Europa Conference League 2nd Qualifying Round, 1st legs
Winners go to ECLQ3

July 25

Champions Path
_ = unseeded team
Byes: Lincoln Red Imps FC (GIB) and FC Flora (EST)

Atlètic Club d'Escaldes (AND)_ v FK Partizani (ALB) 0-1 (0-0)
(Mba 53')

Atlètic's young Spanish keeper Saúl Gracia gifted Partizani's Nigerian forward
Christian Mba a goal: https://giphy.com/media/BzejBjupe4zjx5Am1k/giphy.gif
and in all likelihood so effectively killed off all Andorran hopes for a first
ever group phase.

The New Saints FC (WAL) v FC Swift Hesper (LUX) 1-1 (0-1)
(Holden 74'; Martins 14')

After a free-kick Portuguese left-back Simão Martins tapped in Paul Ayongo's cross
(the Ghanaian likewise has a past in Liga Portugal 2):
https://giphy.com/media/K7MiIAZdV3aqFlS8Td/giphy.gif
The Luxembourgers were clearly the better team, but TNS keeper Connor Roberts
saved Dominik Stolz's penalty, and Swift's French goalie Geordan Dupire probably
could have done better to keep out Rory Holden's hard but central shot:
https://giphy.com/media/4qlgA7LvcSRvlIWKxs/giphy.gif

Ħamrun Spartans FC (MLT) v FC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) 2-1 (0-0)
(Mbong 81', 90'+8; Marušić 60')

Following a free-kick Serbian midfielder Zoran Marušić rifled in a loose ball from
outside the box: https://giphy.com/media/R1iNuwAqZm6s6CHsIq/giphy.gif
but two late goals turned the match around - Joseph Mbong first headed in the
rebound after Dinamo keeper Loria had parried a free-kick by Ognjen Bjeličić:
https://giphy.com/media/0wcg6jRPlhFVMXikCQ/giphy.gif
and deep deep in stoppage time Mbong also volleyed in Ryan Camenzuli's cross:
https://giphy.com/media/ihFXiQt6nqe8QJUcbV/giphy.gif

Something something can't catch a break.

SP Tre Penne (SMR)_ v Valmiera FC (LAT) 0-3 (0-1)
(Mena 33', 54', Ndoye 47')

Two fine strikes by Colombian forward Camilo Mena and a header from a corner kick
by his Senegalese partner up front Alioune Ndoye destroyed all Sammarinese hopes
of an upset.

KF Ballkani (KOS) v Larne FC (NIR) 3-0 (2-0)
(Rrahmani 26' (pen), Kryeziu 33', Gripshi 67')

Albion Rrahmani converted a penalty awarded for Shaun Want (who had already scored
the decisive own goal in the CL qualifiers against HJK) going through the back of
Nazmi Gripshi, and soon after Almir Kryeziu ran onto Gripshi's through ball to
score Ballkani's second: https://giphy.com/media/xdpr7Jv40tlFBJWSKu/giphy.gif
Man of the match Gripshi got the third after the Northern Irish defence had lost
the ball to Rrahmani on the right wing.

Disappointing result for Larne, after having pushed the Finnish champions to the
brink of elimination in the previous round.

July 26

Champions Path
_ = unseeded team

FK Struga (MKD) v FK Budućnost Podgorica (MNE)_ 1-0 (1-0)
(Ibraimi 30')

The Montenegrin defence not for the first time lost a ball in a dangerous area in
front of their defence, allowing Marjan Radeski to slip a through ball to Besart
Ibraimi who had no problems beating Budućnost keeper Pavličić for the sole goal:
https://giphy.com/media/GEWHT69wsl5mwyROmH/giphy.gif

Main Path
* = seeded team

FK RFS (LAT)* v Sabah FK (AZE) 0-2 (0-1)
(Letić 22', Volkovi 56')

Successful European debut for Sabah ('tomorrow' in Azerbaijani), who were founded
in 2017 by the owner of an Azeri construction company, got promoted to the top
division the year after, and finished last season as runners-up, not far behind
Qarabağ. Sabah's Bosnian left-back Bojan Letić swept in a loose ball in the box
and Georgian striker Davit Volkovi nodded in from short range after RFS keeper
Šteinbors had parried a header by German journeyman Joy-Lance Mickels.

FC Midtjylland (DEN)* v FC Progrès Niederkorn (LUX) 2-0 (1-0)
(Dalsgaard 38', Kaba 59')

No surprises here, and that Progrès keeper Latik received a booking for time-
wasting after just twenty minutes should already tell you everything about this
match, but two goals from headers cracked the Luxembourgish defence.

FC CSKA 1948 Sofia (BUL) v FC FCSB (ROM)* 0-1 (0-1)
(Coman 28')

So there are two CSKA Sofia's in the competition https://i.imgflip.com/7tk6bw.jpg
but by UEFA law it's this one that's the new incarnation, and from what I gather
they've got a point. It's somewhat ironic that their European debut came against
a Steaua team that's no longer allowed to be called Steaua.
Florinel Coman got the only goal by volleying into the empty net after CSKA 1948
keeper Naumov had parried a shot by FCSB captain Darius Olaru:
https://giphy.com/media/x9NxYFF3RAZFEs5K2j/giphy.gif

FC Neman Grodno (BLR)* v Balzan FC (MLT) 2-0 (0-0)
(Savitski 54', Karpovich 85')

While BATE lost heavily on Cyprus in the CL qualifiers, unfancied Neman (who are
actually leading the Belarusian Vysheyshaya League at the moment), once again
playing in Gyirmót in the suburbs of Győr, got a valuable win against the Maltese
surprise team. Pavel Savitski rifled in a loose ball and late on Sergei Karpovich
punished Balzan on the break.

Fenerbahçe SK (TUR)* v FC Zimbru Chișinău (MDA) 5-0 (2-0)
(Kadıoğlu 11', Kent 14', Džeko 61', Szymański 63', King 88')

Unsurprisingly, Fener had little problem with a Zimbru side that had previously
struggled against Sammarinese opposition.
Ferdi Kadıoğlu sent a delightful looping shot into the far corner to start the
rout: https://giphy.com/media/VXmsTXVjBr6pE3h1hD/giphy.gif
Within a month and a half Edin Džeko had gone from starting in the Champions
League final to playing in a Europa Conference qualifier against Moldovans, but
Fenerbahçe's new captain did well to tee the ball up for another new arrival,
former Rangers winger Ryan Kent, to score the second:
https://giphy.com/media/WVJPPFvMUfH0K2Cx3k/giphy.gif
Džeko then tapped in Mert Hakan Yandaş's cross:
https://giphy.com/media/hmSaiWfdk1PQncDYVc/giphy.gif
and Polish midfielder Sebastian Szymański, also new in Fener's squad, ran onto
Džeko's through ball to score the fourth:
https://giphy.com/media/6FwFYtWsbGRy8G5azN/giphy.gif
Substitute Norwegian forward Joshua King added a late fifth with a deflected shot.

July 27
The matchday with the second-highest number of European games. Took a while to
wade through all this. The matchday with the most games will be next Thursday.

Champions Path

Ferencvárosi TC (HUN) v Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL) 4-0 (2-0)
(Sigér 16', Ramírez 32', Traoré 47', B. Varga 74')

As Stani Cherchesov was sacked following the loss against Klaksvík, Ferencváros
were led by interim manager Csaba Máté, and they showed a much better performance
against the Irish champions. Rovers keeper Alan Mannus made a complete mess out of
Dávid Sigér's hooked volley: https://giphy.com/media/0V3Gw2zI9t5eEXHxar/giphy.gif
former Ecuadorian international Cristian Ramírez, freshly back in Budapest after
a six-year stint in Russia, rifled in a shot from the edge of the area to make it
two; Adama Traoré headed in a Ramírez cross for the third, and Barnabás Varga
tapped into the empty net after Mannus had saved against Traoré on the break:
https://giphy.com/media/YmHk02guXGrBhu6Abv/giphy.gif

FCV Farul Constanța (ROM) v FC Urartu (ARM) 3-2 (2-2)
(Băluţă 27', Mazilu 45'+4, Larie 90'+5; Maksimenko 23', Zotko 38')

Artem Maksimenko scored the opener for the Armenians on the break, but straight
afterwards Urartu keeper Melikhov allowed Tudor Băluță's shot to go straight
through him: https://giphy.com/media/QDqN2GE1jfYDKxYixU/giphy.gif
Urartu might be one of few teams in the competition to have both Russian (like
Maksimenko and Melikhov) and Ukrainian players on the team, and Ivan Zotko, one
of the latter, gave the Armenians the lead again with a fierce free-kick that
likewise only stung the palms of Farul keeper Aioani on its way in:
https://giphy.com/media/erw7It31yj4B53aI2J/giphy.gif
17-year-old Gheorge Hagi Academy player Adrian Mazilu equalised again, with a
lovely curler: https://giphy.com/media/ZnjPNObrehmg27PjTr/giphy.gif
and at the very end of a less frantic second half Farul captain Ionuț Larie,
more than twice Mazilu's age, even got the winner with a drive into the bottom
corner of the net: https://giphy.com/media/2GyCMYhzvxAy7VfKfn/giphy.gif

Considering Farul's weakness away from home, this one is far from decided.

Main Path
* = seeded team

FC Ordabasy (KAZ) v Legia Warszawa (POL)* 2-2 (1-0)
(Sadovsky 13', Mbodj 48'; Pekhart 63', Kramer 86')

In a very open and entertaining match Vsevolod Sadovsky put the Kazakh league
leaders in front after just 12 minutes as Legia keeper Tobiasz was one step short
to keep out the Belarusian forward's lob:
https://giphy.com/media/GSeuJqsjtepU6ET4MT/giphy.gif
Ordabasy's new Senegalese centre-back Mamadou Mbodj, who's regularly popped up in
these reports in the last couple of years playing for the likes of Žalgiris or
Neftçi, headed in a corner kick to make it two, but Czech veteran Tomáš Pekhart
pulled one back by tapping in a cross from freshly signed Spanish winger Marc
Gual: https://giphy.com/media/Y72O9zUwZiuvq9KTZs/giphy.gif
Late on Blaž Kramer likewise tapped in Paweł Wszołek's centre:
https://giphy.com/media/pY5bfjYvGyuypqqh54/giphy.gif
The Slovenian forward might have been offside on that occasion, but unlike in the
Champions League qualifiers, there's no VAR here (it will only be used in the
play-offs). Right afterwards the Kazakhs also saw a rather robust penalty call
denied, which was sufficient for enraged Ordabasy fans to throw bottles and force
the game to be interrupted for a couple of minutes. In the 99th minute Legia even
missed a sitter to get the away win.

FC Alashkert (ARM)* v Debreceni VSC (HUN) 0-1 (0-0)
(Lončar 50')

The Armenians forgot about Stefan Lončar at the far post and the Montenegrin
midfielder volleyed in Dorian Babunski's cross for the sole goal:
https://giphy.com/media/7nsCCIqgkk3uSYCiRl/giphy.gif

Inter Club d'Escaldes (AND) v Hibernian FC (SCO)* 2-1 (1-0)
(Gallego 15', Assoubre 71'; Newell 90'+1)

That's Inter Escaldes BTW, not Inter Milan. At least Joseph Newell drilled in a
last-minute free-kick.

I shouldn't be one to talk, considering Vaduz against Rapid Vienna last year, but
outside of Rangers and Celtic Scottish club football in Europe really is pretty
tragic (and even those two quite famously lost in Luxembourg and Gibraltar,
respectively). Hibs away fans weren't exactly thrilled:
https://twitter.com/fezstewart/status/1684618028137193472

FC Ararat-Armenia (ARM) v Aris FC (GRE)* 1-1 (1-0)
(Eza 11'; Palma 20')

The usual subpar July start for a Greek entry as Ivorian forward Wilfried Eza
tapped in Artur Serobyan's cross:
https://giphy.com/media/tK4ikGRu1BYaYcGnhc/giphy.gif
and Aris only managed to get the equaliser thanks to Honduran international Luis
Palma who also tapped in a centre. In stoppage time of the first half the
Armenians hit the crossbar, too.

FK Bodø/Glimt (NOR)* v Bohemians Praha 1905 (CZE) 3-0 (1-0)
(Grønbæk 44', Pellegrino 50', Espejord 90'+2)

The Norwegians were by and large the dominant team from the start, but Bohemians,
returning to Europe after 36 years, also had one big chance in the first half when
Jan Matoušek missed one-on-one with Bodø keeper Khaykin. Former AGF midfielder
Albert Grønbæk toe-poked in the opening goal just before the break:
https://giphy.com/media/K1WfIY77M3mLE830d7/giphy.gif
and Amahl Pellegrino's shot was then deflected in for the second:
https://giphy.com/media/5r9kG3K584GcFfMgMg/giphy.gif
Bohemians could have made the tie much more interesting had they pulled one back
when Martin Hála's effort instead came off the crossbar, and in stoppage time
Bodø/Glimt put the overall result all but out of reach when they caught the
Czechs once more on the break and Runar Espejord had little problems side-stepping
Bohemians keeper Reichl: https://giphy.com/media/zQLFEYLJ3Se0fcmzIE/giphy.gif

Qəbələ FK (AZE) v AC Omonoia (CYP)* 2-3 (1-1)
(Allach 4', 62'; Bezus 45'+1, 50', 82' (pen))

Belgian-Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Allach got a brace, but Ukrainian set-piece
specialist Roman Bezus, Europa League finalist 2015 with Dnipro, answered with a
hat trick, two goals coming from direct free-kicks:
https://giphy.com/media/uXmrIo2Z7UYNVTw6F7/giphy.gif
https://giphy.com/media/PDw8d43keaa4r8CXmU/giphy.gif
and one from the spot.

Gżira United FC (MLT) v F91 Diddeleng (LUX)* 2-0 (0-0)
(Lucas Macula 54', Scerri 79'; Red Card: Roemer (Did) 60')

Gżira continue to expand on their excellent European record. Brazilian in the
Mediterranean Lucas Macula stole the ball off the Luxembourg defence and wrong-
footed Düdelingen keeper Desprez for the opener, and after Yahcuroo Roemer had
been sent off with a second yellow Zachary Scerri quite brilliantly volleyed in
Thiaguinho's cross to make it two:
https://giphy.com/media/kgqe2GXdiEPHvndlhm/giphy.gif

Djurgårdens IF (SWE)* v FC Luzern (SUI) 1-2 (1-1)
(Löfgren 5'; Ademi 29', Kadák 82')

So far Luzern have consistently been Switzerland's worst European entry, with only
one tie won out of nine attempts this century, but somewhat surprisingly they came
home from Stockholm with a valuable result, even though they had fallen behind
early when following a free-kick Jesper Löfgren poked in from short range:
https://giphy.com/media/CwGixo6gm0fPMRy9pr/giphy.gif
They soon got the equaliser though through Kemal Ademi, back in Switzerland after
stints in Turkey, Russia, and the German 2. Bundesliga, who headed in Martin
Frýdek's cross: https://giphy.com/media/IWqIi8Fn8yYdRzMxy4/giphy.gif
and Luzern even got the winner thanks to Slovakian substitute Jakub Kadák
finishing off a nice passing move:
https://giphy.com/media/7lkVNG11VPrWwqR0GY/giphy.gif

APOEL FC (CYP)* v FK Vojvodina (SRB) 2-1 (1-0)
(Kvilitaia 32', Dvali 65'; Zukić 56')

Georgian striker Giorgi Kvilitaia, formerly of Gent and Rapid Vienna, tapped in
Mateo Sušić's cross for the opener:
https://giphy.com/media/gYFw6U7ZxN57yLWVNt/giphy.gif
The Serbians equalised pretty much out of nowhere when the Cypriot defence
couldn't clear after a corner kick and on the follow-up Dejan Zukić headed in
Vojvodina captain Nikola Čumić's cross:
https://giphy.com/media/dqaYXegHXc16wtd46u/giphy.gif
but APOEL still got the win thanks to another Georgian, former Ferencváros
centre-back Lasha Dvali likewise volleyed in after a corner kick:
https://giphy.com/media/UhWHAY3j1KhjjFgr3H/giphy.gif

Kalmar FF (SWE) v FC Pyunik (ARM)* 1-2 (1-0)
(Trenskow 44'; Juričić 55', Bravo 81')

Kalmar's return to Europe after ten years wasn't crowned by success even though
they took the lead when Danish-Montenegrin striker Mileta Rajović found his
Danish compatriot Jacob Trenskow who nutmegged Pyunik's Brazilian centre-back
Juninho for the goal: https://giphy.com/media/Xyu39zI3TWWPrSUxRj/giphy.gif
A stupidly lost ball by Nahom Netabay led to former Red Bull prospect Yusuf
Otubanjo centring for Bosnian striker Luka Juričić to sweep in the equaliser:
https://giphy.com/media/qRb3iMmLjUWle6Wzkq/giphy.gif
and Pyunik's Colombian right-back Juan Bravo bungled the ball over the line after
a slight push against Ricardo Friedrich had led to Kalmar's Brazilian keeper
completely missing a high ball:
https://giphy.com/media/aISlJA7loTEj9FLdAD/giphy.gif

FK Auda (LAT) v FC Spartak Trnava (SLK)* 1-1 (0-1)
(Ramires 60'; Kóša 7'; Red Cards: Gorosito (Trn) 35',
Hodulík (assistant manager, Trn) 35', Zuntners (assistant manager, Aud) 90'+5)

The Latvian surprise cup winners Auda, based in the southeastern Riga suburb of
Ķekava, in their European debut fell behind early when 19-year-old centre-back
Sebastian Kóša poked in from close range after Auda keeper Ozols had parried a
shot by North Macedonia international Milan Ristovski, but the Slovakians weakened
themselves as Kóša's Argentine partner Nicolás Gorosito collected two first-half
bookings, and against ten men Benfica youth product Matheus Clemente provided
a through ball for Brazilian in the Baltics Reginaldo Ramires who had no problems
shooting past Spartak's badly positioned goalkeeper Vantruba.

FC Viktoria Plzeň (CZE)* v KF Drita (KOS) 0-0 (0-0)

Disappointing result for Viktoria (and the Czech coefficient) as they were
extremely wasteful in front of the Kosovar net, and four minutes from time they
were even lucky that in Drita's only proper opportunity of the game the substitute
Dabiqaj alone in front of the Viktoria net dragged his shot wide.

PFC CSKA-Sofia (BUL)* v ACS Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe (ROM) 0-2 (0-0)
(Păun 68', Varga 81')

The other CSKA team in the competition didn't fare well at home against Romanian
opposition either. CSKA-'s Brazilian keeper Gustavo Busatto played a most
unfortunate role in both goals against:
https://giphy.com/media/0V9j1AvUJfpSuHiAyo/giphy.gif
https://giphy.com/media/MkSSnEhNu7Q49S0Jcg/giphy.gif

FC Torpedo Kutaisi (GEO)* v FC Aktobe (KAZ) 1-4 (0-2)
(Arabidze 89'; Kasym 34' (pen), Raičković 43', Samorodov 73', Filipović 90'+3)

In what turned out to be an excellent matchday for Kazakhstan, former mainstays
Aktobe, back in Europe after seven years, had little problem in Georgia.
A clumsy penalty, a badly defended cross, and an atrocious back pass:
https://giphy.com/media/jb3k2QUy9MGSE1vnwH/giphy.gif
were enough to all but decide the game, and while Giorgi Arabidze pulled one back
with a nice solo run and shot:
https://giphy.com/media/h4RL5pCIOYxb1a9Ta7/giphy.gif
Croatian journeyman Andrija Filipović added a late fourth on the break:
https://giphy.com/media/9z8ekxRQBZ6fviTVfZ/giphy.gif

Kecskeméti TE (HUN) v Riga FC (LAT)* 2-1 (0-0)
(Szuhodovszki 52' (pen), Pálinkás 85'; Contreras 86')

Kecskemét's only previous European adventure had ended quickly in the 2011-12
Europa League qualifiers against Aktobe. This time around they might have a better
chance to survive a round even though Gergő Pálinkás' late tap-in was answered a
minute later by Costa Rican international Anthony Contreras, freshly signed to
Latvia after the Gold Cup, likewise heading in a cross.

FC Vorskla Poltava (UKR) v FC Dila Gori (GEO)* 2-1 (0-0)
(Felipe Rodrigues 73', Kane 90'+3; Kovtalyuk 57')

A Ukrainian gave Dila the lead against Ukrainian opposition (the match itself was
played in Tychy in Silesia) as Mykola Kovtalyuk swept in a cross by Brazilian in
the East Jean Victor. Another Brazilian in the East, former Série B player Felipe
Rodrigues, equalised by firing in a loose ball after a corner kick, and in
stoppage time Malian defender Ibrahim Kane did a great job controlling another
loose ball on his thigh and sending a volley curving perfectly into the top corner
of the net: https://giphy.com/media/iB6emQe3ia7I5AJaUo/giphy.gif
Not the first time in these qualifiers that a Georgian team ships a last-second
goal. Almost as if they can't catch a break or something.

FC CFR 1907 Cluj (ROM)* v Adana Demirspor (TUR) 1-1 (1-0)
(Betancor 6'; Stambouli 77')

Reasonably successful European debut for Adana Demirspor (not to be confused with
their local rivals Adanaspor, who played in the UEFA Cup three times between 1976
and 1981) even though they fell behind very early when Spanish journeyman striker
Jefté Betancor, once briefly in Austria's third divison, somewhat inadvertently
steered in a cross by Cluj's naturalised Portugal-born long-term captain Camora.
In a real 'where are they now' moment former Montpellier, Spurs, PSG, and Schalke
midfielder Benjamin Stambouli equalised with a great volley:
https://giphy.com/media/MdKCmyryIgm9DIFsAD/giphy.gif

FC Basel 1893 (SUI)* v FC Tobol (KAZ) 1-3 (1-0)
(Barry 25'; Déblé 57' (pen), Orazov 62', Chesnokov 71';
Red Cards: Barry (Bas) 56', Calafiori (Bas) 69')

An evening to forget for last year's semifinalists. Truth be told, due to their
precarious financial position they've already sold pretty much everyone from
that run and have instead brought in raw talents like Thierno Barry, who opened
the scoring with a fine turn-and-shot but subsequently missed a ton of chances
and then also needlessly pulled a Suárez and punched a goal-bound header off his
goal line, leading to his dismissal (his second in as many matches for Basel, he
had already been sent off the week-end before in the league) and a penalty,
despatched by veteran Ivorian winger Serges Déblé. Just minutes before that, Tobol
had already missed a penalty (caused by Barry, of course) as Basel's reserve
keeper Salvi (Hitz is injured) had pushed Ramazan Orazov's spot kick around the
post. Against ten Swiss, Islam Chesnokov's long-distance shot came crashing off
the right post, and on the immediate follow-up Orazov made amends for his earlier
miss by sending a smashing volley into the top corner, two absolute bangers within
a couple of seconds: https://giphy.com/media/wu9k0QsivNiGvzeCB0/giphy.gif
To compound Basel's misery they were then reduced to nine when Italian Under-21
international Riccardo Calafiori saw a second booking for a flying elbow, and some
more terrible Basel defending was finally punished by Chesnokov for Tobol's third:
https://giphy.com/media/GxJlFrAhzfMd073vsC/giphy.gif

Tobol currently sit only in fifth in the Kazakh Premier League.

FC Differdange 03 (LUX) v NK Maribor (SLO)* 1-1 (1-0)
(Castro 25'; Jakupović 90'+6)

Portugal-born Angola international Érico Castro did very well to collect a long
ball, hold off a challenge and turn and fire past Maribor keeper Jug:
https://giphy.com/media/dBdhu89LwHdiqKXLcJ/giphy.gif
But as in the previous round Maribor were saved by a late goal, former Austrian
striker hope Arnel Jakupović scored with a direct free-kick.
https://giphy.com/media/GmTc1u3wabG9gU7bBB/giphy.gif
Keep it up boy.

Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR)* v FC Petrocub Hîncești (MDA) 3-0 (1-0)
(D. Bitton 13', Zahavi 63', Dor Peretz 90'+4)

Dan Bitton (no relation to his more famous teammate Nir Bitton) surprised Petrocub
keeper Avram with a direct free-kick:
https://giphy.com/media/6LaNtygRpGSpAEkU7n/giphy.gif
Old man Zahavi, still going strong at 36, got the second with a precise shot from
outside the box, and in the last minute of stoppage time Dor Peretz tapped in
Đorđe Jovanović's cross for an easy win.

PAOK FC (GRE)* v Beitar Jerusalem FC (ISR) 0-0 (0-0)

Beitar had litigated their way back into the competition (they had originally been
banned by the Israeli FA because of a chaotic pitch invasion after they'd won the
State Cup), but - thankfully - this somewhat anxiously anticipated match between
two sets of problematic fans was a bit of a dud. PAOK's best chance was missed by
their Austrian midfielder Stefan Schwab (heavily rumoured to return to Rapid
Vienna this summer) who after twelve minutes saw his penalty saved by Beitar's
Portuguese keeper Miguel Silva:
https://giphy.com/media/cN8qo7KsczMgowkFen/giphy.gif
Schwab later also hit the post with a long-distance strike.

KF Dukagjini (KOS) v HNK Rijeka (CRO)* 0-1 (0-1)
(Janković 30'; Red Cards: Mërlaku (Duk) 62', Dallku (Duk, manager) 89')

Young midfielder Niko Janković got the only goal by cutting inside and curling a
nice shot past Dukagjini keeper Haxhihamza:
https://giphy.com/media/UfREGEJkO5VYdhfYuz/giphy.gif

NK Celje (SLO) v Vitória SC (POR)* 3-4 (1-2)
(Bobičanec 1', Matko 59', Edmilson 90'+6; Jota 25', A. Silva 35', Amaro 70',
Nogueira 80')

While Maribor struggled in Luxembourg and Domžale had lost against Maltese
opposition in the previous round, Celje, whose new coach is former Liverpool
winger Albert Riera, gave the Portuguese favourites from Guimarães a hard fight.
The Slovenians took the lead after just seventeen seconds when Luka Bobičanec
volleyed in a cross by Frenchman Julien Lamy, but João 'Jota' Silva expertly
headed in a free-kick and his strike partner André Silva (really, Portuguese
people need more variety in their names, Vitória's captain is called André André)
converted Jota's assist to turn the match around before the break. Celje equalised
again after Vitória keeper Bruno Varela had awkwardly palmed away Bobičanec's shot
allowing Aljoša Matko to volley in the rebound, but once more they conceded two
quick goals - centre-back André Amaro rifled in a loose ball after a free-kick,
and youngster Gonçalo Nogueira converted a cross by Vitória's new Spanish striker
Adrián Butzke (Spanish mother, German father). In stoppage time a Brazilian kept
Celje's chances for the return leg somewhat alive, as the substitute Edmilson
collected Žan Karničnik's cross and fired past Varela.

Hapoel Be'er Sheva FC (ISR)* v FK Panevėžys (LTU) 1-0 (1-0)
(Elias 35')

Shay Elias secured the narrow win for the Israeli favourites with a precise shot
after a short corner routine:
https://giphy.com/media/RDnlllqCEHFxiUpYIW/giphy.gif

Beşiktaş JK (TUR)* v KF Tirana (ALB) 3-1 (2-0)
(Bulut 21', Muleka 42', Kılıçsoy 90'+4; Kainã 83')

Former Bochum and Freiburg winger Onur Bulut volleyed in a cross by former West
Ham left-back Arthur Masuaku, and Congolese striker Jackson Muleka collected
Vincent Aboubakar's assist and fired past Tirana keeper Selmani from a tight
angle to give the Turkish favourites what looked like a comfortable lead, but
Tirana surprisingly pulled one back through Brazilian-Portuguese forward Kainã
who tapped in Rimal Haxhiu's cross from short range. 17-year-old substitute Semih
Kılıçsoy restored the two-goal lead with a dribble and shot that surprised Selmani
at his near post: https://giphy.com/media/pw2zIQ4B4mqiVIUY9d/giphy.gif

Only the second win for Beşiktaş in their last fifteen European matches.

NK Osijek (CRO)* v Zalaegerszegi TE FC (HUN) 1-0 (0-0)
(Mierez 90'+1)

Osijek, which is bankrolled by Hungarian money that also financed their brand-new
Opus Arena, got the late win against their neighbours thanks to Argentine striker
Ramón Miérez heading in a looping cross by Šime Gržan (who had played in
Zalaegerszeg on loan in spring 2022).

FC Twente (NED)* v Hammarby IF (SWE) 1-0 (0-0)
(Steijn 53')

Anders has written about the violence between sets of Twente and Hammarby fans,
and it doesn't bode well for the return leg in Stockholm either. The Netherlands
really need to deal with their ever increasing hooliganism problem - every single
team they've sent to Europe in recent years has at some point been involved in
some sort of crowd trouble. Last year in Graz it was thankfully just the bathrooms
that suffered. (But to think that UEFA will exclude Twente is a pipe dream)..

On the pitch, youngster Sem Steijn got the only goal by firing in a loose ball
after a corner kick: https://giphy.com/media/UalghSpTS7gvNvQvfp/giphy.gif

It's not been a good European week for the Swedish teams. One draw and three defeats.

KA (ISL) v Dundalk FC (IRL)* 3-1 (3-1)
(B. Aðalsteinsson 28', Hauksson 37', 45'; Kelly 32')

After Shamrock Rovers against Breiðablik, the next tough defeat for an Irish team
on Iceland. The Hafsteinn/Daníel family no longer holds the monopoly on KA's
European goals as it was Bjarni Aðalsteinsson who sent Dundalk centre-back Andy
Boyle sprawling before firing in the opener:
https://giphy.com/media/H0NOQF6lwz1Gps5UbA/giphy.gif
Daniel Kelly scored the equaliser from Archie Davies's cross, but youngster Sveinn
Margeir Hauksson got two goals on the break even before half-time.

It's shaping up to be a rather disappointing European season for the League of
Ireland.

Club Brugge KV (BEL)* v AGF (DEN) 3-0 (1-0)
(Buchanan 10', Rits 48', Vetlesen 76')

I kind of expected Aarhus to put up more of a fight, but Brugge expertly carved
them open on the wings. Tajon Buchanan gave the Belgians the lead following good
work by Andreas Skov Olsen: https://giphy.com/media/mRo1ph7b8EwKYDPvff/giphy.gif
Mats Rits got the second with a shot into the top corner from just inside the box,
and Norwegian midfielder Hugo Vetlesen volleyed in a loose ball for the third.

B36 (FAR) v Haverfordwest County AFC (WAL)* 2-1 (1-0)
(Agnarsson 11', Johansen 60'; Taylor-Crossdale 80')

B36 scored two goals from low crosses, and generally appeared to be in full
control until similarly to the previous round the Welsh debutants got a goal out
of nowhere - Martell Taylor-Crossdale, who comes out of Chelsea's youth system but
whose career had never taken off, with a little luck blocked Magnus Egilson's
defensive header and poked the ball in from close range:
https://giphy.com/media/tkZC3sqYoaco7oUELc/giphy.gif

FC Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino (BLR) v AEK Larnaca FC (CYP)* 2-3 (0-3)
(Glushchenkov 70', Ovono 73'; Gyurcsó 6' (pen), Casas 16', Faraj 40')

This was again played in Mezőkövesd in Hungary, and a Hungarian got on the
scoresheet first as Ádám Gyurcsó converted from the spot. Hispanophones also
always feature prominently on Larnaca's squad, and it was Spanish left-back Ismael
Casas who volleyed in from close range after Torpedo keeper Abramovich had parried
a shot by Argentine right-back Facundo Sánchez:
https://giphy.com/media/KLuxTONwkv47xZ4YrH/giphy.gif
AEK's third was scored by a Frenchman as Imad Faraj swept in Gyurcsó's low cross.
Somewhat surprisingly the Belarusians pulled back two goals in three minutes,
first AEK keeper Toumbas spilled Lisakovich's shot and Kirill Glushchenkov tapped
into the empty net: https://giphy.com/media/L8lgFqH4MTdkH917F2/giphy.gif
then Gabonese forward Emmanuel Ovono nodded the ball over the line after a cross
had been headed back across goal.

Still, a perfect European week for Cyprus, four wins out of four.

KAA Gent (BEL)* v MŠK Žilina (SLK) 5-1 (1-0)
(Orban 23', De Sart 55', Cuypers 67', 85', Watanabe 76'; Kaprálik 79';
Red Card: Javorček (Žil) 73')

Nigerian prodigy Gift Orban, who earlier this year had scored the fastest hat
trick in the history of European cups, started the rout by tapping in his own
rebound after Žilina's unlucky keeper Belko had saved brilliantly against Orban's
initial header. Julien De Sart scored the second with a free-kick, and Hugo
Cuypers headed in Matisse Samoise's cross before Žilina's 20-year-old substitute
Dominik Javorček collected a second yellow for a shirt pull. Japanese new signing
Tsuyoshi Watanabe inadvertently steered in Cuypers' header for the fourth and
thereby ruined the latter's hat trick. On occasion of a rare counter attack Adrián
Kaprálik at least got the consolation goal for Žilina's youngsters who just
weren't up to the task against far more experienced Belgians.

KKS Lech Poznań (POL)* v FK Kauno Žalgiris (LTU) 3-1 (3-0)
(Hotić 11', Milić 41', Murawski 45'+2; Fase 57')

Bosnian winger Dino Hotić, newly signed by Lech from Cercle Brugge, headed in
Elias Andersson's cross for the early lead:
https://giphy.com/media/8JpTscrpXWwnfctrAr/giphy.gif
Former Oostende and Anderlecht centre-back Antonio Milić tapped in Joel Pereira's
cross for the second, and Radosław Murawski made it three with a powerful shot
from distance. At the other end, Dutchman Anton Fase likewise reduced the deficit
with a long-distance missile: https://giphy.com/media/dyPVF5AmVc76fdrj4P/giphy.gif

FK Austria Wien (AUT)* v FK Borac Banja Luka (BIH) 1-0 (0-0)
(Tabaković 90'+4)

A difficult match in which Austria were by and large the better team, but Borac
could easily have punished them during one of their couple of occasions on the
break. In the end, young substitute Manuel Polster (no relation to Toni) with the
last move of the match provided the cross that Haris Tabaković kneed in.

First home win in Europe for Austria since 2015, or 15 matches.

Derry City FC (IRL) v KuPS (FIN)* 2-1 (0-1)
(Patching 69', Kavanagh 79'; Vidjeskog 45' (pen))

The only bright spot for Ireland on that matchday, even though Jaro youth product
Axel Vidjeskog had given Kuopio the lead from the spot. Former England U-18
international Will Patching headed in Paul McMullan's cross for the equaliser, and
a long throw-in led to Michael Duffy's cross and young Cian Kavanagh's easy tap-in
finish: https://giphy.com/media/5omRgaT2F0maB725eN/giphy.gif

Linfield FC (NIR)* v MKS Pogoń Szczecin (POL) 2-5 (0-2)
(Finlayson 56', Hall 80'; Grosicki 14' (pen), Gamboa 40', Malec 63',
Koulouris 66', Fornalczyk 90'+5)

Linfield captain Matthew Clarke lost the ball in front of his own net to Luka
Zahović and was so forced to bring down the son of Slovenia legend Zlatko in the
area, with former Hull City veteran Kamil Grosicki subsequently scoring from the
spot. Portuguese midfielder João Gamboa tapped in a corner kick to make it two.
Linfield pulled one back after Pogoń's Croatian keeper Dante Stipica had spilled
a free-kick: https://giphy.com/media/FKsaHyUljinxLGZnXI/giphy.gif
but Mariusz Malec soon restored the lead after a corner kick. Greek striker
Efthymis Koulouris, a recent flop in Austria with LASK, swept in Pogoń's fourth,
and even though the Northern Irish weren't without their chances, scored two
offside goals, and once more pulled one back thanks to Ben Hall's fine volley:
https://giphy.com/media/3QACQXVhNxFm1HGQlF/giphy.gif
the tie was all but decided in stoppage time when Mariusz Fornalczyk tapped in
a Grosicki cross.

FK Sutjeska (MNE)* v FC Santa Coloma (AND) 2-0 (1-0)
(Šaletić 24', Striković 73')

Unspectacular but important win for Montenegro who provisorily leave the bottom
five in the UEFA ranking, just ahead of Wales and Andorra.

FK Željezničar (BIH) v Neftçi PFK (AZE)* 2-2 (1-1)
(Haračić 14', Amoah 45'+8; Kosorić 44' (og), Hacıyev 90'+5)

Dženan Haračić headed in Nedim Mekić's cross, but Željezničar captain Aleksandar
Kosorić unluckily deflected Emin Mahmudov's shot past his own keeper:
https://giphy.com/media/86hdOEe479oE1uPA16/giphy.gif
Young Ghanaian forward Joseph Amoah gave the Bosnians the lead again after some
good passing: https://giphy.com/media/WqRA2GNVQTkPw8ieuA/giphy.gif
but very late Željo keeper Mulalić slapped away a corner kick, only to see
Rəhman Hacıyev's follow-up volley nestle perfectly in the top corner of the net.
Great goal: https://giphy.com/media/ZIyiG3XOtMRXDEbQp9/giphy.gif

Just as with Georgia, this isn't the first time we see a Bosnian team conceding
deep in stoppage time.

Crusaders FC (NIR) v Rosenborg BK (NOR)* 2-2 (1-2)
(Lowry 11', Reitan 74' (og); Holse 30', Sæter 42' (pen))

A rare occasion, there were two European matches being played simultaneously in
Belfast that evening - Linfield took the field in Windsor Park while Crusaders
hosted Rosenborg five kilometres to the north in their much much smaller Seaview
ground. Philip Lowry volleyed Crusaders in front after little more than ten
minutes, but Carlo Horse's wicked shot:
https://giphy.com/media/buxNzY9a4mD3vvNE2L/giphy.gif
and a harsh penalty turned the match around already before the break. Still, the
plucky Northern Irish got a deserved equaliser when a long-distance drive by their
captain Billy Joe Burns was unluckily deflected in by Erlend Dahl Reitan:
https://giphy.com/media/HC2jOWE8GP2tu5LLKN/giphy.gif

Not altogether a surprising result, as Rosenborg have been in crisis mode for a
couple of months now, have fired their manager Kjetil Rekdal, and only recently
have begun to distance themselves a bit from the relegation zone in the Norwegian
league.

KF Shkupi (MKD)* v PFC Levski Sofia (BUL) 0-2 (0-1)
(Welton Felipe 31', Ronaldo 90'+4)

Levski were the only Bulgarian team to celebrate a win, thanks to three of their
numerous Brazilians - Welton Felipe rifled in Ricardinho's assist, and Ronaldo
- I'm not exactly sure this one will ever be as famous as his namesakes - late on
tapped in a corner kick.

Unfortunately there were major fan clashes surrounding this match as well, with
dozens of arrests. Something about Bulgarians fighting Macedonians fighting
Albanians fighting Bulgarians. or the other way round.

Ciao,
Werner