Here we go: Petrocub 1-1 Egnatia Rrogozhinë, first leg still open after a combative night in Chișinău that never settled once Petru Popescu scored in the 1st minute.
The Moldovan champions tore out of S. Makharadze’s 5-4-1, Popescu reacting quickest after the first long ball from deep unsettled Eneo Bitri and Arbenit Xhemajli. Cristian Avram was rarely involved early as Ion Jardan and Sergiu Plătică pinned Egnatia back.
E. Tetova’s side refused to fold. Without altering the initial 3-5-2, they hit back through Altin Kryeziu in the 35th minute, the midfielder timing his run to meet Guillem Jaime’s pass and level the tie. That reset the mood and dragged the tempo into the visitors’ preferred channel, slower and more positional.
Then the cards started to bite. Ovidiu David went into the book in the 29th minute, and Albano Aleksi’s trip on the verge of half-time stoppage left Egnatia a man down at 45+3. Tetova reacted immediately once in the dressing room, withdrawing Ildi Gruda and the assisting Jaime to introduce Karim Loukili and Ibrahim Diabaté, banking on fresh legs to compact the midfield in front of Fernando Medeiros.
Makharadze also tweaked, removing the cautioned David for Mihail Platica at the restart, sending on Marius Iosipoi in the 61st minute, and later introducing Nicolae Rotaru for Dan Pușcaș on 71 minutes. The plan was clear: overload the channels, stretch a back line that had dropped into a flat four after the red card, and keep Popescu stationed between Bitri and Eljon Sota.
Pressure arrived but not the final touch. Soumaila Bakayoko, booked in the 65th minute, spent most of the second half alone up top yet still drew cautions for Jessie Guera Djou and Ion Borș in the 77th and 84th minutes. Makharadze replaced Borș with Vlad Pascari in the 88th minute to avoid further risk, while Tetova countered by sending on Geralb Smajli and Edison Ndreca in the 80th minute and Daniel Adjessa for Bakayoko at 90+4 to freeze the scoreline. Loukili was also cautioned in the 87th minute as the visitors dug in.
The shapes told the story. Petrocub’s wingbacks pushed higher and higher, but once Egnatia converted into a 4-4-1 block around Kryeziu and Diabaté, the Moldovans resorted to lofted deliveries that Mario Dajsinani claimed. Popescu’s early goal gave them a platform yet the lack of composure against ten men cost them the chance to take a lead to Albania.
For a look at how other qualifiers unfolded this week, see Floriana punish 10-man Shamrock Rovers as Murić strikes before Healy’s red card.
Everything rides on next week’s return in Rrogozhinë. Makharadze will demand more incision from Bogaciuc and the rotating forward line after the spark faded, while Tetova needs a solution for Aleksi’s suspension and will be encouraged that his side survived with a draw despite the dismissal. The tie is balanced, but the Albanians carry the leverage unless Petrocub find a sharper edge in the second leg.
