New Saints boss Craig Harrison believes his team’s Champions League draw with Cypriots Apoel Nicosia is their best result since he joined the Welsh club.
Harrison, the Llansantffraid club’s director of football, was delighted with his side’s gutsy 0-0 draw at Park Hall on Tuesday night.
The result keeps the tie in the balance before the Welsh Premier champions go to Cyprus for the return leg next Tuesday. A victory or score draw there would take the New Saints into the third qualifying round of the tournament – just one step away from the group stages.
Harrison, who joined the New Saints in 2012, said: “I think that’s the best team performance since I’ve been here.
“We want to win and I’m a big winner but sometimes it’s not about the actual result, it’s about the performance. Everyone did their job exactly how we prepared them to.”
The home side delivered a solid defensive display against a club who have reached the Champions League group stages three times.
If the New Saints can repeat the trick next week, then they will go into a round that will include possible ties against the likes of Ajax, Olympiacos, Monaco and Anderlecht.
Saints comfortably beat minnows Tre Penne of San Marino 5-1 on aggregate in the first qualifying round, but they had to defend for long periods against Apoel Nicosia.
Phil Baker was rock solid in the heart of the backline as he made his 30th European start, a record for a Welsh Premier player.
Apoel Nicosia enjoyed the bulk of territory and possession as they forced the Welsh domestic treble winners deep, but clear-cut opportunities were in short supply.
The New Saints: P Harrison, Marriott, Rawlinson, Baker, Pryce, Routledge, Edwards (Sergeant 35), Cieslewicz (Parry 88), Brobel (Williams 72), Mullan, Quigley. Subs not used: Mullock, Saunders, Draper, Darlington.
Apoel Nicosia: Waterman, Milanov, Carlao, Astiz, Alexandrou, De Vincenti, Efrem (Aloneftis 82), Vinicius (Orlandi 70), Morais, Vander, Soteriou. Subs not used. Artymatas, Bressan, Pardo, Merkis, Sergio.
