To wrap this up before the next round
Europa Conference League 2nd Qualifying Round, 2nd leg
Teams in CAPITALS (except PAOK) through to ECLQ3
_ = unseeded team (Champions Path)
* = seeded team (Main Path)
July 26
Champions Path
Lincoln Red Imps FC (GIB) v FC TOBOL (KAZ) 0-1 (0-1), 0-3 on aggregate
(To+ii-c 31')
Who knew that Zoran To+ii-c - five matches for Manchester United, almost 250 for
CSKA Moscow - had decided to spend the twilight of his career in Kazakhstan?
I certainly didn't, but there he was, heading in Tobol's winner from a corner kick.
With this result, Gibraltar are slipping back among the Bottom Five associations
in the UEFA ranking and will lose a starter. It's been a good ride though.
The New Saints FC (WAL) v KF V|iKINGUR (ISL) 0-0 (0-0), 0-2 on aggregate
A bit disappointing for the Saints to be completely eliminated this early. Wales
are on the hot seat just outside the Bottom Five now, and will have to hope that
the remaining North Macedonian teams (Shkupi and Shk|2ndija) don't go on a run. KF BALLKANI (KOS) v SP La Fiorita (SMR)_ 6-0 (2-0), 10-0 on aggregate
(Rrahmani 6', 8', 69', Abazi 73', 90'+1, Krasniqi 75';
Red Card: Romagna (Fio) 57')
On the other hand, it's been quite some time that the Kosovan teams don't have to worry about finishing among the Bottom Five anymore. La Fiorita were a kind draw, too.
July 27
Champions Path
Inter Club d'Escaldes (AND)_ v FC CFR CLUJ (ROM) 1-1 (1-0), 1-4 on aggregate (Soldevila 21'; Deac 51' (pen); Red Cards: Lima (Esc) 61', Rubio (Esc) 90'+3) Qualification to the next round was never in danger, but really, a draw against what were in the end nine Andorrans? Nice throw-in to create Inter Escaldes's opener:
https://gfycat.com/idolizedacidicbedlingtonterrier
With this result Andorra became the first association to have all teams eliminated. Despite some decent results it's actually been a subpar European 'season' (well, couple of weeks) for them.
K|i (FAR) v FK Sutjeska (MNE) 1-0 (0-0), 1-0 on aggregate
(Klettskard 66')
Yay, the Faroes are still in with a chance of reaching a first ever ECL group phase. Quite unsurprisingly, the decisive goal came courtesy of a header from a corner kick.
Main Path
AIK (SWE) v FC Vorskla Poltava (UKR)* 2-0 aet (1-0, 1-0), 4-3 on aggregate (Mendes 45'+3, Bj||rnstr||m 107')
So for once Poltava didn't spell disaster for Sweden. AIK right-back Joe Mendes levelled the overall score with a deflected shot in the last seconds of stoppage
time of the first half, but despite a row of opportunities the Swedes couldn't find the second that would have spared them an additional thirty minutes. Extra time was more even, but AIK got the slightly controversial winner when after a corner kick another deflected shot was parried by Vorskla keeper Riznyk, but as it appeared just behind the goal line. Of course, Goal Line Technology isn't obligatory in the poor little Conference League.
FC Gomel (BLR) v ARIS THESSALONIKI FC (GRE) 1-2 (0-1), 2-7 on aggregate (Gogolashvili 82' (pen); Gray 45', 90'+3)
Poor homeless Gomel didn't even get a coefficient point for Belarus as in the third minute of stoppage time they ran into a counter attack at the end of which
Andre Gray tapped in Juan Iturbe's cross.
July 28
Champions Path
FCI Levadia (EST)_ v HIBERNIANS FC (MLT) 1-1 (0-0), 3-4 on aggregate
(|oigus 79'; Apap 78')
Ferdinando Apap headed in a corner kick, and even though Levadia immediately equalised thanks to Brazilian in the Baltics Liliu's single-mindedness:
https://gfycat.com/PowerlessSelfishBarnacle it was not enough to overcome the first-leg deficit. Major disappointment for Estonia, and a big step for Malta towards a first-ever group stage.
FC Dinamo Batumi (GEO) v KKS LECH POZNA+a (POL) 1-1 (0-0), 1-6 on aggregate (Vatsadze 64'; Czerwi+aski 76')
At least a coefficient point for the Georgians, but what a disappointing European season.
H+aK ZRINJSKI MOSTAR (BIH) v KF Tirana (ALB) 3-2 (0-0), 4-2 on aggregate (Jankovi-c 25', Ti-iinovi-c 36', -au++e 80'; Ismailgeci 51', Xhixha 83') Bosnia's chances of reaching a first-ever group phase are also still alive. Young Dinamo Zagreb loanee Niko Jankovi-c opened the scoring with a great shot from distance, and fellow Croatian Mario Ti-iinovi-c, formerly of Nordsj|alland,
made it two by volleying in Ivan Juki-c's cross at the far post. The Albanian champions pulled one back after the break thanks to their young captain
Marsel Ismailgeci converting Taulant Seferi's through ball, but Mario -au++e, another Dinamo Zagreb loanee, decided the tie for good after the Albanian defence had lost the ball in front of their own area. Redon Xhixha's late goal from a free-kick didn't change anything.
Main Path
FC Astana (KAZ)* v RKS RAK|oW CZ-ySTOCHOWA (POL) 0-1 (0-1), 0-6 on aggregate (Kocherhin 16')
I think it's safe to say that Astana's days as a European group stage regular are definitely over. Rak||w had already hit the woodwork twice before Ukrainian international Vladyslav Kocherhin got the early winner.
Q+Ob+Ol+O FK (AZE) v FEH|eRV|UR FC (HUN)* 2-1 (1-1), 3-5 on aggregate
(Muradov 34', Felipe Santos 73'; Zivzivadze 44')
A little anxiety crept in when R||vlan Muradov reduced the Azeri's aggregate deficit to two goals and Lo|>c N|-go sent a Feh|-rv|ir penalty high and wide, but
just three minutes after that miss a precise shot by Georgian striker Budu Zivzivadze calmed Hungarian nerves. Brazilian in the East Felipe Santos's solo run came too late.
PAIDE LINNAMEESKOND (EST)* v FC Ararat-Armenia (ARM) 0-0 aet (0-0, 0-0), 0-0 on aggregate, Paide win 5-3 on penalties
Second shoot-out win in a row for Paide's 'City Team' (the meaning of Linna- Meeskond), but against Anderlecht it will surely be the end of the line. Ararat's Colombian winger Jonathan Duarte was the only one to see his penalty saved.
KISV|URDA FC (HUN) v FC Kairat (KAZ)* 1-0 (1-0), 2-0 on aggregate
(Me+ianovi-c 39')
First ever European match in Kisv|irda, the closest international football will come to Ukraine's borders at the moment. Bosnian striker Jasmin Me+ianovi-c, who
has already played in the Champions League with Maribor, headed in the winner from Bence |utv||s's cross.
Like Astana, Kairat have fallen on harder times recently, with their owner and president temporarily arrested as a kind of collateral damage of the Tokayev/ Nazarbayev power struggles in the country.
FC Milsami Orhei (MDA) v KUPS (FIN)* 1-4 (1-1), 3-6 on aggregate
(G|<nsari 45'+2; Gabriel Bispo 27', T. Miettinen 53', Carrillo 88',
Valen-ii-i 90'+1)
In the first half the Moldavians for the third time in this tie managed to come back from a goal down as Radu G|<nsari tapped in a free-kick to cancel out Brazilian in the North Gabriel Bispo's hooked volley:
https://gfycat.com/impartialtangiblegermanshorthairedpointer but they had no more response after the break to Tony Miettinen's header from a corner. Late on Kuopio added two on the break through Venezuelan international Daniel Carillo and Slovenian journeyman Filip Valen-ii-i.
Maccabi Netanya FC (ISR) v -#STANBUL BA+RAK+REHIR FK (TUR)* 0-1 (0-1), 1-2 on aggregate
(Ndayishimiye 9')
Burundi international Youssouf Ndayishimiye headed in a corner kick early on, and despite some excellent chances on both sides, not the least of which a header for the Israeli in the sixth minute of stoppage time that scraped the crossbar, that was enough for the Turkish favourites to go through.
IF Elfsborg (SWE) v MOLDE FK (NOR)* 1-2 (1-0), 2-6 on aggregate
(Baidoo 40'; Breivik 54', Fofana 83')
A nice team goal that started with Alexander Bernhardsson's solo run and ended with Ghanaian midfielder Michael Baidoo sweeping in gave the Swedes a tiny bit of hope:
https://gfycat.com/bountifulinsidioushatchetfish but Emil Breivik's shot beat Elfsborg keeper R||nning at his near post and late on Ivorian striker Datro Fofana made sure that no coefficient points remained in Sweden after collecting Ola Brynhildsen's excellent long ball on the break:
https://gfycat.com/FormalLittleFrilledlizard
FK Radni-iki (SRB)* v G++IRA UNITED FC (MLT) 3-3 aet (1-1, 2-2), 5-5 on aggregate,
G++ira win 3-1 on penalties
(Tolordava 15', Petrov 77', Pejovi-c 102' (pen); Jefferson 15', 90'+4,
Maxuell Samurai 117')
Three years after they famously eliminated Hajduk Split another ex-Yugoslavian scalp for the Maltese. Georgian centre-back Anton Tolordava gave Radni-iki the early lead from a corner kick, but Jefferson, who had already featured (and scored) for G++ira in their win over Hajduk, immediately equalised with a powerful volley:
https://gfycat.com/PrestigiousChubbyKoalabear The Serbians must
have thought they'd won it when Sava Petrov wriggled his way past three defenders:
https://gfycat.com/coordinatedcolorfulcoelacanth but deep in stoppage time Jefferson finished off a simple route one attack to force the game to extra time. The team from Ni+i took the lead once more thanks to a clear-
cut penalty, but once again G++ira's Brazilians came to the rescue, with Jefferson laying the ball off for Maxuell Samurai who left Tolordava in the dust
and fired past Radni-iki keeper Dujmovi-c:
https://gfycat.com/kaleidoscopicwearyappaloosa
In the shootout the rattled Serbians hit the woodwork twice, and Petrov saw his decisive effort saved by G++ira's Croatian keeper Radeli-c-++arkov.
APOEL FC (CYP)* v PFK Botev (BUL) 2-0 (1-0), 2-0 on aggregate
(Chebake 45'+1, Efrem 90'+3)
Disappointing for the Bulgarians, as a deflected shot by Moroccan right-back Issam Chebake proved decisive. Very late on APOEL's veteran winger Georgios Efrem sent a clever free-kick through a hole in the Botev wall:
https://gfycat.com/capitalpositiveladybug
NEFT|cI PFK (AZE)* v Aris Limassol FC (CYP) 3-0 (1-0), 3-2 on aggregate
(Donyoh 38', Eddy 57', Saief 62'; Red Card: Brown (Ari) 82')
Ghanaian Man City academy product Godsway Donyoh raced clear on the break and turned Aris's Cape Verdean captain Delmiro inside out before firing past their Brazilian keeper Van|i:
https://gfycat.com/DemandingPleasantDipper Angolan-Azeri-
Spanish midfielder Eddy headed in a corner kick to make it two, and soon after Neft|oi took the aggregate lead thanks to US Boy Kenny Saief's excellent shot from distance. The Cypriots didn't manage to fight back, and late on their English rightback Morgan Brown, a Leicester City academy alumnus, got himself sent off with a second booking.
PFC CSKA-SOFIA (BUL)* v FK Makedonija ||or-ie Petrov (MKD) 4-0 (1-0), 4-0 on aggregate
(Mattheij 31', Yomov 61', Tufegd++i-c 78', Nazon 87')
After their poor first leg, a convinving win for the Bulgarians. CSKA-'s Dutch centre-back Jurgen Mattheij volleyed in after a corner kick, Georgi Yomov finished off a route-one attack, Serbian midfielder Lazar Tufegd++i-c turned in the rebound after a header by Brazilian in the East Maur|!cio Garcez had come off
the crossbar, and Haitian international Duckens Nazon got the fourth from a goalmouth scramble, again after a corner kick.
NK Olimpija Ljubljana (SLO)* v ACS SEPSI OSK SF|eNTU GHEORGHE (ROM) 2-0 aet (0-0, 2-0), 3-3 on aggregate, Sepsi win 4-2 on penalties
(Kvesi-c 61', Krefl 70')
Mario Kvesi-c volleyed in a cross:
https://gfycat.com/exaltedselfreliantlark and
left-back Alja++ Krefl stole in at the far post to turn in Timi El+inik's insidious inswinging ball as Olimpija did just enough to take the tie to extra time and penalties. In the shootout though both Mustafa Nuki-c and Ivan Prtajin missed from the spot while the Hungarian Romanians converted all their efforts. LILLESTR|yM SK (NOR) v SJK (FIN)* 5-2 (2-1), 6-2 on aggregate
(Mathew 23', Fri|#j||nsson 42', 56', 61', R||sler 85'; Laine 31', Rojas 90'+1) Yet another convincing performance from a Norwegian team. Nigerian Ifeanyi Mathew, for many years a mainstay in Lillestr|+m's midfield, swept in the opener,
and even though Malaysian-Finn Nooa Laine soon managed to get Sein|njoki's equaliser with a curving shot on the break, the tie was decided by a hat trick from Icelandic striker H||lmbert Aron Fri|#j||nsson, in Norway on loan from Holstein Kiel, and with all three goals coming from crosses. Uwe R||sler's son Colin, a Norwegian youth international, then also got on the scoresheet, and likewise from a cross. In stoppage time SJK's Chilean midfielder Diego Rojas got
a consolation goal as he punished a mistake by Mads Christiansen by lobbing over
the LSK keeper.
SK SLAVIA PRAHA (CZE)* v St Joseph's FC (GIB) 7-0 (4-0), 11-0 on aggregate (Olayinka 18', 29', Jure-ika 20', Fila 34', Ti|-hi 49', Ewerton 90'+3,
Traor|- 90'+4)
Great free-kick by Ivorian midfielder Christ Ti|-hi for the 5-0:
https://gfycat.com/KindheartedHeavyAmericantoad but was it really necessary to score twice in injury time to make it aggregate double digits?
Newtown AFC (WAL) v FC SPARTAK TRNAVA (SLK)* 1-2 (1-0), 2-6 on aggregate
(A. Williams 35' (pen); +atef|inik 73', Bukata 79')
A couple of Spartak first team players had trouble with getting a UK visa,
and Aaron Williams's handball penalty made things a little bit difficult for them, but late on the Slovakians caught Newtown twice on the break and so made sure that the last Welsh team went out without any more coefficient points. VIBORG FF (DEN) v FK S+2duva (LTU)* 1-0 (1-0), 2-0 on aggregate
(Said 1')
That's how you take advantage of a dream draw - without breaking a sweat. Nigerian winger Ibrahim Said got the winner after 17 seconds.
RIGA FC (LAT)* v MFK Ru++omberok (SLK) 2-1 (1-0), 5-1 on aggregate
(Babec 39', Soisalo 58'; Maslo 53' (pen))
Riga's record signing Hrvoje Babec got on the scoresheet by heading in a corner kick by Mikael Soisalo, and just after J|in Maslo had equalised from the spot, it was the Finnish international who headed in a cross himself, delivered by his Congolese teammate Ngonda Muzinga.
DJURG|aRDENS IF (SWE) v HNK Rijeka (CRO)* 2-0 (0-0), 4-1 on aggregate
(Hien 55', Banda 84')
Isak Hien rifled in a loose ball:
https://gfycat.com/FakeGlisteningGrouper and his Zambian teammate Emmanuel Banda got the second with a precise shot from just
outside the box:
https://gfycat.com/UnluckyExaltedBongo to give DIF an easy win over a Rijeka side that's still in disarray.
VIKING FK (NOR) v AC Sparta Praha (CZE)* 2-1 (1-1), 2-1 on aggregate
(Vevatne 45', Traor|- 90'+2; Zelen|+ 42')
Definitely a surprise, and continuing Norway's good European moment.
But what a way to lose a European tie in the 92nd minute:
https://gfycat.com/GlisteningColorfulAlbatross
FC FCSB (ROM)* v FC Saburtalo (GEO) 4-2 (1-0), 4-3 on aggregate
(Dawa 44', Edjouma 55', Coman 80', Radunovi-c 87' (pen); Sikharulidze 69', Tabatadze 78'; Red Card: Cordea (FCSB) 90'+4)
Have I written before that the Georgian teams just can't catch a break in Europe? For two minutes Saburtalo even managed to take the aggregate lead thanks
to Irakli Sikharulidze's bullet header and Iuri Tabatadze's well-placed volley on the break, but Florin Coman's header and a clumsy penalty turned the tie around again, even though Andrei Cordea got sent off in stoppage time for grabbing the neck of an opponent.
With this result, all four Georgian teams have already been eliminated, the highest-ranked nation where that's the case.
MACCABI TEL AVIV FC (ISR)* v Zir+O FK (AZE) 0-0 (0-0), 3-0 on aggregate
Always good when you're able to save your energy in these early qualifiers.
CS UNIVERSITATEA CRAIOVA (ROM)* v KF Vllaznia (ALB) 3-0 (0-0), 4-1 on aggregate (Mateiu 58', Ra||l Silva 62', G-aman 80')
After last year's disaster, a much better showing by CSU against Albanian opposition. A great shot by Alexandru Mateiu:
https://gfycat.com/GlaringVariableGrunion and two goals from headers did the job.
Romania is the lowest-ranked association that still has all its starters left (again, apart from Liechtenstein).
PAOK FC (GRE)* v PFC LEVSKI SOFIA (BUL) 1-1 (0-1), 1-3 on aggregate
(Dantas 56'; Ronaldo 25'; Red Cards: Douglas Augusto (PAOK) 72',
Vieirinha (PAOK) 81')
21-year-old Brazilian in the East Ronaldo, formerly of Bahia, scored the first goal for his new club by latching on to Lefteris Lyratzis's bad back pass:
https://gfycat.com/PitifulEverlastingFanworms Benfica loanee Tiago Dantas equalised in a somewhat similar fashion when a contested ball suddenly broke through the Bulgarian defensive line:
https://gfycat.com/MeatySecondhandAlaskanmalamute but after that all that the Greek favourites managed to collect were second bookings.
KS Lechia Gda+ask (POL) v SK RAPID WIEN (AUT)* 1-2 (0-2), 1-2 on aggregate (Zwoli+aski 82'; K|+hn 16', Grill 18' (pen))
Yet again not a very convincing performance by Rapid, to put it mildly, but
a couple of days later nobody cares how lucky the win was as long as you went through. New arrival from Bayern II Nicolas-Gerrit K|+hn, who has looked like quite a good signing so far, got the opener with a deflected shot, and two minutes later Rapid were awarded a penalty even though the foul on Guido Burgstaller probably occurred just outside the box. +Uukasz Zwoli+aski's tap-in came too late for Lechia as Rapid somewhat shakily held on to the result. -aAMRUN SPARTANS FC (MLT)* v FK Vele++ Mostar (BIH) 1-0 (1-0), 2-0 on aggregate (Jonny 15')
As in the first leg, Congolese striker Elvis Mashike provided the assist for the winning goal, this time to the Spartans' new Brazilian striker Jonny.
Quite unbelievably, all three remaining Maltese teams have made it through to the next round.
FC Dinamo Minsk (BLR) v HAPOEL BE'ER SHEVA FC (ISR)* 0-1 (0-0), 1-3 on aggregate
(Hatuel 85')
As has become the norm for Belarusian teams, both matches in this tie have been played in the same location, with the 'home' leg behind closed doors. Still, Be'er Sheva also won the second match in their stadium thanks to substitute Rotem Hatuel's late header following a gaffe by Dinamo keeper Khatkevich. KONYASPOR (TUR) v FC BATE Borisov (BLR)* 2-0 (2-0), 5-0 on aggregate (Rahmanovi-c 37', Calvo 43'; Red Card: |cikalleshi (Kon) 74')
Bosnian midfielder Amar Rahmanovi-c opened the scoring with a great turn-and- volley and Costa Rica international and long-time MLS centre-back Francisco Calvo headed in the second.
I think it's safe to say that BATE's days as a European group stage regular
are also definitely over.
BSC YOUNG BOYS (SUI)* v FK Liep-Uja (LAT) 3-0 (2-0), 4-0 on aggregate
(Nsame 2' (pen), Rrudhani 41', Niasse 72')
Jean-Pierre Nsame's early penalty calmed Swiss nerves, Kosovo international Donat Rrudhani made it two from Nsame's clever feed, and Senegalese youngster Cheikh Niasse added the third with a deflected shot that curved over Liep-Uja keeper Zviedris:
https://gfycat.com/InfatuatedAgonizingAxolotl
N+a Mura (SLO)* v ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC FC (IRL) 0-0 aet (0-0, 0-0), 1-1 on aggregate, St Patrick's win 6-5 on penalties
(Red Card: Maru+iko (Mur) 71')
Mostly one-way football towards the Irish net, even down to ten men, but the Saints held on for 120 minutes and in the shootout Tio Cipot sent the decisive penalty high and wide.
St Pat's > Mura > Tottenham?
BR|yNDBY IF (DEN)* v MKS Pogo+a Szczecin (POL) 4-0 (2-0), 5-1 on aggregate (Hedlund 17' (pen), 33', Kvistgaarden 52', Divkovi-c 62')
Easy win for the Danes thanks to an early penalty, a terrible square pass by Pogo+a's Portuguese left-back Lu|!s Mata right into the legs of Simon Hedlund:
https://gfycat.com/CompleteCandidHarlequinbug Mathias Kvistgaarden's shot through the legs of Pogo+a's Croatian keeper Dante Stipica:
https://gfycat.com/GenuineSilverInsect and excellent ball control by Stipica's compatriot Marko Divkovi-c:
https://gfycat.com/KaleidoscopicFirsthandAndeancondor
SLIGO ROVERS FC (IRL) v Motherwell FC (SCO)* 2-0 (1-0), 3-0 on aggregate (Blaney 4', Mata 90'+1)
Shane Blaney scored an absolutely smashing free-kick:
https://juststream.live/HelsinkiBedclothesSchedulers
and late on Sligo's Kiwi Max Mata added another on the break to guarantee a fully deserved qualification to the next round for the midtable League of Ireland team.
This reminds me a lot of Kilmarnock's exit three years ago against Connah Quay's
Nomads from Wales. I'm not certain which league has the bigger drop-off in quality behind the Top Two - Scotland or Serbia?
FC VADUZ (LIE)* v FC Koper (SLO) 1-1 aet (0-0, 0-1), 2-1 on aggregate
(Sasere 101'; Kotnik 88'; Red Card: Fosso (Vad) 115')
An absolutely dismal European week for the Slovenian teams - they are now the highest-ranked country to have already lost three of their four teams - ended with this disappointment in Liechtenstein. Two minutes from time Andrej Kotnik curled a shot into the far corner to deservedly level the aggregate score, but in extra time Nigerian striker Franklin Sasere headed in a free-kick by former Sturm Graz midfielder Kristijan Dobras.
KF Drita (KOS) v ROYAL ANTWERP FC (BEL)* 0-2 (0-0), 0-2 on aggregate
(Krasniqi 53', Balikwisha 90'+8)
Drita were again a tough nut to crack until it was a Kosovar that broke the deadlock - youngster Laurit Krasniqi headed in his first goal for the senior team from Manuel Benson's cross. Deep in stoppage time Belgian U-21 forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha beat Drita keeper Maloku with a quite outrageous lob after the Kosovars had broken up a counter-attack but had then failed to clear the ball.
KF La|oi (ALB)* v FC PETROCUB H|ANCE+yTI (MDA) 1-4 (1-0), 1-4 on aggregate (Mazrekaj 38'; Cotogoi 54', Ambros 74', 75', Cojocaru 90'+3)
The Albanians appeared to have everything under control in the first half as Mentor Mazrekaj surprised Petrocub keeper Avram with a toe-poked shot, but they fell apart in the second 45 minutes. Corneliu Cotogoi headed in Ioan-C-alin Revenco's cross, Petrocub captain Vladimir Ambros scored twice on the counter, and Maxim Cojocaru added a stoppage time goal, also on the break.
All three remaining Albanian teams went out with defeats, a really bad European season for them. On the other hand, a nice success for Petrocub (the name of their main sponsor, a petrol station chain, by the way) and their almost exclusively Moldovan squad.
FK -iUKARI-iKI (SRB)* v Racing FC Union Luxembourg (LUX) 4-0 (0-0), 8-1 on aggregate
(Badamosi 39', 41', Ivanovi-c 52', Spasojevi-c 73')
No chance for the Luxembourgers in the return leg either. Gambian international Muhammed Badamosi got a brace with a goal on the break and a header from a corner kick, -Eor-ae Ivanovi-c volleyed in a loose ball, likewise after a corner,
and Mihajlo Spasojevi-c punished comical defending by Racing centre-back Pit Simon:
https://gfycat.com/LittleAngelicGelada
KF SHK|iNDIJA (MKD)* v Valmiera FC (LAT) 3-1 (2-1), 5-2 on aggregate
(Bejtulai 11', Doriev 33', Ramadani 85'; Murata 25'; Red Card: Murata (Val) 67')
As written above - a couple more similarly good performances by Shkupi and Shk|2ndija, and North Macedonia have a reasonable chance of escaping the bottom five, at Wales's expense.
NK Osijek (CRO)* v FC KYZYLZHAR SK (KAZ) 0-2 (0-0), 2-3 on aggregate
(Ivaniadze 62', Kon|- 71')
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day. Kyzylzhar are third from the bottom halfway through the Kazakh season, and Kazakhstan's other European entries didn't exactly cover themselves with glory. So it was quite unexpected when their Georgian winger Giorgi Ivaniadze levelled the overall score with a shot from the edge of the box that surprised Osijek keeper Ivu+ii-c:
https://gfycat.com/disfiguredshrillanemonecrab and even more surprising when soon after the Ivorian Moussa Kon|- - eight Serie A matches with Atalanta under his belt - headed in the goal that sent the Croatians out:
https://gfycat.com/ViciousFatAfricanhornbill
Croatia are the highest-ranked country to have already lost two teams.
FK Budu-cnost Podgorica (MNE)* v BREI|EABLIK (ISL) 2-1 (0-0), 2-3 on aggregate (Jankovi-c 38', Ad++i-c 86'; |Rorvaldsson 51')
Good effort actually by Budu-cnost who took the deserved lead following a good move down the left wing, but a long ball by Viktor Karl Einarsson over the Montenegrin defence saw |isak |Rorvaldsson alone through on goal and he left Budu-cnost keeper Dragojevi-c no chance. This took the wind out of the Montenegrin
sails a bit, but Vladan Ad++i-c's header from a corner kick at least made for some
more excitement in the last couple of minutes.
With this the last Montenegrin team was eliminated. They're now second to last in the UEFA ranking.
FK Tuzla City (BIH) v AZ (NED)* 0-4 (0-1), 0-5 on aggregate
(De Wit 34', Pavlidis 61', Lahdo 63', De Jong 81')
Tuzla had managed to keep the result close in the first leg, but they were less convinving at home (well, they had to play in Sarajevo). Dani de Wit headed in a mishit volley by the young Norwegian H|Nkon Evjen:
https://gfycat.com/unfoldedappropriateamericanriverotter Greek forward Vangelis Pavlidis turned in De Wit's cross from close range, 19-year-old Swedish winger Mayckel Lahdo got the third by likewise turning in a Pavlidis cross and the similarly young Fedde de Jong in his first match for the senior team headed in a cross by the 18-year-old Hungarian Milos Kerkez:
https://gfycat.com/HoarseFewDarklingbeetle
SP Tre Fiori (SMR)* v B36 (FAR) 0-0 (0-0), 0-1 on aggregate
Best performance from a Sammarinese team by a mile, and perhaps ever, and they had their chances to level the tie, but in the end the Faroese managed to get the result they came for.
FC DAC 1904 (SLK)* v V|!kingur (FAR) 2-0 (2-0), 4-0 on aggregate
(Krstovi-c 26', Veselovsk|+ 34')
V|!kingur's young keeper B|ir|#ur |i Reynatr|+|# was first beaten by Nikola Krstovi-c's
deflected shot:
https://gfycat.com/NegligibleVigorousGoitered and then got a hand to Dominik Veselovsk|+'s effort, but couldn't keep it out:
https://gfycat.com/UnhealthyMisguidedCatbird
Crusaders FC (NIR) v FC BASEL 1893 (SUI)* 1-1 (0-1), 1-3 on aggregate
(Burns 53'; Millar 36')
Canadian striker Liam Millar scored with an excellent curling shot, but a very complacent Basel side deservedly conceded the equaliser and so gave the Northern
Irish at least a share of the coefficient points.
Pusk|is Akad|-mia FC (HUN) v VIT|oRIA SC (POR)* 0-0 (0-0), 0-3 on aggregate
No shots on goal is no good if you want to make up a three-goal deficit.
Draw for Europa Conference League 3rd Qualifying Round (August 4 and 11) Winners go to ECLPO
Champions Path
(no seeding)
V|!kingur (ISL) v KKS Lech Pozna+a (POL)
FK RFS (LAT) v Hibernians FC (MLT)
KF Ballkani (KOS) v K|i (FAR)
H+aK Zrinjski Mostar (BIH) v FC Tobol (KAZ)
FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR) v FC CFR Cluj (ROM)
Main Path
* = seeded team
FC Spartak Trnava (SLK) v RKS Rak||w Cz-Ostochowa (POL)*
AIK (SWE) v KF Shk|2ndija (MKD)*
Viking FK (NOR)* v Sligo Rovers FC (IRL)
Brei|#ablik (ISL) v -#stanbul Ba+fak+fehir FK (TUR)*
KuPS (FIN) v BSC Young Boys (SUI)*
Paide Linnameeskond (EST) v RSC Anderlecht (BEL)*
Viborg FF (DEN)* v B36 (FAR)
HNK Hajduk Split (CRO) v Vit||ria SC (POR)*
Br|+ndby IF (DEN) v FC Basel 1893 (SUI)*
Lillestr|+m SK (NOR) v Royal Antwerp FC (BEL)*
PFC CSKA-Sofia (BUL)* v St Patrick's Athletic FC (IRL)
Dundee United FC (SCO) v AZ (NED)*
APOEL FC (CYP)* v FC Kyzylzhar SK (KAZ)
FC DAC 1904 (SLK) v FC FCSB (ROM)*
Riga FC (LAT) v Gil Vicente FC (POR)*
Wolfsberger AC (AUT)* v G++ira United FC (MLT)
Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR)* v Aris Thessaloniki FC (GRE)
Molde FK (NOR)* v Kisv|irda FC (HUN)
Neft|oi PFK (AZE) v SK Rapid Wien (AUT)*
FC Lugano (SUI) v Hapoel Be'er Sheva FC (ISR)*
PFC Levski Sofia (BUL)* v -aamrun Spartans FC (MLT)
FC Twente (NED)* v FK -iukari-iki (SRB)
FC Zorya Luhansk (UKR)* v CS Universitatea Craiova (ROM)
FC Vaduz (LIE) v Konyaspor (TUR)*
ACS Sepsi OSK Sf|ontu Gheorghe (ROM) v Djurg|Nrdens IF (SWE)*
Feh|-rv|ir FC (HUN)* v FC Petrocub H|<nce+Oti (MDA)
SK Slavia Praha (CZE)* v Panathinaikos FC (GRE)
--
Ciao,
Werner
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* Origin: SportNet Gateway Site (24:150/2)