The 2017–18 Football Superleague of Kosovo season, also known as the Vala Superleague of Kosovo for sponsorship reasons, is the 19th season of top-tier football in Kosovo. The season began on 18 August 2017 and concluded on 20 May 2018. Trepça'89 are the defending champions from the previous season. A total of 12 teams are competing in the league: nine teams from the 2016–17 season and three promoted from the 2016–17 First League.
| Season | 2017–18 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 18 August 2017 – 20 May 2018 |
| Champions | Drita (2nd title) |
| Relegated | Vllaznia Pozheran Besa Pejë Vëllaznimi |
| Champions League | Drita |
| Europa League | Prishtina |
| Matches played | 209 |
| Goals scored | 469 (2.24 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Otto John Mirlind Daku (16 goals each)[1] |
| Biggest home win | Drenica 6–2 Vllaznia Pozheran (28 April 2018) |
| Biggest away win | Besa Pejë 1–6 Llapi (22 November 2017) |
| Highest scoring | Drenica 6–2 Vllaznia Pozheran (28 April 2018) |
| Longest winning run | 28 matches Drita |
| Longest unbeaten run | 18 matches Prishtina |
| Longest winless run | 25 matches Vllaznia Pozheran |
| Longest losing run | 25 matches Vllaznia Pozheran |
← 2016–17 2018–19 →
All statistics correct as of 20 May 2018. | |
Teams and stadiums edit
Trepça and Hajvalia were relegated after finishing the previous season in eleventh and twelfth-place respectively. They were replaced by the champions and runners-up of the 2016–17 First League, Flamurtari and Vëllaznimi respectively. Vllaznia Pozheran defeated Ferizaj in a play-off to claim their top-flight spot.
- Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
| Club | Town | Stadium | UEFA license |
|---|---|---|---|
| Besa Pejë | Peć | Shahin Haxhiislami |  |
| Drenica | Skenderaj | Bajram Aliu | |
| Drita | Gjilan | Gjilan City[a] |  |
| Feronikeli | Glogovac | Rexhep Rexhepi | |
| Flamurtari | Pristina | Fadil Vokrri | |
| Gjilani | Gjilan | Gjilan City[a] | |
| Liria | Prizren | Përparim Thaçi | |
| Llapi | Podujevo | Zahir Pajaziti | |
| Prishtina | Pristina | Fadil Vokrri | |
| Trepça'89 | Mitrovica | Riza Lushta | |
| Vëllaznimi | Gjakova | Gjakova City | |
| Vllaznia Pozheran | Požaranje | Gjilan City[a] | |
Source:Scoresway
League table edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drita (C) | 33 | 18 | 13 | 2 | 53 | 21 | +32 | 67 | Qualification for the Champions League preliminary round |
| 2 | Prishtina | 33 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 39 | 18 | +21 | 64 | Qualification for the Europa League preliminary round |
| 3 | Llapi | 33 | 16 | 6 | 11 | 51 | 41 | +10 | 54 | |
| 4 | Trepça'89 | 33 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 41 | 25 | +16 | 53 | |
| 5 | Liria | 33 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 34 | 30 | +4 | 48 | |
| 6 | Feronikeli | 33 | 10 | 18 | 5 | 32 | 18 | +14 | 48 | |
| 7 | Drenica | 33 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 34 | 27 | +7 | 48 | |
| 8 | Gjilani | 33 | 10 | 16 | 7 | 29 | 21 | +8 | 46 | |
| 9 | Vëllaznimi (R) | 33 | 10 | 14 | 9 | 29 | 28 | +1 | 44 | Qualification for the relegation play-offs |
| 10 | Flamurtari (O) | 33 | 6 | 7 | 20 | 28 | 53 | −25 | 25 | |
| 11 | Besa Pejë (R) | 33 | 6 | 4 | 23 | 28 | 64 | −36 | 22 | Relegation to First Football League of Kosovo |
| 12 | Vllaznia Pozheran (R) | 33 | 3 | 5 | 25 | 16 | 68 | −52 | 14 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goal scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-Head goal difference; 6) Head-to-Head away goal scored; 7) Head-to-Head goal scored; 8) Play-offs (only if needed to decide champion or teams for relegation).
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Results edit
Each team plays three times against every opponent (either twice at home and once away or once at home and twice away) for a total of 33 games played each.
Relegation play-offs edit
The ninth and tenth-placed teams, Vëllaznimi and Flamurtari respectively, each paired off against the third and fourth-placed teams from the 2017–18 First Football League of Kosovo season, Vushtrria and Ferizaj respectively; the two winners will play in the top-flight next season. As with previous seasons, both play-offs will be played on neutral ground.
| Vushtrria | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | Flamurtari |
|---|---|---|
J. Topalli  83' |
Report | A. Ajzeraj 14' |
| Penalties | ||
|
5–6 |
|
Flamurtari retained their spot in 2018–19 Football Superleague of Kosovo; Vushtrria remained in 2018–19 First Football League of Kosovo.
| Ferizaj | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Vëllaznimi |
|---|---|---|
| Report | ||
| Penalties | ||
|
3–2 |
|
Ferizaj were promoted to 2018–19 Football Superleague of Kosovo; Vëllaznimi were relegated to 2018–19 First Football League of Kosovo.
Season statistics edit
Scoring edit
Top scorers edit
- As of matches played on 20 May 2018.[1]
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Otto John
|
Trepça'89 | 17 |
 Mirlind Daku
|
Llapi | ||
| 2 |  Artur Magani
|
Liria | 13 |
| Kastriot Rexha
|
Drita | ||
| 3 | Genc Hamiti
|
Drenica | 12 |
| 4 | Xhevdet Shabani
|
Drita | 10 |
| Betim Haxhimusa
|
Gjilani | ||
| 5 | Mark Milicaj
|
Feronikeli | 8 |
| Albutrint Morina
|
Feronikeli | ||
| Ahmed Januzi
|
Prishtina | ||
| 6 | Fetim Kasapi
|
Besa Pejë | 7 |
| Fidan Gërbeshi
|
Drita | ||
| Mendurim Hoti
|
Feronikeli | ||
 Gauthier Mankenda
|
Prishtina | ||
| 7 | Mentor Zhdrella
|
Llapi | 6 |
| Florim Bërbatovci
|
Llapi | ||
| Florent Hasani
|
Trepça'89 | ||
| 8 | Alban Shillova
|
Flamurtari | 5 |
| Armend Thaqi
|
Gjilani | ||
| Gëzim Rusi
|
Gjilani | ||
| Hamdi Namani
|
Llapi | ||
| Semir Zeneli
|
Vëllaznimi | ||
| Denis Peposhi
|
Drenica | ||
| 9 | Ardit Jaupaj
|
Flamurtari | 4 |
| Zenel Gavazaj
|
Liria | ||
| Gentrit Begolli
|
Llapi | ||
| Altin Merlaku
|
Llapi | ||
| Armend Dallku
|
Prishtina | ||
| Shpëtim Idrizi
|
Trepça'89 | ||
| Lekë Vula
|
Vëllaznimi | ||
| Almedin Murati
|
Vllaznia Pozheran |
Notes and references edit
Notes edit
- ^ The two teams, Drita and Gjilan, which use this stadium together with their fans, have named the stadium with different names. Drita and their fans call the stadium as Selami Osmani-Bezi Stadium, while Gjilan and their fans call the stadium as Agim Ramadani Stadium, but officially the stadium is called Gjilan City Stadium.[2]
- ^ Match awarded 3–0 to Vëllaznimi due to crowd violence caused by the Flamurtari fans; the match was abandoned in the 90th minute, with the result being 1–1.[3]
References edit
- ^ a b "Top golashënuesit" [Top scorers]. Borozani (in Albanian). Retrieved 18 August 2017.
- ^ "Çfarë emri duhet të ketë stadiumi i qytetit në Gjilan" [What should be the name of the city stadium in Gjilan]. RajoniPress (in Albanian). 31 January 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
- ^ "Vendimi i KG-së për ndeshjen Flamurtari – Vëllaznimi" [The CC's decision on the Flamurtari – Vëllaznimi game] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 23 October 2017.