Albanian champions Egnatia secured a 1-1 draw against Moldovan side Petrocub in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round.
Playing at the Zimbru Stadium, Nevil Dede’s team started the match on the wrong foot. After only a few seconds, a defensive mistake allowed Popescu to capitalise on a misplaced pass from captain Aleksi to goalkeeper Dajsinani, giving Petrocub an early lead.
Egnatia quickly reacted and pushed for an equaliser. The Albanian champions found the breakthrough in the 35th minute when Haime and Kryeziu combined effectively, with Kryeziu finishing the move to level the score at 1-1.
However, Egnatia faced another setback before halftime. Captain Aleksi initially received a yellow card after a midfield challenge, but following a VAR review, the referee overturned the decision and showed him a red card.
Despite playing with ten men, Egnatia resisted Petrocub’s pressure in the second half. Goalkeeper Dajsinani delivered a remarkable performance, making several crucial saves to keep his team in the game.
Egnatia also created opportunities to take the lead, but failed to convert them. The match ended 1-1, a valuable result that keeps the qualification battle open.
The Albanian champions will now look to use home advantage in the return leg in Rrogozhinë to secure a place in the next round of the Champions League qualifiers.
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