Sarajevo through to second qualifying round of Conference League with combative play and great difficulty

(Patria) - Football club Sarajevo, with great difficulty but exceptionally combative play, reached the second qualifying round of the Conference League.

The Bordeaux team eliminated Kazakhstan's Aktobe at Koševo this evening and scheduled a clash with Spartak Trnava, reports Faktor.



After 90 minutes of battle, Aktobe managed to overcome the deficit from the first match. The scoreboard at Koševo showed a result of 1:2, so the duel went into extra time and then penalties.

Sarajevo started the match much better. Already in the first minute, Čataković escaped his markers, shot, but the post saved Aktobe.

In the 13th minute, Kyeremeh tried, but the Aktobe goalkeeper made a great effort to deflect the ball for a corner.

Kyeremeh also found himself in a promising position in the 35th minute after a long pass, but he lost control of the ball. He managed to shoot, but the visiting goalkeeper narrowed the angle in time and thus kept his net intact.

A controversial moment at Koševo occurred in the 37th minute when Guliashvili fell in Aktobe's penalty area. The home team called for a penalty, but referee Zorbay Küçük from Turkey just waved his hand.

Four minutes later, a cold shower at Koševo. Aktobe took the lead from their first real chance. Umaev was the scorer in the 41st minute after Doumbouya did most of the work on the right side.



Aktobe took the minimal lead into the break.

Koševo erupted in the 57th minute. Georgian Guliashvili effectively scored for 1:1, a result that guaranteed Sarajevo the second round.

The Georgian took the ball on the right side, moved towards the penalty area, and then from the edge of the box, with his left foot, hit the opposite side of Aktobe's goal.

The excitement at Koševo was not over. When it seemed Sarajevo was controlling the match, Aktobe took the lead again.

After a corner kick, goalkeeper Rockov saved one attempt, and Tanzharikov put the rebound into the net.

After that, Sarajevo had two promising chances. The first came from Kyeremeh in the 84th minute, but the fast-footed Sarajevo player shot inaccurately from a promising position 16 meters out.

In the final moments of the match, Oliveira hit the crossbar from a free kick, so the match went into extra time.

The Kazakhs are in competitive rhythm, being in the middle of their season, and the additional 30 minutes suited them more.

In the third minute of the first extra period, Jairo escaped Sarajevo's defenders and hammered the ball under the crossbar to give Aktobe a 1:3 lead.

Just three minutes later, Oliveira, after a set piece and a weak intervention by the visiting goalkeeper, shook the net for 2:3, making the aggregate score 3:3.



Kyeremeh caused confusion in Aktobe's defense in the 103rd minute and crossed into the six-yard box, and the Kazakhs can be happy that after an awkward intervention by Kiki, the ball bounced off the goalkeeper for a corner instead of into the net.

The final moments of the first extra period brought trouble for coach Zekić and the Sarajevo bench, as Đuričković received a second yellow card, meaning a red card. This meant Sarajevo played the entire second extra period with a numerical disadvantage on the field.

In the 111th minute, Soldo tried a header from close range, but the ball went just wide of the right post of the visiting goal.

The score remained unchanged until the end, so the tired players at Koševo proceeded to the penalty shootout.

Rockov opened the penalty shootout with a brilliant save from Romero's shot. For Sarajevo, Anđušić was inaccurate, blasting the ball high over the goal.

Tanzharikov was precise at the start of the second series to give Aktobe a 1:0 lead, and Mehmedović was sure to equalize (1:1).

Jayro gave Aktobe a new lead, while Oliveira scored for another equalizer (2:2).

Rockov saved Samorodov's second penalty in the shootout, while Julardžija gave the Bordeaux team the lead (3:2).

Kasyym equalized to 3:3, while Duraković took responsibility for Sarajevo and scored the crucial penalty.

Sarajevo will host Spartak Trnava at Koševo next Thursday.