TIRANË, Albania (Interstat) — In a dramatic conclusion to a UEFA Under-19 Championship qualification match, Montenegro’s Jana Merdović scored deep in second-half stoppage time to secure a 2-2 draw against Albania on Thursday at the House of Football Natural Pitch.

The result left both teams with work to do in their pursuit of a spot in the elite round, as each added a draw to their Group B ledgers. Montenegro now holds a record of two wins, one loss and one draw in the qualification competition, while Albania sits at one win, two losses and one draw.

The match defied pregame projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had forecast a 1-0 victory for Albania and whose ELO rating system gave the host side a 73.4% probability of winning.

Montenegro, arriving off a 3-0 loss to group leader Serbia in its previous qualifier, struck first against the run of play. Substitute Angelina Dresaj, who entered the match in the 19th minute, broke the deadlock in the 28th minute, finishing a play assisted by fellow substitute Andrea Popović.

The first half was a physical affair, with Albania defender Leoselda Stalaj receiving a yellow card in the 20th minute for a foul that immediately preceded the Montenegrin substitution that brought Dresaj into the game.

Albania, which suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat to Slovakia in November, pressed for an equalizer in the second half. Their efforts were rewarded in the 72nd minute when midfielder Gelda Kadiolli leveled the score, converting an assist from forward Klesta Ago.

The match grew increasingly tense, with three yellow cards issued between the 58th and 80th minutes. Montenegro’s Dunja Bojanić was cautioned in the 58th, followed by Albania’s Ago in the 69th and Montenegro’s Popović in the 80th.

Just as the match appeared destined for a draw that would favor the visitors, Albania’s Bora Bushati sent the home crowd into a frenzy. The forward found the net in the 90th minute, seemingly snatching a dramatic victory with an assist from Stalaj.

But Montenegro, demonstrating resilience reminiscent of its 5-0 win over Armenia earlier in qualifying, had a final response. With virtually the last action of the match in the fourth minute of stoppage time, substitute Jana Merdović volleyed home a cross from Bojanić to silence the stadium and ensure the points were shared.

The draw continues a pattern of mixed results for both sides. Montenegro’s qualification campaign has seen victories over Bulgaria and Cyprus, the heavy win against Armenia and the loss to Serbia. Albania’s path includes a win over Liechtenstein and losses to Slovakia and Luxembourg prior to this draw.

Montenegro will look to build on the momentum of its late escape when it hosts Liechtenstein on Sunday, followed by a match against Turkiye next Wednesday. Albania will aim to convert promising performances into more decisive results as the qualification phase continues.