Gallery | Shepparton Albanian Eagles locked in friendly stalemate in preparation for major tournaments

By Liam Nash

Oct 16, 2024

Shepparton Albanian Eagles’ Zain Kutrolli gets on the march against Melbourne Illyria. Photo by Holly Daniel

One of Shepparton’s top ethnic football sides is kicking into gear ahead of tournament season.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Shepparton Albanian Eagles battled against Melbourne Illyria in a friendly match at McEwen Reserve on Sunday in preparation for the Albanian Cup, held in Melbourne on October 31-November 3.

The Eagles — comprised of local Albanian talent — emerged with a 1-1 draw against Illyria in the exhibition, holding them in good stead for the upcoming tournament.

Last year Roven Shaholli’s Eagles reached the quarter-final stage of the Albanian Cup and will hope to venture further into the knockout stages in the 2024 edition.

Following the Albanian Cup, ethnic football teams of all cultures and creeds will launch into the Goulburn Valley’s most anticipated football spectacle of the year: the Shepparton Nations Cup.

Full details for the Nations Cup are yet to be finalised, but the event is slated to begin on January 10, 2025.

News photographer Holly Daniel roamed the wings to snap the Shepparton Albanian Eagles in full flight.