Big-match preview: TNS head to North Macedonia for Champions League second leg
It’s all to play as The New Saints chase Champions League progress in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, in tonight’s first qualifying round return leg against KF Shkendija (7pm).
The two teams kick off level at the Tose Proeski National Arena following a 0-0 draw in Oswestry last Tuesday.
The best of the chances at Park Hall fell the way of striker Ben Wilson when he was denied by a fine save from Shkendija goalkeeper Baboucarr Gaye in the second half.
“We’ve got respect for them, we can see they’re a decent side,” said TNS defender Jack Bodenham, looking ahead to tonight’s second meeting with Shkendija. "But we definitely think we’ve got enough to beat them, so, yes, going out there we’re still full of confidence.”
On the first leg, Bodenham added: "I think defensively we were quite solid, obviously happy with the clean sheet. We would have liked to have created a few more chances.
“Obviously being at home, we would have preferred to go out there with a lead, but it’s still all to play for and we think we’ve got enough to do the job out there.”
TNS head coach Craig Harrison included three of his eight summer signings in his starting XI for the first leg with goalkeeper Nathan Shepperd, midfielder Dominic Corness and striker Wilson, recruited from Scottish club Airdrieonians for a club record fee, all featuring.
Two more of the recent additions to the TNS squad, defender Kade Craig and striker Ken Charles, were introduced as substitutes.
Reflecting on the first leg against the champions of North Macedonia, Harrison said: “I think disappointed that we’ve not won the game, because I’m disappointed if we don’t win any game.
"We want to win every game we play, especially at home.
“But I think overall there wasn’t an awful lot in the game. I think possession and territory was very close, but what I know is we created the better opportunities.
“Their keeper’s made two or three good saves. He’s kept them in the game in the second half with a one-on-one. He’s made a couple of good saves from the edge of the box and we’ve had some great opportunities.
“They’ve put some great defending, some blocks, the keeper’s made saves, and we haven’t quite finished off where we’d like to, but we did get opportunities and unfortunately we didn’t take them.
“We defended as a unit, as a whole team really, really well, so that was a very pleasing outcome of the game.”
The winners of the tie will play either Romanian club FCSB or Inter Club d’Escaldes from Andorra in the second qualifying round of the Champions League. FCSB - European Cup winners in 1986 when they were still known as Steaua Bucharest - won the first leg 3-1 at home.
Saints made history by becoming the first JD Cymru Premier side to ever progress to the league stage of a European competition last season.
They played 14 matches during a memorable European campaign which started last July and ended in December, including facing renowned European giants Fiorentina and Panathinaikos in the Uefa Conference League.
