Honvéd hold frustrated Sturm

SK Sturm Graz had to settle for a goalless first-leg draw, giving their resilient Hungarian visitors a slight advantage in their quest for a UEFA Cup second qualifying round berth.

Early chance
The match was played at a high tempo from the outset with both sides able to create a number of good chances but goals were to prove the only aspect missing on the night. The first real opening of the game fell to the hosts' Marco Stankovic after just 14 minutes but his lob, which beat the goalkeeper, landed frustratingly on the crossbar.

Opportunities spurned
Budapest Honvéd FC then took control of proceedings and they had particularly good chances to go in front through both Attila Dobos and Guie Gneki Abraham in a two-minute spell but neither effort was to produce a breakthough. With seven minutes to go until the break, Sturm launched another dangerous attack but Slovakian midfielder Peter Hlinka was equally unable to make use of his opportunity.

Hosts' dominate
From the beginning of the second half, it was the hosts who were to take charge once again and they searched determinedly for a decisive goal but Mario Haas, Jakob Jantscher and Stankovic all failed to put away their chances. Honvéd found themselves being forced back into defensive areas as the match wore on but they managed to hang on to the result thanks to a rugged team performance.