Prague will enter the Europa League qualifiers with a home match against Dnipro on August 10. The rematch will be played a week later in Košice, where the Ukrainian vice-champion is playing because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Slavia’s coach Jindřich Trpišovský was successful in his wish to avoid Panathinaikos, over whom the red and whites struggled to overcome last year in the 3rd preliminary round of the European Conference League.
Dnipro entered the rematch in a very disadvantageous position, several of its players were apparently affected by food poisoning before the match. The Greek vice-champion was already in the lead after 15 minutes when, after a big mistake by the goalkeeper, the Slovenian gunner Šporar got through with a lob.
However, Dovbyk, the top scorer of the Ukrainian league, equalized in just nine minutes, and in the 54th minute, the visitors even turned the score around after a corner kick. However, Dnipro Šporar took away the hopes of a possible extension, who in the 70th minute fired the ball under the crossbar and scored for the second time in the match. In five extra minutes, visiting Tančyk received a red card.
In the 3rd preliminary round #UEL we are waiting for Dnipro-1 🇺🇦
We will enter the double match on Thursday, August 10 from 19:00 in Eden. Season ticket holders have free entry to the match and can also buy up to two tickets in advance, which starts on Wednesday 2 August from 14:00.
i ️ Information about the opponent:… pic.twitter.com/HLXz71RntC
— SK Slavia Prague (@slaviaofficial) August 1, 2023
Club Dnipro-1 was founded only in 2015. In the past season, they finished second in the Ukrainian league behind the sovereign Shakhtar Donetsk and had the best scorer of the competition, Dovbyk, who scored 24 goals last year. Dnipro has not yet faced Czech clubs in UEFA competitions.
Slavia needs to knock out at least one opponent this season to ensure participation in the cup group. If the Czech vice-champion succeeds in the 3rd preliminary round against Dnipro, he will play at least the main stage of the European Conference League. On the way to the group of the stronger Europa League, the people of Prague have to go through two rivals.
“Ukrainian football has gone up a lot lately, we can see it in the national teams as well. We played with Dynamo Kyiv in the past. Dnipro is an unpleasant opponent, they left Dynamo Kyiv behind, they chased Shakhtar Donetsk,” said Trpišovský in a recent edition of the Total podcast.
“Recently, we have been able to get to Europe through very difficult opponents. On the other hand, I think and hope that the team is further than last summer. It will be a fight until the last minute again,” declared the Slavist coach.
A 2:2 draw was enough for Slovan Bratislava after a 1:0 away win to advance past Bosnian Mostar in the home rematch. The Slovak champion secured at least the group of the European Conference League for the autumn. Slovan led from the fifth minute, when Čavrič made his way to a corner kick.
After the change of sides, the author of the winning goal from the opening game of Zuber added the insurance, the Bosnian champion then equalized in the last 20 minutes with the help of the goal structures, but did not force extra time. Unlike the first match, Czech midfielder Zmrhal remained only on the bench.
Surprisingly, Ludogorets Razgrad was already eliminated in the 2nd preliminary round. The Bulgarian champions were 1-0 up early in the return leg in Slovenia after a 1-1 home draw with Olimpia Ljubljana, but the home side quickly leveled and turned the tide in the second minute of regulation after visiting Son was sent off. After that, Ludogorets had a unique chance to send the match into overtime, but Despodov, the author of the opening goal, in the 11th minute of regulation, let the opponent’s goalkeeper stand out from the penalty spot.
Aris Limassol scored an unusual eleven times in the double match with Borisov. After a 6:2 home victory, BATE also scored 5:3 in the second leg and easily advanced to the 3rd preliminary round. Due to the Russian war in Ukraine, the Belarusian champion played the home match in a Hungarian asylum.
Rematch of the 2nd preliminary round of the Champions League: Non-championship part: Panathinaikos Athens – Dnipro 2:2 (1:1), first match 3:1, Panathianikos advanced. Championship part: Olimpija Ljubljana – Ludogorets Razgrad 2:1 (1:1) , first match 1:1, advanced OlimpijaBATE Borisov – Aris Limassol 3:5 (1:3), first match 2:6, advanced ArisSlovan Bratislava – Zrinjski Mostar 2:2 (1:0), first match: 1:0, Slovan advanced Rematch of the 2nd preliminary round of the European Conference League: Valmiera (Lat.) – Tre Penne (San Mar.) 7:0 (4:0), first match 3:0, Valmiera advancedBalzan (Malta) – Neman Grodno (Bel. ) 0:0, first match 0:2, advanced NemanZimbru Chisinau – Fenerbahce Istanbul 0:4, first match 0:5, advanced FenerbahceHesperange (Luc.) – The New Saints (Wal.) 3:2 (1:1), first match 1:1, advanced HesperangePartizani Tirana – Escaldes (And.) 4:1 (2:0), first match: 1:0, advanced PartizaniBuducnost Podgorica – Struga (Sev. Mak.) 3:4 (2:2) , first match 0:1, Struga advanced