Slovan struck first on 15 minutes and it was a slick move down the right that opened Celje up. Sandro Cruz switched play, Kenan Bajrić nudged it forward and Tigran Barseghyan found Cristian Martínez in space. Martínez slid a neat assist into Roman Čerepkai, who finished low to the right past Žan-Luk Leban. The hosts pushed for a quick second and earned two early corners as Celje cleared repeatedly. Felix Zwayer showed Kenan Bajrić a yellow on the halftime whistle after tempers flared, a small clue to how combative the half had been.

Celje’s response came on 41 minutes and was well worked from back to front. Darko Hrka and Leban recycled possession, Mario Kvesić threaded the key pass and Milot Avdyli swept home high to the right to level. The visitors then managed the game with discipline and structure. In the second half, Slovan controlled more of the ball and territory without finding a winner. Late bookings for César Blackman and Mark Zabukovnik, plus injuries to Alen Mustafić, Pijus Širvys and Papa Daniel, added to a stop-start closing spell.

What the numbers say

The headline stat is 50-50 possession, but the split reveals the pattern: Celje had 57% before the break, then Slovan took 57% after it. Slovan attempted 14 shots to Celje’s 8 and produced the game’s only big chances, two in total. Inside the box it was 9-4 to Slovan, who also led touches in the area 25-11. Yet Celje hit the target more often, 4 shots on goal compared to Slovan’s 2, forcing Dominik Takáč into three saves. Corners were 4-0 to Slovan, underlining where most pressure came from.

Duels belonged to the hosts at 58%, including a strong 69% in the air, which helped them pin Celje back in phases. Celje answered with smart defending: 35 clearances and 14 interceptions compared to 15 and 8 for Slovan. Final-third entries favored Slovan 58-40 and so did crossing volume, 21 to 4, although accuracy hovered at 29% for the home side. Offsides were telling too, with Celje flagged five times and Slovan none, a sign of the away team’s direct runs against a high line. Sofascore’s team average also tilted blue, 7.59 to 7.06, reflecting Slovan’s overall control even as the scoreboard stayed level.

Tigran Barseghyan’s MVP performance

On a night with few clear gaps between the teams, Tigran Barseghyan separated himself with an excellent all-round display and a Sofascore Rating of 8.2. The Slovan captain created seven key chances, including one big chance, and delivered four accurate crosses from six. He won eight duels, drew four fouls, and still found time to recover seven balls, showing real two-way work. His distribution held up under pressure with 20 accurate passes from 29 and steady involvement in the final third. Barseghyan left on 84 minutes to deserved applause after driving Slovan’s best moments.

There were other strong showings, though none at the MVP level. Cristian Martínez posted a 7.6 with an assist and another big chance created, a tidy return from the right side. At the back, Svetozar Marković recorded a 7.2 with six clearances and two blocks to steady late spells. For Celje, scorer Milot Avdyli led the visitors at 7.3, while goalkeeper Žan-Luk Leban landed a 7.2 for composure and distribution under pressure. Mario Kvesić’s 7.0 reflected neat link play and the assist on Celje’s equalizer.

Where the battle was won and lost

Slovan’s back line pushed high and circulated the ball well, with Kenan Bajrić completing 68 of 76 passes and carrying forward with purpose. Marković complemented him with six clearances and two blocks, which mattered when Celje countered. On the flanks, Sandro Cruz mixed four tackles and six clearances with progressive passing, even if one error led to a shot. In midfield, Peter Pokorný’s eight recoveries and 44 accurate passes helped tilt the second half in Slovan’s favor. The hosts also won 11 of 19 tackles overall, a 58% success that kept Celje’s transitions in check.

Celje’s center-backs logged heavy touches and steady passing in tight spots. Hrka finished 66 of 75 passes and Tutyškinas completed 62 of 74 with four interceptions. Captain Mark Zabukovnik chipped in with 50 accurate passes and crucial clearances late on. Celje’s 35 clearances and 14 interceptions were not just busywork, they were survival tools as Slovan racked up 58 final-third entries. The away side’s issue was timing up front, evidenced by five offsides that robbed them of promising breaks.

Second-half tweaks and what it means for the tie

Yaya Touré’s Slovan rejigged the frontline around the hour with Alasana Yirajang and later Andraž Šporar introduced to chase a winner. The hosts maintained width and supply, sending in 21 crosses and finding five on target in the second half alone. Celje’s response was to tighten the middle and freshen the attack with Benjamin Verbič and Andrej Kotnik. That brought two on-target attempts from Kotnik but did not swing the flow. Slovan still finished with more passes after the break, 260 to 198, and more possession.

Despite that tilt, Leban’s goal was rarely open thanks to excellent positioning in front of him. Celje’s lines dropped to protect the point and it worked, even if the shot count stayed against them. Slovan will feel they left something out there given two big chances, 25 touches in the box and a 4-0 corner edge. Celje will counter that they were clinical with their best move and disciplined without the ball. The tie remains finely balanced, and you can track every second leg twist on Sofascore with live momentum, heatmaps and each player’s Sofascore Rating.