European 1st Legs Round-up
By Brad Green
July 16 2006
In the Champions League, TNS go down fighting in Finland to MyPa, by a 1-0 scoreline. Rhyl are held by Lithuanians Suduva 0-0 at Belle Vue but the performance of the week surely is Llanelli, who come back from a goal down to win 2-1 away in Stockholm against Gefle, with 2 late goals.
MyPa 1-0 TNS -
A 58th-minute goal by Brazilian striker Adriano gave Finnish champions MyPa a narrow advantage from the first round, first leg Champions League qualifier.
The New Saints worked hard in blazing heat at the Anjalankoski Stadium, and keeper Gerard Doherty made a superb first-half save to deny Adriano.
Doherty had no chance for the goal from a fine through ball, but his side did enough to give them second-leg hope.
The Welsh champions welcome MyPa to Newtown's Latham Park next Wednesday.
The winners of the tie will advance to the second qualifying round to meet FC Copenhagen over two legs on 25/26 July and 1/2 August.
The victors from that encounter advance to the third qualifying round, that draw to be made on 28 July when another 18 teams enter.
The double-legged third qualifying round will be played on 8/9 and 22/23 August.
Rhyl 0-0 Suduva -
Rhyl remain in the hunt for a place in the next round of the Uefa Cup after a scoreless home first leg in the first qualifying round against Suduva.
But the Welsh Cup winners wasted a golden opportunity at Belle Vue to take a lead to Lithuania in the second leg.
Left-back James Brewerton flashed a header inches wide on 72 minutes.
Six minutes later from another free-kick, substitute striker Chris Sharp also headed wide with visiting goalkeeper Gytis Padinauskas stranded.
In a game of very few genuine goal-scoring opportunities, the first half had almost expired before there was any real goal-mouth action.
Visiting left-back Davit Chighladze's cross-shot flew inches wide of the far post, before striker Otavio Augusto Braga forced a diving save from Rhyl goalkeeper Paul Whitfield.
The Lilywhites managed a threat of their own before the break, when Padinauskas had to be alert to punch a Marc Connolly corner from under his own crossbar.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with each side locking the other out until another late flurry when Rhyl upped the tempo.
But although Brewerton and Sharp both failed to convert their good opportunities, Rhyl will be encouraged by the threat they posed from set-pieces.
That could prove fruitful in the return leg in the Su'duva Stadium, Marijampole, on 27 July.
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Rhyl: Whitfield, Mark Powell, Horan, Tim Edwards, Brewerton, Connolly, Wilson, Murtagh, Moran, Hunt, Hay. Subs: Gann, Sharp, Moody, Gary Powell, Owen, Burrows, Rafferty.
FK Suduva: Padimanskas, Davit Cigladze, Gvildys, Grigas, Mikuckis, Miklinevicius, Cordeiro, Adomaitis, Urbsys, Maciulis, Braga. Subs: Saulius Klevinskas, Besik Cigladze, Maciulevicius, Giedrius Slavickas, Uselis, Samusiovas, Abramenko.
Referee: Lassin Isaksen (Faroe Islands).
Gefle IF 1-2 Llanelli -
A superb solo winner from substitute Jacob Mingorance ensured a perfect European debut for Llanelli against Swedish side Gefle in Stockholm.
The Spanish midfielder scored in the 86th minute at the Rasunda Stadium with a mazy run and cool left-foot finish.
Llanelli had only equalised four minutes earlier in the first leg of this Uefa Cup first qualifying round.
Rhys Griffiths' 82nd-minute header brought Llanelli level, after Estonian Kristen Wiikmae had put Gefle ahead.
Gefle took a deserved lead after 20 minutes when Wiikmae scored with a half-volley from inside the penalty area, following a pass from left-back Patrik Karlsson.
Mathias Woxlin and Benny Mattsson also had good chances to score before the break, but found Llanelli goalkeeper Duncan Roberts in good from.
The visitors did not put Gefle under much pressure in the first half and their most promising move was from a corner, but Mattias Hugusson saved well.
Llanelli substitute Nick Harrhy had the first chance of the second half but his shot from close range went the wrong side of the post.
The Welsh side were more attack-minded in the second half and their pressure told in the 82nd-minute when they equalised.
Hugusson came off his line to intercept Harrhy's cross from the left, only for Griffiths to beat the goalkeeper to the ball and put a looping header into the net and Llanelli back in the tie.
With just four minutes to play Llanelli made it 2-1 following a counter-attack as substitute Mingorance scored with a left-footed shot.
Wiikmae nearly grabbed a late equaliser for the Swedes but his last-minute shot hit the post.
That allowed Llanelli to take a vital lead, and two away goals, back to west Wales for the return leg of the tie on 27 July.
From BBC Football.