T&T internationals, defender Robert Primus and winger Lester Peltier inched a step closer to playing in the prestigious UEFA Champions League competition after the first leg of their respective clubs Third Round of qualifiers.
Yesterday, Kazakhstan Premier League leaders, Aktobe, the club of 23-year-old Primus battled to a 2-2 draw with Steau Bucuresti of Romania at its Ortaliq Stadium, Kazakhstan and will need a win away in their return fixture on August 6, to book a Fourth Round qualification spot.
Primus was not included in his team’s roster for the match and last played on June 22 in a 2-2 league draw with Kaisar.
Currently, Aktobe leads the 12-team Kazakhstan League with 40 points, one more than Kairat followed by Astana, (38), Shakhter Karagandy (35), Kaisar (32) and Ordabasy, also with 32 in the sixth and final qualifying spot for the “Big Six” competition to determine the league champions.
Primus is making a return to competitive action after being sidelined for seven months following Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center on November 15 last year.
On Tuesday, Peltier, 25, came off the bench to play the final nine minutes as a replacement for Czech Republic’s Pavel Fort in Slovakian champions, Slovan Bratislava 2-1 win over Maldova’s FK Sheriff Tiraspol.
For Bratislava, Igor Zofcak opened the scoring from the penalty-spot in the 42nd minute only for Brazilian Ricardinho to get the visitors on level terms, before Karol Meszaros snatched an 85th minute winner for this host to the delight of the crowd at the Stadion Pasiensky in Bratislava.
Tomorrow, in the Slovakian Super League, Slovan Bratislava which began its title defence on a winning note, 2-1 over Podbrezova after it kicked off the season with a first Super Cup triumph— 1-0 over Kosice—will play only its second league match of the season at home to Ruzomberok before travelling to meet Sheriff in their return-leg next Wednesday.
Following the third round of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, teams will do battle in one more qualifying round for the right to earn places in the group stages of the prestigious UEFA Champions League 2014/2015 season where ten-time champions Real Madrid are the defending champions.
On Sunday last, when the new season of the Belgium Pro League kicked off, T&T duo, Khaleem Hyland of Racing Genk and Sean Bateau’s Mechelen locks horns.
Hyland, 25, in his eighth campaign in the league had a bitter-sweet outing as he netted his team opener as early as the seventh minute and was then booked in the 43rd and 53rd to be red carded as his team went down 3-1.
The 23-year-old Bateau, now in his third season with the Belgian club was also cautioned in the 73rd in the encounter.
In Iceland, former St Anthony’s College striker, Jonathan Glenn, 26, failed to add to his league-leading four goals as IBV was blanked 2-0 by second placed Stjarnan on Sunday.
With the win, Stjarnan improved to 29 points from 13 matches, two behind FH while IBV which also has T&T’s Dominic Adams on its roster stayed eighth on the 12-team standings with 13 points from as many matches.
Today, Glenn who has eight goals in total on the season and his clubmate will turn their attention to Cup competition against KR before resuming league play on August 6 against FH.
Over in the Vietnam V League, former W Connection midfielder Hughtun Hector played the full 90 minutes as Ha Noi T&T whipped Hoang Anh Gia Lai 3-1 to stay in contention for the title.
After 20 matches, Binh Duong which also won 3-1 against Quang Nam stayed top with 45 points, one more than Ha Noi T&T.
In the Finnish Veikkausliiga, T&T players Shahdon Winchester, Aubrey David and Jamal Gay suffered defeats with their respective clubs, both by 1-0 margins.
David and Winchester were cautioned in the 35th and 42nd minute respectively as their club, FF Jaro went under to SJk via last minute goal to stay seventh with 28 points, while Jamal Gay came off with six minutes left in RoPS, 1-0 defeat at the hands to Lahti.