Petrocub vs APOEL

Stadionul Zimbru forms the backdrop for the return leg of a fiercely contested Champions League qualifying tie between Petrocub and APOEL.

Petrocub’s inaugural Champions League qualifying campaign was off to a slow start as they succumbed to a 1-0 first-leg loss in Cyprus, throwing their hopes of reaching round three into doubt. However, the Moldovan outfit can draw confidence from beating Ordabasy 1-0 at home in the opening qualifying round to set up this tie. Goals have been at a premium in Petrocub’s European fixtures this season as all three have seen one or both sides fail to get on the scoresheet in matches garnering under 1.5 total goals. Indeed, low scoring has been a running theme in Petrocub’s previous continental forays, with eight of their nine previous home games in European football featuring under 2.5 goals, highlighting the potential for another cagey affair.

In the meantime, APOEL eked out a precious first-leg triumph despite facing double the attempts they had, with the winning goal coming from the spot. The Cypriot side’s performance last week was far from convincing, and they must improve to reach the Champions League third qualifying round for the first time since 2019/20. David Gallego’s team could find themselves in unfamiliar territory as their last competitive road trip dates back to April. That was a dismal 1-0 loss to domestic rivals Omonia, which paints a bleak picture for the 2023/24 First Division runners-up. They’ve blown hot and cold across six continental travels in the past two seasons (W2, D2, L2), with five of those six games seeing one or both sides fail to score.