Bosnian clubs close to unlikely hat-trick

Bosnia-Herzegovina can dream of a three-pronged assault on the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round with FK Sarajevo, NK Široki Brijeg and FK Slavija Sarajevo well-placed to progress.

Footholds
With the second qualifying round concluding on Thursday, all three sides have cause for optimism. Sarajevo lead 1-0 as they travel to Slovakia to take on FC Spartak Trnava; Slavija are at home to last season's UEFA Champions League group stage contenders Aalborg BK having drawn 0-0 in Denmark; while a 2-1 loss at Austria's SK Sturm Graz has left Široki Brijeg with a chance of victory in the return leg.

'We can win'
Široki Brijeg's enthusiasm may be tempered by the fact they slumped 1-0 on home soil to FC Banants in the first qualifying round, having won 2-0 in Armenia. However, coach Ivica Barbarić is holding on to the promise suggested by Mario Ljubić's 67th-minute goal in Graz last week. Barbarić said: "Our guests from Austria are still the favourites, even at our place, but if we repeat our second-half performance over there we can win."

Goalkeeping hero
Goalkeeper Mladen Lučić took much of the credit for earning Slavija a clean sheet at AaB, in a game in which even a low-scoring defeat would have represented a good outcome. The success was all the sweeter given the club have lost two of their standout players this summer, with striker Darko Spalević joining FK Olimpik Sarajevo and Vlastimir Jovanović now at Manisaspor.

'One goal needed'
Captain Bojan Regoje accepts that Slavija remain outsiders to advance to a meeting with Slovakia's MFK Košice, yet the prospect of another European tie is tantalisingly close. "We got a good result in Aalborg, and only need one goal to reach the third qualifying round," said the defender. "This will be a tough assignment for the team at our Koševo Stadium. If we are to win, we'll have to be careful and patient in our play."