​Connah’s Quay Nomads earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw against FC Ballkani of Kosovo in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League first qualifying round. The Welsh side, who finished as runners-up in last season’s Cymru Premier, showed discipline, organization, and resilience against an opposition that has previously appeared in the competition’s group stages. John Disney, in charge of his first European match as Nomads manager, will have been encouraged by the performance of his young squad as they head into the second leg.
The two teams are set to meet again on Thursday, 16 July, for the return fixture, with the winner advancing to face either Bohemians of the Republic of Ireland or St Joseph’s of Malta in the next round. Welsh football fans can look forward to more European action as both sides prepare for the second leg of this tie.
In an evenly contested encounter played under a warm evening sky in Colwyn Bay, both sides created chances but were unable to break the deadlock. An early scare nearly unsettled Nomads goalkeeper Chris Renshaw when an awkward bounce threatened the line, yet the ball was calmly pushed over the crossbar for a corner. Ballkani’s Valentin Serebe found a path to goal later in the opening stages, but Nomads captain James Jones timed his tackle perfectly to dispossess the Ivorian attacker and clear the danger.
Nomads quickly responded and surged upfield, with Michael Stone coming close to opening the scoring after meeting a cross from Max Woodock. The Albanian-born forward toiled for his team, but the best opportunity of the first half went to Ballkani, who tested Renshaw with another foray forward. In the second period, Harry Franklin had a chance five minutes after the break but could only direct his header straight at Ballkani’s goalkeeper Adnan Golubovic from a corner. Golubovic was again called into action when he denied Nomads debutant Joseph Ferguson, as the home side grew into the game and looked the more dangerous of the two sides as the second half progressed.
Ballkani pushed forward late in the match in search of a decisive away goal, which would have given them the advantage ahead of the return leg. However, Anel Sabanadzovic’s effort from a stoppage-time opportunity went wide, ensuring the game ended level and leaving the tie open for the rematch back in Kosovo.
Both teams can take heart from a competitive display that left the tie perfectly poised. Nomads will be keen to translate their solid performance into a positive result on Finnish soil in the second leg, while Ballkani will be hoping to capitalize on any home advantage and avoid conceding late in the tie. The winner of this clash will advance to the next round, where they would face Bohemians or St Joseph’s, with a potential foothold in European competition growing ever stronger for Welsh football’s clubs.