"Small leagues"

[seso]

TNS are 25 points ahead of the 3rd-placed Bala Town with 10 matches to play. So TNS will be assured of European qualification with 6 more points.

And if in the next round, TNS win and Bala Town lose, TNS will be assured of European qualification!

We also have the QFs of the Welsh Cup on 16-17 February, so we'll know more about the European places then!

EDIT: The phase two fixtures for the 2023/24 Cymru Premier campaign will be released at 10am on Friday 19 January.
Phase two begins on 2-3 February and concludes on 20 April.
https://www.cymrufootball.wales/news/jd ... 9-january/

After that we will have phase three "Teams placed 3rd-7th enter one-off play-off matches for the third spot in the Conference League first qualifying round. The higher-placed team gains home advantage. One of the spots is vacated if the 2023–24 Welsh Cup winners finish 7th or higher, with the 3rd-placed team qualifying automatically if the Welsh Cup winners finish in the top two".

[seso]

Cymru Premier second phase schedule:

https://www.cymrufootball.wales/news/20 ... -released/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023%E2%8 ... ru_Premier

Top-6:

Matchday 23
Connah’s Quay Nomads v Caernarfon Town (2 February)
Bala Town v Cardiff Met (3 February)
The New Saints v Newtown (6 February)

Matchday 24
Bala Town v The New Saints (9 February)
Cardiff Met v Caernarfon Town (10 February)
Newtown v Connah’s Quay Nomads (10 February)

etc.


Bottom-6:

Matchday 23
Aberystwyth Town v Haverfordwest County (2 February)
Barry Town United v Pontypridd United (3 February)
Colwyn Bay v Penybont (3 February)

Matchday 24
Haverfordwest County v Pontypridd United (9 February)
Aberystwyth Town v Colwyn Bay (9 February)
Penybont v Barry Town United (10 February)

etc.

[seso]

Cymru Premier: The first matches of the second phase are being played these days.
In the top-6, we had Connah's Quay 1-1 Caernarfon Town. Also, Bala Town 1-1 Cardiff MU. The New Saints need just four more points to qualify for European football! We will probably know on February 9th.
In the bottom-6, big win for Aberystwyth Town (1-0 against Haverfordwest County) in the relegation battle! Also Pontypridd United beat Barry Town United away 0-3! Penybont beat Colwyn Bay away, so the Seagulls are bottom of the table and top candidates for relegation. This was their first season in the top division. On the other hand, Penybont overtake Haverfordwest County and they take (for the moment) the last ECL-Q1 play-off position!

The rules for classification are: 1) Points 2) Goal difference 3) Head-to-head points 4) Goals scored 5) Matches won.

[seso]

Cymru Premier: The New Saints 3-0 Newtown and TNS are really close to qualifying for European football. Declan McManus scored two goals.

Bala Town v The New Saints on 9 February; a nice 42 km trip by the TNS fans to Bala to celebrate!


https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68189327
The New Saints have equalled their own 27-game world record for the number of consecutive games won across all competitions by a men's top-flight side.
Third-placed Bala stand in the way of visitors Saints setting a new world record when the two sides meet on Friday, 9 February.

[krdel]

After half a season without it the Bosnian league finally got a new sponsor and also a new name WWin Premijer liga BiH.

The league continues next week with a match Željo-Zrinjski.

[seso]

Bala Town 0-1 The New Saints yesterday and TNS qualified for European football.
They have won 28 matches in a row (in all competitions)!

Also, Newtown 2-3 Connah's Quay, so the Nomads keep the pressure on TNS and have almost secured the second position that leads directly to ECL-Q1.

In the bottom-6, Haverfordwest County 1-1 Pontypridd United (United was a man down since the 30th minute).

Big away win for Colwyn Bay (Aberystwyth Town 0-1 Colwyn Bay) and Aberystwyth Town is now just one point ahead of Pontypridd United and Colwyn Bay in the relegation battle.

Finally, Penybont 2-2 Barry Town United; Penybont was a man down since the 24th minute.

We now have a 2-week break in the league for the Welsh Cup QFs.

[bugylibicska]

Braga - Qarabag in the EL and Olympiakos - Fradi in the ECL. My wishes weren't granted. Qarabag were drawn against another small team instead of a Milan or Benfica or Galatasaray and still probably go out without much fanfare. Fradi couldn't get an easier opponent than Olympiakos and will be slight underdogs. There're at least half of the unseeded more preferable than the Greeks.

Braga - Qarabag 2:4, bravo Qarabag! A great chance to advance and then fish out a really big name for the next round.
Olympiakos - Fradi 1:0, still in the tie, it won't be easy, but hope is alive.

[bugylibicska]

Qarabag - Braga 2:3 aet. Qarabag were more than comfortable until one of their players collected 2 yellow cards and they had to play with 10 men from the 57th minute. From then the game turned on its head and Braga scored 2 goals to take it into extra time. Looked like all hope lost, but Qarabag surprisingly woke up and scored. 5 minutes before the end they've screwed up again and conceded a penalty. We went into added time in the extra time and out of nothing Qarabag scored again, no time left for Braga to salvage the game. At the end of this wild, maddening game Qarabag won 6:5 in aggregate and secured their place in tomorrow's draw. They'll be huge underdogs no matter the opponent. I'd pick Rangers.
Fradi - Olympiakos 0:1, Fradi bowed out as expected without a whimper.

[seso]

I think that Qarabağ FK reaching the EL L16 is the biggest success of any club of the Caucausus region (since the 3 countries became independent).
Of course, before these countries became independent, we had FC Dinamo Tbilisi winning the Cup Winners' Cup in 1981.

[krdel]

We also had Ararat in QF of CL back in the days.

[seso]

We also had Ararat in QF of CL back in the days.

Yes, in 1974–75 European Cup QFs!

[bugylibicska]

Bad luck in the draw for Qarabag. They got Leverkusen again, just like in the group stages. 2 teams I wanted them to avoid: Liverpool and Leverkusen.
It shouldn't happen, but UEFA don't care and that's bad for football.

[Firnen]

I notice that Zrinjski, the most competitive side we have seen from Bosnia in Europe this season, is 9 points behind Borac, a team which is a joke in Europe every time.

[krdel]

One thing is, that Borac has a very solid squad, but they made (as usually here) a lot of changes during the season. Some of the main players left, but then some great players came. They brough in something like 20 or 30 players (among other Herrera, Kvržić, Makarić, Čelić...) and of course they needed some time to make things work.

The other thing is that the Serbs are currrently running the FA, so Borac enjoys all the usual privilegies that go with that, foremost very favourable refereeing.

Also we must be fair and admit that Borac played well against both Cluj and Austria in the last few years (they would even go through if UEFA has not changed the rules after the season already started).

[seso]

Cymru Premier:

In the Championship group, TNS hammered Caernarfon Town (Caernarfon Town 1–8 The New Saints). Hat-trick by Brad Young, who is now top scorer in the league.
Also, Connah's Quay 2-0 Cardiff MU, and the Nomads are even closer to European qualification.

In the relegation group, Haverfordwest County has an advantage for the position that leads to the last ECL-play-off spot (Barry Town United 1–1 Haverfordwest County, Penybont 1–1 Aberystwyth Town). Big chance missed by Penybont. Haverfordwest County vs Penybont on 8 March and it could all be over.
Big win for Pontypridd United against Colwyn Bay (4-0) and they overtake Aberystwyth Town in the relegation battle!