"Utrecht" (in red and white uniform) total domination in the home match with "Sherif"
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) did not allow Sheriff to host Utrecht at its arena in Tiraspol for security reasons, so it was decided to hold the match in Nisporeni. Sheriff’s Nigerian international Peter Ademo opened the scoring in the 24th minute of the match, but the guests from the Netherlands got one goal back within 10 minutes. Utrecht midfielder Victor Jensen struck Ivan Dulgerov’s goal. In the second half the pressure on Sheriff increased, which ended with goals from Nick Wirgever and Adrian Blake, who in the 70th minute set the final score of the first match – 1:3 in favor of Utrecht.
The officiating crew for the match was headed by Philip Faruja from Malta, assisted on the field by compatriots Duncan Spencer and Duncan Saltana. According to the UEFA protocol, the match was attended by about 2,600 spectators with a capacity of 5,200. After the match, the press service of Sheriff published a press release in which it called the Central Stadium in Nisporeni “the second home” of the Tiraspol club and thanked all those who supported the team on both banks of the Dniester.
In the return match Sheriff had to play at the almost full Galgenwaard stadium in Utrecht, where more than 22.5 thousand Dutch fans warmly supported their team. The author of the first goal in the previous match Victor Jensen was the first to hit the gates of “Sheriff” and at the home stadium, it happened in the 27th minute. Utrecht defender Sibe Horemans scored early in the second half, Nick Virgever scored on 56 minutes. The home side inflicted a complete rout on Sheriff after Dutch club defender Sufian El Karouani scored the fourth goal for Dulgerov’s side.
The match was officiated by a team of referees from Cyprus headed by Chrysovalantis Theouli, assisted by Marios Kaloiroo and Petros Petrou.
“Sheriff” has finished its campaign in the Europa League, but it still has an opportunity to qualify for the group stage of the LC – the third European Cup tournament in terms of status. To do so, he needs to pass the next two rounds. The next opponent of “Wasps” will be “Anderlecht” (Belgium), on the sum of two meetings (2:2, 2:4 in a penalty shootout) lost to Swedish “Häcken” in the second round of the Europa League. “Sheriff” will play the first match on August 7 in Brussels, the return match will take place on August 14, and at the moment it remains unknown whether UEFA will allow it to be held in Tiraspol.
