UEFA Champions League Qualifying Round 2
Celje 1 - 1 PEN 4-1 Egnatia Rrogozhinë
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Futmetrix Verdict
100
FT
Fri, Sep 11
Kyoto Sanga
2-3
Kashiwa Reysol
⚡ Intensity
98
⚖️ Balance
91
🏆 Stakes
56
🎲 Upset
0
Segawa sparks stunning ten-man Reysol comeback.
Futmetrix Verdict
44
FT
Thu, Sep 10
Como
4-1
RB Leipzig
⚡ Intensity
64
⚖️ Balance
26
🏆 Stakes
0
🎲 Upset
0
Como dismantle Leipzig in Champions League stunner.
Futmetrix Verdict
37
FT
Thu, Sep 10
Fenerbahçe
1-1
AS Roma
⚡ Intensity
37
⚖️ Balance
46
🏆 Stakes
0
🎲 Upset
30
VAR flips a restless European draw
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Corners
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
D. Hrka 21'
34' M. Kvesic
HT
↓ A. Yago ↑E. Ndreca 60'
↓ D. Adjessa ↑I. Gruda 60'
68' P. Daniel
69' ↓ M. Zabukovnik ↑Y. Dukuly
69' ↓ M. Avdyli ↑R. Pozeg
73' Y. Dukuly
Fernando Medeiros 81'
81' ↓ A. Kucys ↑A. Kotnik
81' ↓ P. Sirvys ↑A. Dionkou
↓ K. Loukili ↑N. Ajetovikj 82'
89' ↓ P. Daniel ↑I. Calusic
I. Gruda 90'+1
G. Jaime 90'+3
97' M. Kvesic
↓ A. Kryeziu ↑J. Montenegro 98'
↓ E. Sota ↑G. Smajli 98'
100' A. Dionkou
105'+3 ↓ M. Kvesic ↑D. Vuklisevic
G. Smajli 114'
115' A. Tutyskinas
↓ G. Jaime ↑A. Aleksi 116'
120'+1 S. Seslar
E. Bitri 120'+1
120'+2 A. Tutyskinas
A. Xhemajli 120'+2
120'+3 Y. Dukuly
E. Ndreca 120'+3
120'+4 I. Calusic
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Celje
Goalkeepers
Žan-Luk Leban
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Defenders
Pijus Sirvys
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Artemijus Tutyškinas
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Leonardo Koutris
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
A. Kucys
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Darko Hrka
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Mario Kvesic
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Papa Mustapha Daniel
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Mark Zabukovnik
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Svit Sešlar
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Milot Avdyli
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
Luka Kolar
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Ziga Frelih
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Damjan Vuklisevic
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Alpha Diounkou
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Ivan Ćalušić
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
F. Jevsenak
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Veton Tusha
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Matic Ivanšek
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Yaya Dukuly
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Rudi Pozeg Vancas
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Andrej Kotnik
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
M. Poplatnik
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Egnatia Rrogozhinë
Goalkeepers
M. Dajsinani
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Defenders
E. Sota
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
E. Bitri
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Xhemajli
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
G. Jaime
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
K. Loukili
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Kryeziu
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Fernando Medeiros
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Yago
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Albanese
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Forwards
D. Adjessa
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
L. Tandilashvili
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
B. Puja
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
E. Ndreca
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
N. Ajetovikj
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
G. Smajli
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Aleksi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
I. Gruda
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
J. Montenegro
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07/22/2026 | Egnatia Rrogozhinë | 3 - 3 | Celje | UEFA Champions League | Demrozi Stadium |
07/22/2026
Celje Win
Egnatia Rrogozhinë Win
Draw
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Celje
Egnatia Rrogozhinë
Celje
Egnatia Rrogozhinë
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Heartbreak and Heroics in Slovenia
Must-Watch Futmetrix Score: 100/100. An exhausting, nerve-shredding Champions League qualifier that demanded 120 minutes of sheer willpower before being spectacularly settled from the penalty spot.
Early Chaos at Arena Z’dezele
The Stakes were immense for this 2nd Qualifying Round clash. Celje came out with sheer venom, eager to dictate the tempo early on. They immediately established controlled possession, strangling the game with 57% of the ball. The breakthrough arrived in bizarre fashion just 21 minutes in. D. Hrka agonizingly turned the ball into his own net, gifting the hosts the crucial opener. The momentum entirely belonged to the home side. M. Kvesic capitalized on that defensive confusion, doubling the advantage with a precise strike at the 34-minute mark. Egnatia Rrogozhinë looked completely shell-shocked. They struggled to string basic passes together against a relentless home press. The first half felt like a tactical strangulation. Ten total shots from the hosts turned the penalty area into a shooting gallery, leaving the visitors gasping for air.
The Extra-Time Pivot
A remarkable shift in the Balance of power materialized as the match dragged into extra time. Kvesic thought he had killed the tie entirely. He stepped up to bury a clinical penalty in the 97th minute, seemingly booking their ticket to the next round. But the visitors adamantly refused to surrender. They threw bodies forward, turning the pitch into a chaotic battlefield. Egnatia managed to carve out just 8 shots on the night, but they made them count when it mattered most. G. Smajli smashed home a 114th-minute lifeline to completely flip the script. The Intensity was absolutely off the charts in the dying seconds. Every single challenge felt monumental. Both sides traded wild, desperate blows, knowing a single mistake would be fatal. Yet, 120 minutes of grueling football simply wasn't enough to separate them.
Shootout Perfection
The tie came down to a bitter battle of nerves from twelve yards. Penalty shootouts always carry a massive Upset Factor, but the hosts were ice-cold. The visitors completely crumbled under the deafening noise. E. Bitri stepped up first for the Albanian side and missed, immediately handing away the psychological advantage. Later, E. Ndreca also failed to convert his crucial spot-kick. Meanwhile, the home side delivered a shootout masterclass. S. Seslar set the tone with a perfect opening penalty. Calm finishes followed from A. Tutyskinas, Y. Dukuly, and finally I. Calusic. A 4-1 shootout demolition sends them marching into the next qualifying round. The Arena Z’dezele erupted into sheer pandemonium as Calusic's final kick hit the back of the net, rewarding a night of pure resilience.
Key Questions
Was the penalty miss by Unknown the turning point?
Yes, E. Bitri's failure on the opening spot-kick completely crushed Egnatia Rrogozhinë's momentum, handing a massive psychological edge to the hosts.
How did Egnatia Rrogozhinë pull off this shock result?
They didn't win, but forcing penalties via G. Smajli's dramatic 114th-minute strike was a massive shock given their lack of overall possession.
How did Celje complete the comeback from behind?
The hosts were never behind. Instead, they survived a late extra-time collapse by maintaining perfect composure to sweep the penalty shootout 4-1.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Champions League Dreams Hang in the Balance
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 27/100. With both sides desperate for a main stage berth, this qualifier will be a gritty war of attrition rather than a footballing spectacle.
The Setup
The quest for European glory continues on July 28, 2026, as Celje host Egnatia Rrogozhinë in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League. A modest Stakes rating reflects the early phase of the tournament, but the pressure for these clubs is immense. Neither side brings household names to the pitch, resulting in a low Stars metric, meaning the tie will be decided by collective grit rather than individual brilliance. With a weak Form rating for both squads, expect a highly cautious approach. The Balance rating suggests the home side holds a slight edge, but knockout football rarely respects early-season metrics.
Key Battle
Without marquee attackers to unlock the game, this clash hinges on a tactical midfield arm wrestle. The home midfield will look to dictate possession, but they must find a way through a stubborn visiting defensive block designed to frustrate and counter-attack. The side that controls the midfield transitions will control the tie.
Our Prediction
We expect a tense, low-scoring affair. A 1-0 victory for the hosts is our verdict, with the match defined by a single set-piece or transitional mistake rather than flowing attacking football.