Čikoš edges slovan bratislava past tns published: tuesday 15 july 2014, 21.56cet šk slovan bratislava 1-0 the new saints fc erik Čikoš's 52nd-minute strike was sufficient for the slovakian side to secure a first-leg victory against their welsh visitors.
šk slovan bratislava moved closer to the uefa champions league third qualifying round after a 1-0 victory against the new saints fc in their first leg at štadión pasienky.
right-back erik Čikoš scored the only goal with a low strike from the edge of the penalty box seven minutes after the restart, putting the hosts in the driving seat at the tie's halfway stage. the teams meet again next tuesday in rhyl, where the welsh outfit will hope to overturn their deficit and get past the second qualifying round for the first time since 2010/11.
although a well-organised tns frustrated slovan, it proved a busy night for goalkeeper paul harrison, who was on form throughout. marko milinković and juraj halenár, both dangerous from the off, tested the 29-year-old before the break but could not make the breakthrough. it fell to Čikoš to provide the finishing touch after the restart, the defender drilling in a shot that harrison had no answer to.
despite the visitors enjoying bright spells of possession, tns struggled to create any clear-cut chances in the second half. their best effort fell to mike wilde following a flick on from substitute alex darlington, but the forward's shot whistled past the upright.
yardımcı hakemler: veselin radunović (mne), djordjije ražnatović (mne)
4. hakem: aleksandar marković (mne)
slovan bratislava: dušan perniš (gk), branislav Ňinaj, erik Čikoš, pavel fořt, juraj halenár (dk. 89 erik grendel), igor žofčák (c) (dk. 70 lester peltier), marko milinković, tomáš jablonský, seydouba soumah, dávid hudák, richard lásik
yedekler: martin poláček (gk), karol mészáros, róbert matejka, michal sipľak, matej jakúbek
teknik direktör: františek straka (cze)
tns: paul harrison (gk) (c), simon spender, chris marriott, kai edwards, sam finley (dk. 89 scott ruscoe), matty williams, ryan fraughan (dk. 46 alex darlington), christian seargeant, connell rawlinson, michael wilde, aeron edwards (dk. 84 greg draper)
yedekler: chris mullock (gk), steve evans, ryan edwards, scott quigley
teknik direktör: craig harrison (eng)
goller: (1-0) dk. 52 erik Čikoš
sarı kartlar: dk. 71 christian seargeant, dk. 81 alex darlington (tns)
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