The three JD Cymru Premier representatives in Europe have been left with plenty to ponder following this week’s first leg displays in the first qualifying round.
In the UEFA Champions League, The New Saints got their latest European adventure underway with a hard-fought goalless draw against KF Shkëndija at Park Hall on Tuesday night.
The JD Cymru Premier champions traded chances with their North Macedonian opponents throughout a sun-soaked evening at Park Hall, but neither side were able to break the deadlock.
Saints’ record summer signing Ben Wilson could not capitalise on chances either side of half-time, heading an early opportunity over the crossbar before he was denied in the second half by Gambian international goalkeeper Baboucarr Gaye.
Shkëndija were not without chances of their own however, and a desperate sliding interception from Danny Remond to cut out Liridon Latifi’s dangerous delivery denied Fiton Ademi a tap-in, with the tie finely poised heading into the return leg.
Also on Tuesday evening, Haverfordwest County were beaten 2-1 in Malta by Floriana in the UEFA Conference League.
Ben Ahmum broke free in front of goal to attack Dan Hawkins’ inviting cross and head the Pembrokeshire side in front with 27 minutes on the clock.
Despite mounting pressure from the hosts, it looked as though Haverfordwest would take that lead into the break – until Floriana left back Gonzalo Gamarra surged into the box and headed beyond Bluebirds debutant Luc Rees.
Eleven minutes into the second half, Floriana struck again when Alaric Jones was adjudged to have brought down Lucas López inside the area and Jake Grech confidently stepped up to stroke the ball in from the penalty spot.
Despite some promising passages of play from Tony Pennock’s side, Kyle McCarthy was alert to prevent a third Floriana goal and keep the tie within reach for Haverfordwest, scrambling the ball off the line after Grech’s curling effort looked destined for the bottom corner.
Penybont were the final Welsh side to take to the field in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday night, but a 3-0 defeat in Lithuania against Kauno Zalgiris leaves them with plenty of work to do in next week’s second leg in Cardiff.
Gabe Kircough’s fierce long-range drive was beaten away in what appeared to be an encouraging start from the visitors, but Bont’s night began to unravel when Amine Benchaib’s near-post effort ricocheted off Kircough and into his own net in the 18th minute.
Kauno Zalgiris quickly added a second six minutes later when Gratas Sirgėdas swung a left-footed free-kick from out wide that sailed in underneath the Penybont crossbar.
It remained one-way traffic until half-time, with Nosa Iyobosa Edokpolor firing dangerously across goal and Sirgėdas striking against the frame of Luke Armstrong’s goal.
Any hopes of a Penybont comeback were slashed within 60 seconds of the second half as Damjan Pavlović drilled through a crowd of bodies into the bottom corner.
Mael Davies’ second yellow card on 65 minutes compounded a difficult night for Penybont, though late chances for James Crole and Noah Daley offer Rhys Griffiths’ men a glimmer of hope ahead of the return leg next week.
