Slovan Bratislava 1-1 Celje: Avdyli keeps Riera’s side alive after Čerepkai’s opener

Slovan Bratislava had the first-leg lead where V. Weiss wanted it after 15 minutes: the home crowd behind them, a 4-3-3 stretched wide, Roman Čerepkai on the scoresheet and Cristian Martínez credited with the assist. But Celje stayed calm, stayed in the tie, and left Tehelne Pole Stadion with a 1-1 draw on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League play-off first leg.

Nothing is settled. The second leg remains fully open.

Čerepkai scored in the 15th minute for Slovan Bratislava after Martínez set him up. It was the kind of early goal that should have allowed Weiss’s team to control the rhythm, especially with Tigran Barseghyan finding space between the lines and Suleiman Camara carrying the ball aggressively in the front line.

Celje, set up by Riera in a 4-2-3-1, refused to panic. Mario Kvesić provided the pass that changed the tie. In the 41st minute, Milot Avdyli scored from Kvesić’s assist, and the first leg was level before half-time.

Kenan Bajrić was booked in the 45th minute for an argument, a small sign of the frustration Slovan felt after losing control of a game that had started on their terms.

Team shapes and starting XIs

Slovan Bratislava started in a 4-3-3 under V. Weiss.

Their XI: Dominik Takáč; César Blackman, Kenan Bajrić, Svetozar Marković, Sandro Cruz; Cristian Martínez, Peter Pokorný, Alen Mustafić; Tigran Barseghyan, Roman Čerepkai, Suleiman Camara.

Celje started in a 4-2-3-1 under Riera.

Their XI: Žan-Luk Leban; Pijus Širvys, Darko Hrka, Artemijus Tutyškinas, Milot Avdyli; Papa Daniel, Mark Zabukovnik; Matic Ivanšek, Svit Sešlar, Mario Kvesić; Armandas Kučys.

The shapes mattered. Slovan’s 4-3-3 gave them width and shot volume: 14 total shots, 9 from inside the box and 4 corners. Celje’s 4-2-3-1 gave them control in phases: 51% possession, 497 passes and enough structure to survive pressure without being pulled apart.

The story of the match

Slovan’s best work ran through Barseghyan and Martínez. Barseghyan was the game’s main chance-maker, with 7 key passes, 3 successful dribbles and 4 fouls drawn before going off in the 84th minute. He did not score or assist, but he shaped the match more than most players on the pitch.

Martínez provided the assist for Čerepkai in the 15th minute and remained Slovan’s clearest connector between midfield and attack. Čerepkai did his part too: 3 shots, 1 on target and 1 goal. For a striker in a tight European qualifier, that is the basic contract fulfilled.

Celje’s answer came from the left side of their structure. Avdyli scored in the 41st minute, then was booked in the 58th minute for a foul. His match was full of risk and reward: 1 shot on target, 1 goal and 5 interceptions, but also a yellow card and enough defensive strain to keep Slovan interested.

Kvesić’s assist was the key action for Celje, but his wider contribution was just as important. He won 6 of his 7 duels, completed 2 successful dribbles and gave Riera’s side a way to breathe when Slovan tried to squeeze the game after the break.

Substitutions shifted the tempo

Riera moved first. Benjamin Verbič came on for Matic Ivanšek in the 57th minute. Andrej Kotnik followed in the 58th minute, replacing Armandas Kučys. That double move gave Celje fresh legs just as Slovan were trying to rebuild pressure.

Weiss responded in the 62nd minute, sending on Alasana Yirajang for Čerepkai. Then came the bigger reset in the 70th minute: Daiki Matsuoka replaced Mustafić, and Manasse Kianga came on for Camara.

Matsuoka added energy and had one shot on target in his 20 minutes. Kianga won both of his duels, useful in a final phase that became more broken and more direct.

Celje adjusted again in the 77th minute, with Alpha Diounkou replacing Širvys and Ivan Ćalušić replacing Papa Daniel. Slovan’s last attacking push came in the 84th minute, when Rahim Ibrahim replaced Martínez and Andraž Šporar came on for Barseghyan.

The late cards told the rest of the story. Blackman was booked in the 83rd minute for a foul. Zabukovnik was booked in the 86th minute for a foul, and in the same minute Yaya Dukuly replaced Kvesić.

By then, the match had become a negotiation: Slovan pushed for an advantage, Celje protected the draw, and neither side found the goal that would tilt the tie before the second leg.

Numbers

The shot count flatters Slovan in one sense and condemns them in another. Fourteen attempts, but only 2 on target, was not enough precision for a home first leg. Celje had only 8 shots, but 4 were on target. That efficiency is why the second leg carries real tension.

Takáč made 3 saves for Slovan. Leban made 1 for Celje. Marković was Slovan’s strongest defender statistically, with 2 blocks and 8 duels won from 11. Cruz also helped keep Celje from turning possession into a flood of chances, making 4 tackles and 4 interceptions.

What it means

Slovan Bratislava will feel they left value on the table. At home, ahead from the 15th minute, with Barseghyan creating so much, this was a night to build a lead. Instead, they travel level.

Celje will see it differently. Riera’s side absorbed the early damage, found the equaliser in the 41st minute, and left Bratislava with the tie alive. In a Champions League play-off, that is not a small result.

The equation is simple: Slovan need more accuracy, Celje need the same composure. The second leg will decide who moves closer to the Champions League league phase.