Myrto Uzuni

Myrto Uzuni
Personal information
Full name Myrto Uzuni
Date of birth (1995-05-31) 31 May 1995
Place of birth Berat, Albania
Playing position Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Apolonia
Number 77
Youth career
2012–2014 Tomori
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2014 Tomori 23 (3)
2015– Apolonia 53 (13)
National team‡
2015– Albania U21 3 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 July 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 July 2016

Myrto Uzuni (born 31 May 1995 in Berat) is an Albanian football player who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for Apolonia in the Albanian Superliga as well as the Albania U21 national team.

Club career

Early career

Youth

Uzuni was born in Berat but moved to Greece along with his family as a child, where he remained for six years until 2012, which is when he returned to his hometown Berat. He joined his local side Tomori Berat and began playing for the club's under-17 side, where he was the 2012–13 under-17 First Division top goalscorer with 14 goals. The following season he scored 4 times in his first 4 games, before joining the under-19 side for a football tournament in Spain in September 2013. Tomori Berat won the tournament and Uzuni was the top goalscorer with 7 goals, which led to a call up to the senior team by the head coach Madrid Muxhaj.[1]

2013–14 season

He made his professional debut in an Albanian Cup fixture against Pogradeci on 24 October 2013, where he came on as a 53rd-minute substitute for Fatjon Lajthia in the goalless draw.[2] He quickly became an important first team player for the under-19s, but he was once again called up to the senior team for the return leg of the Albanian Cup fixture against Pogradeci. Uzuni started the game and he quickly marked his first start with his first senior goal in the 2nd minute, before adding a 71st-minute winner in the 3–2 win that saw his side progress to the next round of the cup.[3] He soon made his league debut in the Albanian First Division against Veleçiku Koplik on 14 December 2013 in a 1–0 away win, where he came on at half time for Salvador Gjonaj.[4] Overall he made 11 league appearances and scored one goal to help his side finish in 4th place, as well as adding 2 goals in 4 Albanian Cup games in his debut professional season, taking his tally to 3 goals in 15 games.

2014–15 season

Having established himself in the first team during the second half of the previous season under Madrid Muxhaj, the club saw a change of management as Eqerem Memushi took charge of the squad ahead of the 2014–15 campaign. The new head coach showed faith in the young player, by starting him in the opening game of the season in a 1–0 win against Shkumbini Peqin.[5] He continued to remain in the first team with his good displays, and in December he scored twice in 11 days before the winter break. His performances throughout 2014 won him the Tomori Berat Player of the Year award,[6] which was given to the player shortly before he would go on to join top flight side Apolonia Fier in the January transfer window of 2015.

Apolonia Fier

In January 2015 he signed a four-year deal with Albanian Superliga side Apolonia Fier.[7]

International career

Youth

Following some impressive performances in the Albanian Superliga with Apolonia Fier, he received his first international call up by Albania under-21s head coach Skënder Gega in March 2015 for their opening 2017 UEFA U21 Championship qualifier against Liechtenstein on 23 March. He was given the number 10 shirt for his international debut and he started in midfield as part of an attacking lineup that included Enis Gavazaj, Liridon Latifi and Jurgen Vatnikaj.

He played the full 90 minutes in the 2–0 away victory to get Albania off to a winning start in their UEFA U21 Championship qualifying campaign following goals by Rey Manaj and Liridon Latifi.[8][9] Later on 20 May 2016, Uzuni scored his first goal with under-21 side in a friendly against Czech Republic, netting his team's only goal in the 1–1 draw.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Bojken Dalipaj (19 November 2013). "Myrto Uzuni, Tomori gjen golashënuesin e ri" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "Pogradeci vs. Tomori Berat 0 – 0". Soccerway. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "Tomori vs. Pogradeci 3 – 2". Soccerway. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  4. ↑ "Veleçiku Koplik vs. Tomori Berat". Soccerway. 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  5. ↑ "Tomori Berat vs. Shkumbini Peqin". Soccerway. 27 September 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  6. ↑ "Enea Bitri, drejt Gjermanisë, Myrto Uzuni, më i votuari" (in Albanian). Albanian Sport. 5 January 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "Myrto Uzuni firma un quadriennale con l'Apolonia Fier" (in Italian). Il Calcio Albanese. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "Liechtenstein U21 0–2 Albania U21". UEFA.com. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "U21, Shqipëria thyen 2-0 Lihtenshtejnin, vendosin golat e Latifit dhe Rei Manajt" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Sotir Kora (20 May 2016). "Shpresat barazojnë miqësoren me Çekinë" (in Albanian). Super Sport Albania. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
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