The footballers of Slovan Bratislava only drew 1:1 with Luxemburg Swift Hesper in the opening home match of the 1st preliminary round of the Champions League.
TASR 12.07.2023 22:36, updated: 22:55
Photo: TASR, Pavel Neubauer
Juraj Kucka in a duel with Nég Ekof. The Slovan midfielder soon saw a red card.
The home team played the second half at a numerical disadvantage after the expulsion of Juraj Kucka, who saw a red card for biting an opponent. Rematch is scheduled for Wednesday, July 19 at 8:00 p.m. on the Swift field.
The guests were more active especially at the beginning of the match and caught the favorite by surprise. They took advantage of the activity in the 22nd minute, when captain Dominik Stolz converted a penalty kick. The home team equalized a moment later from a direct kick by Vladimír Weiss, but another goal was not scored in the match. It was Swift’s first ever Champions League match.
SK Slovan Bratislava – FC Swift Hesper 1:1 (1:1)
Goals: 25. Weiss – 22. Stolz (from 11 m). Judges: Kopijevskij – Skripka, Berkut (all Ukrainian) ŽK: Bajrič, Weiss, Kankava – Anoff, Hemkemeier, Skenderovič, Ekofo, Akhalaia, ČK: 45.+6 Kucka (Slovak), 14,470 spectators.
Slav: Borjan – Pauschek, Kašia, Bajrič, Lovat – Kucka, Kankava, Weiss (83. Zuberu) – Barsejjan (46. Savvidis), Abubakari (77. Tolič), Zmrhal (46. Čavrič)
Swift: Dupire – Skenderovič, Prempeh (76. Y. Marks), Simao, Zeghdane – Ekofo, Morren, Nouvier (63. Ayongo), Hemkemeier (70. O. Marks) – Anoff (63. Akalaia), Stolz (76. Sacraz)
In the beginning, he was more active in the creation of the Swift game, but the hosts did not let him do anything. After a while, he retreated to the defensive block, but the first shot on goal came in his delivery after a kick from Borjan. The goalkeeper’s pass to Lovat was blocked by Anoff and then he tried from the edge of the penalty area.
Slovan then took over the attacking activity, which ended with Zmrhal’s offside and an inaccurate pass for the defense to Barseghjan. After a quarter of an hour of play, the Luxembourg team came up with a serious threat to the goal, its players let the ball fall to Nouvier, who shot from the first corner of the penalty area.
Read more Disputed verdicts of the referee, the Congolese man showed bite marks. A tense match of the Slav in pictures
Borjan sent his attempt to the next corner and captain Weiss tried to break from it. After the foul, he played a direct kick, but the cross to the far post did not go to him.
Swift didn’t let the favorite catch his breath and after a while another shot came from his attack, but mainly a foul by Kankava in the penalty area, which was confirmed by the VAR system. In the 22nd minute, the captain of the guests Stolz took the penalty and Borjan did not guess the direction of the shot – 0:1.
“Belasí” ordered to equalize and they managed to do it after only three minutes. The captain netted the first goal on their side as well. Weiss shot through the wall from a direct kick and headed for the far post, where Dupire couldn’t reach – 1:1.
Swift also tried to respond quickly, he did not overcome Slovan’s defense, he did not take advantage of the direct kick, after which Barsejgan had a great chance and his attempt from close range was neutralized by Dupire.
At the end of the opening act, the home team did not like the verdicts of referee Kopijevský, coach Weiss st. he also earned a yellow card for his protests. The situation escalated in added time – Ekofo fouled Kucka and he was supposed to bite him on the ground.
After reviewing the situation with the VAR system, the arbiter awarded the Slovakian midfielder a red card for unsportsmanlike conduct. Slovan did not get a goal from the subsequent set piece.
Coach Weiss made two changes at halftime. Savvidis started for Slovan for the first time, replacing Barseghjan, and Čavrič started for Zmhral despite a recent ankle injury. At the beginning of the second half, Abubakari received a pass for the defense, but he was offside.
Both teams had standard situations that they did not take advantage of. Despite the numerical disadvantage, they tried harder to create “whites”. Subsequently, the visitors took the initiative, which was again guarded by the defense. Čavrič won a corner kick for the home team after Hemkemeier’s pass was blocked, and Slovan got a chance in this form three times. Each time the opponent averted the danger.
Read more We watched the match Slovan – Swift Hesper ONLINE
Čavrič also had an opportunity in the 71st minute when he shot from the right corner of the small goal and missed. The following minutes were affected by several fouls related to treatment. In the 81st minute, the home team threatened from a free kick, Weiss’s cross was extended by Kankava, but Savvidis missed the ball at the far post.
Not even Ekofo converted the pass through the air a little later on the other side. Čavrič had a great chance in the set-up – he handled the ball and was behind the goalkeeper Dupir, but he missed the open goal from close range.
Photo: TASR, Pavel Neubauer
SR football LM 1st preliminary round Slovan Swift BAX The chance of Slavist Aleksandar Čavrič did not end with a goal.
Vladimír Weiss senior, coach of Slovan: “It was an unfortunate game from our side. We didn’t start well, the opponent combined well and opened the scoring. However, we showed a good face after the unnecessary expulsion of Juraj Kucka. Hats off to us for running it in ten. Everything is open, I believe that we have a better team and we will advance.”
Carlos Fangueiro, Trainer Swiftu: “I have to say that we managed the first half well. However, in the second one, the players did not always follow my instructions. I wanted them to pass more often and transfer the game. Fatigue could also cause problems. The opponent tried to use speed and make vertical passes, but our defense worked well.”
Photo: TASR, Pavel Neubauer
SR football LM 1st preliminary round Slovan Swift BAX Slovan coach Vladimír Weiss st. with Kenan Bajrič and Lukáš Pauschek.
Vladimír Weiss Jr., captain and goal scorer of Slovan: “A forced draw. It is certainly not simply played the entire half with one less player. The guests showed their quality, at such a level you will not find an easy opponent. I don’t want to criticize the referee, but from the beginning he let the fights finish and that was the source of nervousness. The opponent played aggressively and we have to deal with that in the return. We know what awaits us in a week, we will prepare and I am convinced that we will advance.”
Milan Borjan, goalkeeper of Slovan: “It was a very difficult match. We were nervous in the first half and got unnecessary yellow cards. In the second half, we calmed down and had chances. It is difficult to play against any team from Europe with a numerical disadvantage. It’s only the 1st preliminary round and we have to build on the game we showed in the second half.” (sources: RTVS, TASR)
2023-07-12 20:36:14
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