Faroese champions EB/Streymur were no match for the Cypriote champions Apoel Nicosia who were in full control from start to finish – except from two incidents where EB/Streymur got close to scoring.
Apoel threatened early on when EB/Streymur carelessly gave the ball away on midfield, and from a following corner, Apoel had a header on the upright.
Three minutes later - 10 minutes into the match - Apoel managed to take the lead when Nenad Mirosavljevic was given far too much space and time inside the penalty before he placed his shot into the top right corner after a pass from the right.
A few minutes later, Apoel had an almost replica attack, but this time the shot went close by the left post.
Apoel could have doubled their lead on the half-hour mark when their forward got one-on-one with goalkeeper Gunnar á Steig, but the goalkeeper made a fine block to deny Apoel their second goal.
EB/Streymur rarely threatened Apoel’s goal, but 38 minutes into the first half they had their best – and only – effort on goal during the first half. Gudmund Nielsen raced down the right flank and delivered the ball in front of goal where Arnbjørn Hansen after a scramble got a shot in, but a defender managed to block the ball into the sidenetting.
Apoel started brightly again in the second half and were frequent guests in EB/Streymur’s penalty area, but a quarter of an hour into the half, Gudmund Nielsen got on the end of a fine long pass from Marni Djurhuus, but Nielsen’s finish went just over Apoel’s goal.
This was EB/Streymur’s only real qualified finish in the second half.
Five minutes later Apoel went close again, but the header bounced behind off the crossbar.
But with a quarter of an hour remaining, Apoel did get their second goal. The ball ended at the feet of Marcin Zewlakow who scored from close range with a deflection off an EB/Streymur player.
Video highlights: EB/Streymur - Apoel Nicosia
The return leg will be played in Cyprus in a week, on 21 July .
July 21, 2009: UEFA Champions League, 2nd qual. round, 2nd leg:
EB/Streymur had travelled to Nicosia with a defensive game-plan that worked quite well in the first half as they almost held Apoel from scoring, but as the half was drawing to a close the former Polish International forward Marcin Zewlakow put the homeside in front with a header. Apoel had been very close earlier in the half also, but the header hit the junction of the post and crossbar.
Early In the second half EB/Streynur were saved by the post when it looked easier for Apoel to score, but 18 minutes through the half Apoel doubled their lead with a goal from midfielder Nektarios Alexandrou who came sliding in at the far post .
With a quarter of an hour remaining Serbian forward Nenad Mirosavljevic hammered it in from close range to make it 3-0 when he was played clear by a cross from the right.
EB/Streymur created no clear-cut scoring opportunities.
EB/Streymur will now concentrate fully on their next match which is the Cup final against Víkingur on Faroese national day on 29 July.
(Video highlights from the 1st leg is available above)