Europa Conference League 3rd Qualifying Round, 2nd leg
Teams in CAPITALS (except FCSB, KA and B36) through to ECLPO

August 16

FC Flora (EST) v FCV FARUL CONSTANȚA (ROM) 0-2 (0-2), 0-5 on aggregate
(Rivaldinho 4', Budescu 18')

Rivaldo's son bungled Tudor Băluță's miscued shot over the line at the far post,
and with the outside of his foot Constantin Budescu scored a brilliant second from
the edge of the area. Flora had numerous chances to score, but proved to be
particularly inept in front of the Farul net, and so Estonia finish a disastrous
European season with one draw and nine defeats in ten matches. That's worse than
even San Marino.

August 17

Champions Path
(no seeding)

Lincoln Red Imps FC (GIB) v KF BALLKANI (KOS) 1-3 (0-0), 1-5 on aggregate
(Juampe 66'; Korenica 48', Kuč 64', Zyba 90'+8)

Meriton Korenica dashed Gibraltarian hopes with a fine shot from the edge of the
area, even though Imps keeper Coleing could at least have tried to save it:
https://giphy.com/media/L48xcYshcV6pHXpYOM/giphy.gif
Ballkani's Montenegrin captain Edvin Kuč had acres of space in the box to fire in
the second, and while 39-year-old Spanish veteran Juampe got the Imps a
consolation goal, following a corner kick Qëndrim Zyba tapped in Ballkani's third
in stoppage time.

The last Gibraltarian team is eliminated. With just one draw out of eight matches
that was their worst European season in quite a while.

FERENCVÁROSI TC (HUN) v Ħamrun Spartans FC (MLT) 2-1 (1-1), 8-2 on aggregate
(Traoré 41', Varga 69'; Mbong 6')

The tie had already been decided after the first leg, but the Maltese champions at
least managed to take the early lead through Joseph Mbong's header. Still, Adama
Traoré nodded in the equaliser and Barnabás Varga back-heeled in yet another
cross for the winner, so no coefficient points for Malta after all.

FK PARTIZANI (ALB) v Valmiera FC (LAT) 1-0 (1-0), 3-1 on aggregate
(Cara 21' (pen))

Partizani were awarded one of those penalties where a player manages to stick a
leg in between a defender who's trying to clear and the ball, and apart from
Valmiera hitting the woodwork once late on, the Albanians held on to the result
with comparable ease.

FC Swift Hesper (LUX) v FK STRUGA (MKD) 2-1 (0-1), 3-4 on aggregate
(Hemkemeier 70', Akhalaia 90'+4; Ibraimi 17'; Red Cards: Radeski (Str) 15',
Nouvier (Swi) 90'+11)

Even though Marjan Radeski was sent off already early on for a retaliatory kick
against Simão Martins, the North Macedonian champions with their only effort on
target of the entire match took the lead when Besart Ibraimi headed in Vangjel
Zguro's cross: https://giphy.com/media/ULUsAE9DuX3ozCTgUk/giphy.gif
Swift finally got the equaliser thanks to a grass-cutter by their Brazilian
substitute Gustavo Hemkemeier:
https://giphy.com/media/hB9EH6HwNvz1Zx516u/giphy.gif
and in the 94th minute young Moldovan striker Lado Akhalaia headed in a corner
kick, so the remaining minutes of stoppage time were predictably hectic, but the
only thing that happened was Bryan Nouvier collecting a second yellow.

Main Path
* = seeded team

FC Aktobe (KAZ) v ACS SEPSI OSK SFÂNTU GHEORGHE (ROM)* 0-1 (0-0), 1-2 on aggregate
(Păun 66')

A game of few chances was decided for the Hungarian Romanians when Nicolae Păun
headed in Marius Ștefănescu's corner kick.

MKS Pogoń Szczecin (POL) v KAA GENT (BEL)* 2-1 (0-0), 2-6 on aggregate
(Koulouris 79', 86'; Cuypers 90'+5)

The Belgians' streak of five goals scored in Europe ended as Pogoń bowed out with
dignity, although their first goal was a gift by Genk keeper Roef:
https://giphy.com/media/9fTL0ZEzZmvNob2Dmc/giphy.gif

FC Pyunik (ARM) v FK BODØ/GLIMT (NOR)* 0-3 (0-1), 0-6 on aggregate
(Pellegrino 43' (pen), Berg 49', Gulliksen 54')

Easy win for Bodø in Yerevan as well, thanks to a penalty and two shots from
distance.

All four Armenian teams have been eliminated, but points-wise it's still been an
average European season for them.

MACCABI TEL AVIV FC (ISR)* v AEK Larnaca FC (CYP) 1-0 (0-0), 2-1 on aggregate
(Zahavi 86' (pen))

Things had gone swimmingly well for the Cypriot teams up to this point, but AEK
were the first ones to fall as at the end of a very close game one rash tackle by
Ángel García against Maccabi's Angolan substitute Felício Milson led to a penalty
that was expertly despatched by who else but Eran Zahavi.

FC DYNAMO KYIV (UKR)* v Aris FC (GRE) 2-1 aet (1-1, 2-1), 2-2 on aggregate, Dynamo win 6-5 on penalties
(Voloshyn 45', Karavaev 85'; Đurasek 39'; Red Card: Pavičić (Ari) 106')

The Ukrainians played this in Rapid Bucharest's Superbet Arena. Aris's newly
signed Croatian midfielder Neven Đurasek volleyed in Luis Palma's cross to give
the Greeks a two-goal aggregate lead:
https://giphy.com/media/En0rQUYo6g2ImA8dnN/giphy.gif
but Dynamo managed to get the important equaliser before the break through
youngster Nazar Voloshyn who met Serhiy Sydorchuk's long ball over the top with a
well-placed header: https://giphy.com/media/CCFgNLQcOw54Z3qJtB/giphy.gif
Another long and high ball that eluded the Greek defence allowed Oleksandr
Karavayev to volley in at the far post:
https://giphy.com/media/vB5TkSfOjWtx6nzAff/giphy.gif
and so the match went to extra time, where Aris's Croatian substitute Domagoj
Pavičić saw a second yellow, and finally to penalties where Moses Odubaju skied
the decisive spot kick. Has nobody told the Greeks that it's a bad idea to let an
Englishman take one of these?

FK Austria Wien (AUT) v LEGIA WARSZAWA (POL)* 3-5 (0-2), 5-6 on aggregate
(Gruber 69', 83', Ranftl 90'+7; Juergen 39', Gual 45'+1, Pekhart 59', Rosołek 87',
Muçi 90'+10; Red Card: Jukić (Aus) 89')

Now that was painful to watch. Despite their home defeat Legia had taken the
aggregate lead against a strangely listless Austria side already in the first half
after their Colombian midfielder Juergen Elitim had rifled in a loose ball and new
Spanish forward Marc Gual had headed in Bartosz Slisz's cross at the far post:
https://giphy.com/media/A0VtEWBYVVVNOFdBtf/giphy.gif
Things didn't look better early in the second half either, and the Czech veteran
Tomáš Pekhart finished off another easy move with another tap-in:
https://giphy.com/media/VPg6SijS1y1Xb2eu6k/giphy.gif
But as bad as Austria are at defending, in attack they are actually quite decent,
and Andi Gruber scored with a lovely shot into the top corner to make it a one-
goal game: https://giphy.com/media/kJDDcd1EIwTQ60aqmk/giphy.gif
The match felt very different at this point with Austria suddenly pushing, and
seven minutes from time Gruber also collected Dominik Fitz's weighted ball over
the top to level the aggregate score:
https://giphy.com/media/IfJ4tS9v34MAKGZyVr/giphy.gif
Now a clever team that knows how to defend would have shut up shop at this point,
but as Austria are neither a clever team nor know how to defend they conceded just
minutes later when they allowed the substitute Maciej Rosołek to sweep in Paweł
Wszołek's feed: https://giphy.com/media/mErI3JtVomv6aEy8VK/giphy.gif
Aleksander Jukić then did his team a further disservice when he got suckered into
a retaliatory headbutt against Slisz, but ten-man Austria miraculously still
managed to once more get the aggregate equaliser as in the seventh minute of
stoppage time Reinhold Ranftl slid in to turn in Johannes Handl's cross:
https://giphy.com/media/kJZi11S3uXiLUFxNMx/giphy.gif
Now a CLEVER TEAM that KNOWS HOW TO DEFEND would have SHUT UP SHOP, but in the
101st minute this happened instead:
https://giphy.com/media/RyqmWpRXZbRfY9DVT3/giphy.gif

BTW I've come completely around regarding the abolishment of the Away Goal Rule.
It's a good thing. There have already been many examples of matches like this
one which wouldn't have been possible if AGR were still in force - the tie would
have effectively been over at 0-3, and the remaining minutes a slog.

PFC LEVSKI SOFIA (BUL) v Hapoel Be'er Sheva FC (ISR)* 2-1 (1-0), 2-1 on aggregate
(Welton Felipe 15', Ronaldo 90'+6; Stoyanov 79')

Brazilian in the East Welton Felipe stole in at the far post to head in Patrik-
Gabriel Galchev's cross: https://giphy.com/media/BaGESYtSEMWHzrrO49/giphy.gif
A Bulgarian equalised for Be'er Sheva when Yoni Stoyanov volleyed in from the edge
of the D after the ball had fallen to him from a corner kick, but in the last
minute of stoppage time a shot by the young Spanish-Moroccan substitute Jawad El
Jemili was blocked in the box, and former Bahia forward Ronaldo rifled in the
loose ball: https://giphy.com/media/CWRjPkTRZfvgYURicP/giphy.gif

A rare, and much-needed success for Bulgarian club football. Eintracht Frankfurt
next.

Gżira United FC (MLT) v FC VIKTORIA PLZEŇ (CZE)* 0-2 (0-0), 0-6 on aggregate
(Traoré 47', Vlkanova 70')

Viktoria's Colombian left-back Jhon Mosquera headed a cross back across goal for
Ivorian midfielder Ibrahim Traoré to volley in, and Adam Vlkanova fired an angled
shot from the edge of the box past Gżira keeper Cassar:
https://giphy.com/media/pOkZB9q6ruom4BCcej/giphy.gif
as the last remaining Maltese team bowed out without getting another coefficient
point. It's been an average European season for them.

SK BRANN (NOR) v FC Arouca (POR)* 3-1 (3-0), 4-3 on aggregate
(Myhre 6', Knudsen 42', Finne 45'; Sylla 57'; Red Card: Galović (Aro) 90'+3)

Brann had already equalised the aggregate score after just six minutes as Felix
Horn Myhre tapped in the rebound after Magnus Warming's header had come off the
post: https://giphy.com/media/CbbbxASjeHkwp1gIWP/giphy.gif
Two headers just before the break then sank the Portuguese, Fredrik Pallesen
Knudsen met Sander Kartum's corner kick with a bullet effort, and Bård Finne
nodded in a cross by Oslo-born one-time Chile international Niklas Castro. Arouca
pulled one back after the break thanks to a deflected shot by their Guinean
midfielder Morlaye Sylla, but the second goal that would have sent the tie to
extra time eluded them, and in stoppage time Croatian centre-back Nino Galović
also saw a second yellow.

So both Portuguese Europa Conference League teams have already been eliminated at
the first hurdle. No matter what the Big 3, and Braga, manage to accomplish in
Europe, the huge drop-off in quality behind those four teams dooms Portugal's
pretensions compared to France and the Netherlands.

Riga FC (LAT) v FC TWENTE (NED)* 0-3 (0-0), 0-5 on aggregate
(Rots 57', Besselink 90', Ünüvar 90'+2)

Two stoppage time goals skewed the aggregate result a bit, but overall an easy win
for Twente as the last Latvian team bowed out, in what was a subpar European
season for them.

APOEL FC (CYP)* v FC Dila Gori (GEO) 1-0 (0-0), 3-0 on aggregate
(Ndongala 48')

The last remaining Georgian team also had no realistic chance to make up the
first-leg deficit. Former Genk winger Dieumerci Ndongala headed in Lucas
Villafáñez's cross on the break for the sole goal.

FC NORDSJÆLLAND (DEN) v FC FCSB (ROM)* 2-0 (1-0), 2-0 on aggregate
(Ingvartsen 43' (pen), 85'; Red Card: Chiricheş (FCS) 63')

In the first match it had been a FCN player that had seen a second yellow at the
hour mark, but this time around it was the Romanian veteran Vlad Chiricheş who was
sent off with two bookings. At that point the Danes had already taken the lead
thanks to a controversial penalty awarded for Alexandru Pantea's shoulder grab on
Mohamed Diamonde, and after having scored from the spot the former Union Berlin
and Mainz striker Marcus Ingvartsen also put the final nail in not-Steaua's coffin
when he fired in from Ghanaian youngster Ibrahim Osman's cheeky back-heel:
https://giphy.com/media/rTthBptySO2oi4ElJr/giphy.gif

PAOK FC (GRE)* v HNK Hajduk Split (CRO) 3-0 (1-0), 3-0 on aggregate
(Schwab 12' (pen), A. Živković 79', 85')

Croatian teams have an atrocious record against Greek opposition, and that didn't
change in Thessaloniki either. Hajduk could have taken the lead when PAOK's
Croatian keeper Kotarski played a bad pass right onto the chest of Hajduk's new
Belgian signing Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe, but on the follow-up Konstantinos Koulierakis
blocked Marko Livaja's shot with a last-gasp tackle. Instead, Odjidja-Ofoe at the
other end tripped Giannis Konstantelias in the box, and PAOK's Austrian captain
Stefan Schwab converted from the spot. Two late goals by Serbian striker Andrija
Živković decided the tie for good, he first rifled in from close range after the
Hajduk defence had lost the ball in front of their own area:
https://giphy.com/media/N9AYUkmLvppwdmQzyk/giphy.gif
and then scored with a deflected free-kick:
https://giphy.com/media/zEEILgHjGzSOyilzby/giphy.gif

FC MIDTJYLLAND (DEN)* v AC Omonoia (CYP) 5-1 (3-1), 5-2 on aggregate
(Cho 27' (pen), Franculino 43', 45'+2, 64', Gigović 80'; Kakoullis 31';
Red Card: Kousoulos 25')

The decisive moment of the tie came after twenty-five minutes when Omonoia
captain Ioannis Kousoulos was sent off for a last-man foul in the box against
Brazilian in the North Charles, and while the penalty seemed obvious, the red card
was more than controversial as it appeared like Kousoulos had indeed challenged
for the ball. In any case, Midtjylland's new Korean signing Cho Gue-sung made no
mistake from the spot. Ten-man Omonoia then actually took the aggregate lead
again, as Andronikos Kakoullis beat his marker Juninho to run onto Roman Bezus's
perfectly weighted long ball and lift it past FCM keeper Lössl:
https://giphy.com/media/EjlHYfkd6PKC66uEml/giphy.gif
But another new signing, 19-year-old Guinea-Bissauan forward Franculino Djú, who
had arrived in Herning from Benfica's academy, soon made sure of FCM's
qualification to the ECL playoffs - he headed in Kristoffer Olsson's cross, tapped
in Paulinho's centre at the far post, and completed his hat trick with a lovely
scissor kick after Sory Kaba had headed down Oliver Sørensen's cross:
https://giphy.com/media/WpVJVgUwr0gqPjSfrP/giphy.gif
Swedish midfielder Armin Gigović completed the rout with a precise finish from
just inside the box.

FC Neman Grodno (BLR) v NK CELJE (SLO)* 1-4 (0-2), 1-5 on aggregate
(Shukurov 82'; Bobičanec 21', 55', Lamy 35', 67')

Gyirmót's stadium in the suburbs of Győr is way closer to Celje than to Belarus,
and the Slovenians evidently felt more at home as they took a commanding lead
thanks to braces by Croatian winger Luka Bobičanec and French journeyman forward
Julien Lamy. Kyrgyz international Alimardon Shukurov at least got a consolation
goal.

BEŞIKTAŞ JK (TUR)* v Neftçi PFK (AZE) 2-1 (0-1), 5-2 on aggregate
(Aboubakar 57', Muleka 71'; Mahmudov 36')

Beşiktaş had to suffer a little bit, as Emin Mahmudov's angled finish meant that
for a while the Azeri were just one goal away from making up the first-leg
deficit: https://giphy.com/media/705AGTYjw1y7Tt6MQ7/giphy.gif
But Vincent Aboubakar calmed Turkish nerves with a powerful curled shot from just
inside the area, and Jackson Muleka's dogged perseverance even gave them the win:
https://giphy.com/media/SWDDCDTuc6JyzMNZCe/giphy.gif

NK Osijek (CRO) v ADANA DEMIRSPOR (TUR)* 3-2 (1-1), 4-7 on aggregate
(Nejašmić 43', Caktaš 59', Gržan 82' (pen); Sarı 31', Erdoğan 90'+1)

A proper comeback was never likely, especially after Yusuf Sarı had slotted in
Younes Belhanda's assist: https://giphy.com/media/ehaicopmgldiFw2ckf/giphy.gif
but Osijek showed a creditable performance and got the next three goals through
Darko Nejašmić's header from a corner kick, Mijo Caktaš volleying in a loose ball
at the third attempt: https://giphy.com/media/imlILVD0Pw1XuVPU3O/giphy.gif
and Šime Gržan's penalty following Semih Güler's slightly mistimed love tap:
https://giphy.com/media/UxhM1fhEi9cjVuTKOB/giphy.gif
Two more goals were too tall an order though, and late on Yusuf Erdoğan finished
off a break by tapping in Sarı's cross.

KA (ISL) v CLUB BRUGGE KV (BEL)* 1-5 (0-2), 2-10 on aggregate
(Petersen 59'; Boyata 7', Skóraś 45'+3, Yaremchuk 57', 65', 75';
Red Card: Edmundsson (KA) 90'+2)

Just as one-sided as the first leg, as KA had huge problems defending crosses all
match long, and they also gifted Yaremchuk his second with a hospital pass. At
least Faroese striker Pætur Petersen got a nice consolation goal with a shot from
twenty metres, while Joan Simun Edmundsson, the other Faroese in KA's team, saw a
second yellow in stoppage time.

FC SPARTAK TRNAVA (SLK) v KKS Lech Poznań (POL)* 3-1 (1-0), 4-3 on aggregate
(Ofori 37', Daniel 50', Štetina 74'; Velde 63')

Ghanaian winger Kelvin Ofori showed great control to collect a long ball and slot
it past Lech keeper Bednarek: https://giphy.com/media/vemNT6OBJYkGsazs6j/giphy.gif
Erik Daniel punished lax Polish defending by firing in Spartak's second from close
range after Ofori's shot had been blocked:
https://giphy.com/media/ChhOzHQNy1HVDyxOQm/giphy.gif
Lech's Norwegian winger Kristoffer Velde curled in a great shot to level the
aggregate score again: https://giphy.com/media/rwCs4QL9u7xcdOEYBT/giphy.gif
but a stunning goal decided the tie - Kristián Koštrna slid in to reach a ball
just before the goal line, and Lukáš Štetina met the cross with a great bicycle
kick: https://giphy.com/media/d14jDZt9Wv3jfFXq0k/giphy.gif

As for the Polish clubs, you win some you lose some.

HNK RIJEKA (CRO)* v B36 (FAR) 2-0 (1-0), 5-1 on aggregate
(Pašalić 14', Grgić 82')

Easy home win for Rijeka thanks to Marco Pašalić's header from a corner kick,
and Alen Grgić smashing one in into the far corner:
https://giphy.com/media/CFEgt4ZUfcgKxb6HSa/giphy.gif

NK Maribor (SLO) v FENERBAHÇE SK (TUR)* 0-3 (0-1), 1-6 on aggregate
(Kahveci 17', Szymański 77', Tadić 81')

İrfan Kahveci volleyed in Batshuayi's cross at the far post, and any remaining
Slovenian hopes were dashed when Arnel Jakupović's penalty was saved by Fener
keeper Eğribayat. In the second half the match was interrupted for several minutes
because of fights breaking out between sets of Slovenian and Turkish fans, and
after the game was resumed Fenerbahçe scored twice more, Sebastian Szymański sent
a great strike into the top corner:
https://giphy.com/media/2Gsej8IYs2mZ6G6ApC/giphy.gif
and Dušan Tadić slotted in Joshua King's cut-back cross.

AZ (NED)* v FC Santa Coloma (AND) 2-0 (1-0), 3-0 on aggregate
(Van Bommel 41', Lahdo 78')

Mark van Bommel's 19-year-old son Ruben sent a delightful lob over Santa Coloma
keeper Josep Gómes: https://giphy.com/media/yOBO2uTetHcBmi0KlE/giphy.gif
and the young Swedish substitute Mayckel Lahdo finished off a break after US boy
Djordje Mihailovic had done all the hard work:
https://giphy.com/media/AonlzQQEvuug9gejgz/giphy.gif

A really creditable performance by FCSC, but not enough to help Andorra to get out
of the Bottom Five. Thanks to Struga North Macedonia have pipped them to the post
by 0.002 coefficient points.

FC Luzern (SUI)* v HIBERNIAN FC (SCO) 2-2 (1-1), 3-5 on aggregate
(Kadák 16', Ademi 67'; Youan 10', Boyle 73')

Frenchman Élie Youan gave Hibs the lead on the break thanks to a deflected shot
that curved over Luzern's young keeper Loretz:
https://giphy.com/media/J03iV5rrWbL6nlW5qE/giphy.gif
Slovakian midfielder Jakub Kadák soon equalised for the Swiss by firing in Lars
Villiger's cross, and after Kemal Ademi headed in a corner kick they were only one
goal away from extra time, but Martin Boyle slotted in the decisive goal on the
break following good work by Youan:
https://giphy.com/media/tXSXooQMITw0kvLZ4V/giphy.gif

The prize for Hibs is a much-anticipated tie against Aston Villa.

HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN FC (SCO) v Rosenborg BK (NOR)* 3-1 (1-1), 4-3 on aggregate
(Shankland 13', Devlin 50', 90'+2; Þorvaldsson 6')

Icelandic striker Ísak Þorvaldsson headed in Adrian Pereira's free-kick to give
Rosenborg a two-goal aggregate lead, but Hearts soon equalised when Stephen
Kingsley's speculative long ball out of defence wrong-footed the Norwegian
defence, leaving Lawrence Shankland with a simple finish:
https://giphy.com/media/pDJx99epbtJ3lqibin/giphy.gif
After the break Cameron Devlin tapped in a rebound after Rosenborg keeper Hansen
had parried Liam Boyce's shot:
https://giphy.com/media/yerpgyvFXco1FEAL9u/giphy.gif
and the Aussie also sent Hearts into the next round when in stoppage time his shot
was deflected past a helpless Hansen:
https://giphy.com/media/dqgzCRYmW6rx7PGfvN/giphy.gif

I have been dismissive of Scottish teams in Europe not called Celtic or Rangers,
but both Hearts and Hibs have so far showed good performances this summer.

Derry City FC (IRL) v FC TOBOL (KAZ)* 1-0 aet (1-0, 1-0), 1-1 on aggregate, Tobol win 6-5 on penalties
(Patching 15' (pen))

Derry made up the first-leg deficit already early on after Tobol's Serbian centre-
back Ivan Rogač had bowled over Michael Duffy in the box, and Will Patching
converted from the spot. As both sides were subsequently rather harmless in front
of goal the tie went all the way to penalties where both teams missed their fifth
spot kick - Tobol keeper Konovalov saved Ben Doherty's poor effort while Jovan
Ilić sent his penalty against the crossbar - and finally Derry keeper Brian Maher
also saw his penalty saved by Konovalov. I wonder how many people in Kazakhstan
watched until the very end, the shootout ended past 3am their time.

Following this painful elimination the Republic of Ireland are the highest-placed
league in the UEFA ranking to see already all four of their teams eliminated. On
the other hand, Kazakhstan are the lowest-ranked nation that still has more than
one team left in the competition.

FK PARTIZAN (SRB)* v Sabah FK (AZE) 2-0 aet (1-0, 2-0), 2-2 on aggregate, Partizan win 5-4 on penalties
(Saldanha 30', Natkho 58'; Red Card: Belić (Par) 116')

Brazilian in the Balkans Matheus Saldanha volleyed in a rebound at the second
attempt: https://giphy.com/media/LPY6dKZfDEQLzQ9awm/giphy.gif
and a cheeky free-kick by Israeli veteran Bibras Natkho surprised Sabah keeper
İmanov, who didn't look good, at his near post:
https://giphy.com/media/SQssrs7NwjhVtPRSng/giphy.gif
Sabah held on in extra time, which was helped by Kristijan Belić's dismissal with
a second yellow, and in the shootout the first eleven penalties were converted,
then Namiq Ələsgərov missed the decisive spot kick (even though he was allowed to
retake it), so it's goodbye to all those Ə's.

Serbia and their UEFA coefficient dodged a bullet there.

Debreceni VSC (HUN) v SK RAPID WIEN (AUT)* 0-5 (0-2), 0-5 on aggregate
(Seidl 15', Romanchuk 43' (og), Grüll 52', Burgstaller 72', Baranyai 90' (og))

Rapid are quite Jekyll and Hyde at the moment, and following two terrible
performances in the first leg and in the Austrian league they took care of the
Hungarians with surprising ease. It helped that Debrecen served Matthias Seidl the
first goal on a silver platter:
https://giphy.com/media/ouCZGERW5BB9msWim9/giphy.gif
and that old man Guido Burgstaller still has some tricks up his sleeve:
https://giphy.com/media/dfXbK6TBa5BYK52C2b/giphy.gif
In the second half Marco Grüll added the third on the break:
https://giphy.com/media/z9ph1T2orzPS29YTaq/giphy.gif
and Rapid scored a lucky fourth when Moritz Oswald's shot came off the post and
bounced off the back of Debrecen keeper Megyeri leaving Burgstaller with an easy
tap-in, and late on the Hungarians were assigned another own goal when Nimród
Baranyai slid into Ante Bajić's goal-bound shot.

Draw for Europa Conference League Play-Off (August 24 and 31)
* = seeded team
Winners go to ECL group phase

Champions Path

KF Ballkani (KOS) v FC BATE Borisov (BLR)*
FK Žalgiris (LTU)* v Ferencvárosi TC (HUN)

FK Struga (MKD) v Breiðablik (ISL)*
FCV Farul Constanța (ROM) v HJK (FIN)*
FC Astana (KAZ)* v FK Partizani (ALB)

Main Path

PFC Levski Sofia (BUL) v Eintracht Frankfurt (GER)*
ACS Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe (ROM) v FK Bodø/Glimt (NOR)*
FC Midtjylland (DEN)* v Legia Warszawa (POL)
Fenerbahçe SK (TUR)* v FC Twente (NED)

APOEL FC (CYP) v KAA Gent (BEL)*
FC Tobol (KAZ) v FC Viktoria Plzeň (CZE)*
Lille OSC (FRA)* v HNK Rijeka (CRO)
FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)* v Beşiktaş JK (TUR)

FC Spartak Trnava (SLK) v SC Dnipro-1 (UKR)*
Hibernian FC (SCO) v Aston Villa FC (ENG)*
KRC Genk (BEL)* v Adana Demirspor (TUR)
AZ (NED)* v SK Brann (NOR)

SK Rapid Wien (AUT) v ACF Fiorentina (ITA)*
Heart of Midlothian FC (SCO) v PAOK FC (GRE)*
FC Nordsjælland (DEN) v FK Partizan (SRB)*
CA Osasuna (ESP) v Club Brugge KV (BEL)*
Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR)* v NK Celje (SLO)

Ciao,
Werner