slovan move closer to group stage debut published: wednesday 6 august 2014, 21.45cet fc sheriff 0-0 šk slovan bratislava (agg: 1-2) a red card blunted the home side's attacking threat allowing slovan to move a step closer to a first group stages appearance.
by evgheni balaniuc from stadionul sheriff
šk slovan bratislava secured a 0-0 draw against fc sheriff to inch themselves closer towards a first uefa champions league group stage appearance.
dušan perniš, the visitors' goalkeeper kept sheriff at bay in the second leg of this third qualifying round tie as both sides hit the post within three second-half minutes. that action came shortly after sheriff's elkin blanco had received a 56th-minute red card for his second bookable offence which lef the hosts with too much to do to prevent františek straka's side entering the play-offs.
with just one goal in it after the first leg, it was a tense affair in tiraspol and long periods of the first half saw little action. eventually sheriff's brazilian midfielder ricardinho forced a brilliant save from perniš in the latter stages of the first half as the moldovan champions pressed for the goal they needed. however, blanco, the colombian midfielder, was dismissed 11 minutes into the second half to leave his team facing an uphill task to overturn their deficit.
the game sprang to life six minutes later as ismael isa almost defied his team's numerical disadvantage by thundering a drive against the post from 20 meters out. moments later a slovan attack suffered the same fate as seydouba soumah dribbled into the area before firing against the woodwork.
sheriff goalkeeper matías degra gave his side hope with a fine save when one-on-one with slovakia international striker róbert vittek but slovan held their nerve to progress into friday's play-off draw.
