FIER, Albania (Interstat) — A spot in the next round of the Albanian Cup is on the line Wednesday as Apolonia Fier hosts Lushnja in a derby match at Loni Papuçiu Stadium.

The matchup, scheduled for Nov. 19, 2025, pits two clubs riding positive momentum from their last outings. Apolonia Fier enters the contest in strong scoring form, having routed Beselidhja Lezhe 3-0 in its previous Cup fixture on Oct. 15. That dominant performance followed a 3-2 road victory over Korabi Peshkopi in league play on Sept. 20.

Lushnja also secured a 2-1 home win against Butrinti Sarande in its most recent Cup match on Oct. 15, demonstrating its own capacity to advance.

Despite Apolonia’s recent offensive surge, the Interstat game simulator projects a tightly contested affair, predicting a 1-1 draw that would likely force the tie to be decided by a penalty shootout.

The home side will look to leverage its current form and home-pitch advantage to defy that projection and continue its cup run.