Borac Banja Luka will host Moldova’s Petrocub in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round on Thursday, with kick-off scheduled for 8:30 p.m.
Petrocub Hîncești is a relatively young club, founded in 1999, but has emerged as one of Moldova’s leading teams in recent years. The club has won two league titles in the past three seasons, ending Sheriff Tiraspol’s long-standing domestic dominance.
Like Borac, Petrocub was eliminated in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. After drawing 1-1 at home against Albania’s Egnatia, the Moldovan champions suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat in the return leg.
Despite that result, Petrocub remains a well-organized side built around domestic players, including several Moldovan internationals, according to Ivan Dokić, goalkeeper of Zimbru Chișinău.
“I watched the first match against Egnatia, and everyone was surprised Petrocub didn’t win by two or three goals. They dominated the game but then exposed all of their weaknesses in Albania, where Egnatia punished them efficiently,” Dokić said.
He described Petrocub as a disciplined team with a clear tactical identity.
“They are extremely well organized, always have a plan, and stick to it throughout the match. Set pieces are their greatest strength—they devote a lot of attention to them and have won many matches that way. Their biggest threat comes from the wings, where physically strong players constantly support both defense and attack. They will look to create chances for striker Popescu, who is very difficult to mark.”
At the same time, Dokić believes Borac has the quality to advance.
“Borac certainly has its chances. Anyone who follows the club and knows its European history hopes they will progress because, individually, Borac has the stronger squad,” he said.
The Moldovan league began earlier than most European domestic competitions, with four rounds already completed. Last weekend Petrocub lost 3-2 at home to Sheriff Tiraspol. The club plays its European fixtures in Chișinău rather than at its home stadium in Hîncești.
Petrocub reached the UEFA Conference League league stage two seasons ago and has continued to establish itself as one of Moldova’s most stable clubs.
“They know exactly what they are doing and continue to grow every year. The club has a very good organizational structure and reinvests its European earnings wisely. Salaries are not particularly high, but they are always paid on time, while performance bonuses are substantial. The squad has remained together for a long period, with only a few carefully selected young talents and experienced domestic players added each season. That continuity was one of the key reasons they won the league title,” Dokić said.
Borac enters the tie as the favorite, but the team from Banja Luka will need to avoid underestimating Petrocub, especially with the return leg set to be played in Moldova.
Source: RTRS
