena. He came off the bench on the 59th minute and scored on the 90th minute. In that season, Januzi made nine league matches, starting in only two of the matches.[1] Vorskla finished thirteen that season.

In the 2007–08 season, Januzi made twenty three league appearances, starting in only two matches. He scored his second goal for Vorskla against Karpaty Lviv away that season and produced three assists. Vorskla finished eighth that season.

In the 2008–09 season, Januzi played a more influential role in the squad. He started in six matches and appeared in twenty. Januzi scored the first goal of the tournament on 18 July 2008 in the 72nd minute of an away match against FC Kharkiv and also scored against Metalurg Donetsk that season. Januzi also produced three assists. Januzi helped Vorskla reach the finals of the Ukrainian Cup, which Vorskla won 1:0 against Shakhtar Donetsk. He helped Vorskla reach fifth in the table, which secured them a spot in the Play-off round in the UEFA Europa League for the 2009–10 season.

In the 2009–10 season, Januzi started in eight matches and appeared in twenty four matches. He scored twice that season against Metalurg Donetsk both home and away. Januzi also made two assists.

In the 2010–11 season, Januzi was more a regular starter for Vorskla. He started in thirteen matches and appeared in twenty one matches. He scored eight goals and two assists that season. Januzi was an important member of the team since towards the end of the season, Vorskla and Tavriya Simferopol were both equal in the sixth and seventh spot on the table. Januzi scored against Shakhtar Donetsk and against Karpaty Lviv in the final two games, which resulted in both teams having equal points but Vorskla being sixth due to goal difference. They secured a Second qualifying round spot in the UEFA Europa League.

In the 2011–12 season, Januzi has so far started in eleven matched and appeared in eighteen. He has currently scored five goals and has assisted one.

Januzi has helped Vorskla reach the final qualification round of the UEFA Europa League by score trice against Glentoran F.C home and away.[2][3] In the final qualification round, Januzi scored against FC Dinamo București,[4] resulting in Vorskla reaching the group stage of the UEFA Europa League for the first time in the group stage, Januzi did not score but managed an assist against Hannover 96.[5]

Prishtina

On 14 June 2016, Januzi returned in Kosovo by completing a transfer to Prishtina, signing a one-year contract, taking the vacant squad number 27.[6] He was presented on the same day along with players such as Armend Dallku and Debatik Curri, his former international teammates.[7] During the 2016–17 season, he made 18 league appearances and scored 2 goals as Prishtina finished runner-up in the championship, securing a spot Europa League first qualifying round.[8]

International career

Under-21

Januzi was part of Albania under-21 squad in the qualifiers of 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.[9] He was the main striker, collecting six matches and scoring one goal.[9] He made his under-21 debut on 28 March 2008 in the first match against Scotland which finished in a 0–1 home defeat.[10] His first under-21 goal came in his fifth appearance for the team in the 4–2 away loss to Belarus.[11] Albania finished Group A in fourth place tied on points with Azerbaijan.[12]

Senior

Januzi made his senior international debut on 17 November 2010 during the goalless home draw against Macedonia by appearing as a substitute in the second half.[13] A year later, Januzi received his second call up by coach Josip Kuže for the last UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying matches against France and Romania on 7 and 11 October 2011 respectively.[14] He played in both matches as substitute and collected 60 minutes, making his competitive debut in the process.[15][16]

References
  1. "Ukrainian Premier League 2007–08 statistics". Archived from the original on 1 May 2008. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
  2. uefa (14 July 2011). "Glentoran vs Vorskla". uefa. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  3. uefa. "Vorskla vs Glentoran". uefa. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  4. Goal against Bucureşt
  5. uefa (15 December 2011). "Hannover return to winning ways against Vorskla". uefa. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  6. "Prishtina me lojtarë me karrierë ndërkombëtare" [Prishtina with players with international careers] (in Albanian). Telegraf.al. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  7. "Prishtina e ka seriozisht, afron tre ish-lojtarë të Shqipërisë" [Prishtina is serious, approaches three ex-players of Albania] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  8. "Zyrtare: FC Prishtina në UEFA Europa League" [Official: FC Prishtina in UEFA Europa League] (in Albanian). Gazeta Expres. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  9. "Under-21 Squad". UEFA.com. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  10. "Scotland sucker punch downs Albania". UEFA.com. 28 March 2008. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  11. Denis Orlov (14 October 2009). "Belarus back on track". Gorodskoi: UEFA.com. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  12. "Qualifying round". UEFA.com. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  13. "Albania vs. FYR Macedonia 0 – 0". Soccerway. 17 November 2010. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  14. "EURO 2012/ Kuzhe publikon listen, spikasin kater emra te rinj" [EURO 2012/ Kuže announces the list, four new names stand out] (in Albanian). AlbaniaSoccer. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  15. "France vs. Albania 3 – 0". Soccerway. 7 October 2010. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  16. "Albania vs. Romania 1 – 1". Soccerway. 11 October 2010. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
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