Champions League result: Martínez and Blackman start in Slovan Bratislava's draw against Celje

Panamanian footballers Cristian Martínez and César Blackman were in the starting lineup for Slovan Bratislava's 1-1 draw against NK Celje in the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds. The first-leg match took place at the Tehelné pole stadium.

Slovan Bratislava took the lead in the 15th minute, with Martínez playing a direct role in the goal. After receiving an incisive pass from Tigran Barseghyan, Martínez sent a cross from the byline, which Roman Čerepkai tapped in from close range for his debut goal with the first team. This marked a significant moment for the young player.

Despite having generated little offensive threat until that point, NK Celje managed to equalize five minutes before halftime. Milot Avdyli scored a spectacular goal, advancing into the penalty area and unleashing a curved right-footed shot into the upper corner. This goal extended the Slovenian team's scoring streak to 20 consecutive matches.

Individually, Martínez played 84 minutes and received a rating of 7.5 from Flashscore, while Blackman completed the full 90 minutes with a score of 6.7. The result leaves NK Celje with a chance to advance to the Champions League main draw for the first time, as Slovan Bratislava could not capitalize on their first-half dominance. The return leg is scheduled for next week in Slovenia.