From Newsgroup: rec.sport.soccer

Europa League 1st Qualifying Round 2nd Leg
* = seeded team
Teams in CAPITALS through to ELQ2, Losers go to ConfLQ2 (Main Path)


July 16

FC Universitatea Cluj (ROM) v FC DYNAMO KYIV (UKR)* 0-0 aet (0-0, 0-0),
0-0 on aggregate, Dynamo win 4-2 on penalties

As in the first leg it was the Ukrainians who came closest to scoring by hitting the woodwork and getting a goal disallowed by VAR, so it wasn't completely undeserved that after 210+ scoreless minutes it was them who
won the shoot-out. Dynamo keeper Ruslan Neshcheret pulled off a great
save to push Dorin Codrea's effort past the post, and 37-year-old former Anderlecht and Sparta Prague left-back Alexandru Chipciu sent his spot
kick over the crossbar.


Derry City FC (IRL) v PFC CSKA SOFIA (BUL)* 1-2 (0-0), 3-5 on aggregate (Chapman 47'; Pittas 74', Cotter 90'+18 (og))

A surprising amount of bad blood in this one.

It all began when the Bulgarians loudly cried foul when the two
Belarusian players in their squad - number one goalkeeper Fyodor
Lapoukhov and midfielder Max Ebong - were denied visas to enter the UK
despite both having been part of a Belarus national team that had
already played against Northern Ireland in Belfast in the Nations League
in November 2024, and in a World Cup qualifier against Scotland at
Hampden Park in October 2025.

CSKA and Derry supporters then also clashed during a fan march before
the match, and things really came to a head after the Irish had taken
the lead to level the aggregate score - CSKA's reserve keeper Dimitar
Evtimov lost his bearings on occasion of Michael Duffy's free-kick, and
Brandon Fleming headed across goal for Ellis Chapman to nod home: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/535139/189596-Record_2026_07_16_20_34_33_405.mp4
Roughly ten minutes later rioting CSKA fans broke through a flimsy
barrier separating them from a stand with regular Derry supporters, who
then fled onto the pitch, leading the game to be interrupted for a
quarter of an hour:
https://x.com/irishfantv/status/2077832140624908504

Some of the blame now also goes to Derry's special circumstances where
there's a long-standing agreement that Northern Irish Police won't enter
the stadium - a lack of presence, and a breach of UEFA regulations,
which the CSKA ultr|as eagerly exploited. There have also been reports of
Nazi salutes and other unsavoury behaviour on part of the Bulgarians.

Unfortunately for Derry the involuntary break only benefited the away
side, and a very poorly defended long ball over the top allowed CSKA's
Cypriot striker Ionnis Pittas to lob over Derry keeper Brian Maher: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/535139/189610-Record_2026_07_16_21_03_22_183.mp4
Near the end of the extended stoppage time Barry Cotter deflected
Mohamed Brahimi's attempted tight-angle shot into his own net: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/535139/189623-Record_2026_07_16_21_35_15_692.mp4
and a couple of Derry supporters took this as a sign to invade the pitch
again and try to attack CSKA keeper Evtimov for having allegedly
celebrated in a provocative fashion.

UEFA have opened an investigation against both sides - against CSKA for
damage to the stadium, throwing objects, racist and/or discriminatory behaviour, crowd disturbances, and violating decent behaviour; and
against Derry City for invasion of the field of play, throwing objects,
crowd disturbances, and insufficient protection of the playing area
against intruders.

It's likely that both sides and sets of supporters will receive some
serious fines and bans.


NK Aluminj (SLO) v FC SHERIFF (MDA)* 0-1 (0-1), 0-1 on aggregate
(Loukou 5')

Five minutes in the Slovenian cup winners poorly defended Danila Forov's
low cross into the box, and young Ivorian winger Loukou Konan tapped in: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/535140/189576-Record_2026_07_16_20_06_25_566.mp4
Aluminj were the better team after that and several times came close to
getting the equaliser, but Sheriff keeper Emil Timbur made a string of excellent saves to maintain their narrow lead until the end.


FERENCV|UROSI TC (HUN)* v FK Vojvodina (SRB) 3-0 (2-0), 5-1 on aggregate (Joseph 27', Zachariassen 34', Gruber 71'; Red Card: Sz+#cs (Voj) 9')

Vojvodina's Hungarian centre-back Korn|-l Sz+#cs, who had already been at
fault for a Ferencv|iros goal in the first leg, got himself sent off
after just nine minutes for a last-man foul against Haiti international
Lenny Joseph, who had just a two-week summer break between playing
against Morocco at the World Cup and taking the field for Fradi.
Against ten Serbians Joseph swept in a feed by Kristoffer Zachariassen,
the Norwegian tapped in the second himself following some trickery by
the Brazilian Cadu: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/535141/189606-Record_2026_07_16_20_51_07_48.mp4
and the young substitute Zsombor Gruber got Fradi's third with an angled
shot after the Vojvodina defence had needlessly lost the ball in front
of their own penalty area: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/535141/189631-Record_2026_07_16_21_45_06_93.mp4

Softens at least a little bit the blow of Gy+ar's elimination in the
Champions League qualifiers.


M+aK ++ilina (SLK) v HNK HAJDUK SPLIT (CRO)* 2-1 (0-1), 2-3 on aggregate (Rogini-c 51', Melnjak 90'+1 (og); Van Hoorenbeeck 45'+2)

In stoppage time of the first half Hajduk's new arrival from Twente Alec
Van Hoorenbeeeck headed in +aimun Hrgovi-c's inviting free-kick to give
Hajduk a seemingly unassailable three-goal aggregate lead, but right
after the break ++ilina's Croatian striker Marko Rogini-c ran onto
youngster Franti+iek K||+ia's through ball, and after a lengthy VAR check
the goal stood. Rogini-c then missed a great chance to score a brace when
alone in front of Hajduk keeper Sili-c he blazed a shot a mile over the crossbar. An unlucky own goal in stoppage time still got the Slovakians
within one of making up the deficit, as a curled shot by Polish Under-19 international Fabian Bzdyl was pushed by Sili-c against Hajduk left-back
Dario Melnjak from whence it bounced into the empty net: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/535142/189641-Record_2026_07_16_22_20_11_818.mp4
and suddenly there was a lot of tension - would perennial bottlers
Hajduk manage to bottle it again? But no, ++ilina had one more great
chance to equalise but Romanian substitute Andrei Florea sent his free
header wide.


IF Vestri (ISL) v QARABA-R FK (AZE)* 0-3 (0-2), 0-6 on aggregate
(Mouaddib 5', Pedro Bicalho 29', Sawo 57')

As in the first leg the Icelandic 2nd division team (it's a bit of a
shame that they weren't able to play this at their remote but
picturesque home in |isafj||r|#ur but had to move to Valbjarnarv||llur in Reykjav|!k instead) didn't really stand a chance. Lille-trained Frenchman
Jaly Mouaddib stabbed into the empty net after Vestri keeper Marvin
Darri Steinarsson hadn't been able to deal with Pedro Bicalho's cross,
and the Brazilian scored the second one himself with a fine volley from
the edge of the D: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/535143/189643-Record_2026_07_16_22_30_06_39.mp4
In the second half Qaraba-f's new Swedish-Gambian signing from Djurg|Nrden Zakaria Sawo ran onto Kady's chipped ball over the top and powered past
two Vestri defenders and Marvin Darri to make it three: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/535143/189659-Record_2026_07_16_23_13_50_858.mp4



Draw for Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round (July 23 and July 30)
* = seeded team

Winners go to ELQ3 (Main Path), Losers go to ConfLQ3 (Main Path)

Hammarby IF (SWE) v RSC Anderlecht (BEL)*
Qaraba-f FK (AZE)* v PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL)
Troms|+ IL (NOR) v FC Viktoria Plze+e (CZE)*
FC Twente (NED) v Ferencv|irosi TC (HUN)*
Be+fikta+f JK (TUR) v FC Midtjylland (DEN)*

HNK Hajduk Split (CRO) v Pafos FC (CYP)*
FC Sheriff (MDA) v Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR)*
FC St. Gallen 1879 (SUI) v SL Benfica (POR)*
FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) v PAOK FC (GRE)*


Ciao,
Werner
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From Newsgroup: rec.sport.soccer

Werner Pichler <wpichler@gmail.com> wrote:

Draw for Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round (July 23 and July 30)
* = seeded team

Winners go to ELQ3 (Main Path), Losers go to ConfLQ3 (Main Path)

Hammarby IF (SWE) v RSC Anderlecht (BEL)*
Qaraba-f FK (AZE)* v PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL)
Troms|+ IL (NOR) v FC Viktoria Plze+e (CZE)*
FC Twente (NED) v Ferencv|irosi TC (HUN)*
Be+fikta+f JK (TUR) v FC Midtjylland (DEN)*

HNK Hajduk Split (CRO) v Pafos FC (CYP)*
FC Sheriff (MDA) v Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR)*
FC St. Gallen 1879 (SUI) v SL Benfica (POR)*
FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) v PAOK FC (GRE)*

Draw for Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round (August 6 and 13)
* = seeded team

Winners go to ELPO, Losers go to ConfLPO (Champions and Main Paths)


Champions Path

(loser of:) Larne FC (NIR)/FK Crvena zvezda (SRB)* v (loser of:) FC Iberia
1999 (GEO)/+aK Slovan Bratislava (SLK)
(loser of:) Mj|nllby AIF (SWE)/Lincoln Red Imps FC (GIB) v (loser of:) AC Omonoia (CYP)/FC Kairat (KAZ)*
(loser of:) Sabah FK (AZE)/KuPS (FIN) v (loser of:) PFC Levski Sofia
(BUL)/CS Universitatea Craiova (ROM)*

(loser of:) FC Ararat-Armenia (ARM)/Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL)* v (loser of:)
KF Egnatia (ALB)/NK Celje
(loser of:) AGF (DEN)/KKS Lech Pozna+a (POL)* v (loser of:) K|i (FAR)/FK
Kauno ++algiris (LTU)
(loser of:) FC Thun (SUI)/GNK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) v (loser of:) KF V|!kingur (ISL)/Hapoel Be'er-Sheva FC (ISR)*


Main Path

Troms|+ IL (NOR)/FC Hradec Kr|ilov|- (CZE) v Be+fikta+f JK (TUR)/FC Midtjylland (DEN)*
Jagiellonia Bia+eystok (POL) v Rangers FC (SCO)*
FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)/PAOK FC (GRE)* v Hammarby IF (SWE)/RSC Anderlecht
(BEL)
HNK Hajduk Split (CRO)/Pafos FC (CYP) v RB Salzburg (AUT)*

FC St. Gallen 1879 (SUI)/SL Benfica (POR)* v (loser of:) SK Sturm Graz (AUT)/Heart of Midlothian FC (SCO)
FC Sheriff (MDA)/Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR) v Qaraba-f FK (AZE)/PFC CSKA
Sofia (BUL)*
FC Twente (NED)/Ferencv|irosi TC (HUN)* v (loser of:) Fenerbah|oe SK (TUR)/G||rnik Zabrze (POL)


Ciao,
Werner

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: rec.sport.soccer

Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round 1st Leg
* = seeded team


July 23

Qaraba-f FK (AZE)* v PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL) 0-0 (0-0)

The Azeri had more of the game, but only scored an offside goal and were otherwise stymied by CSKA's Belarusian keeper Fedor Lapoukhov, who
unlike in the previous round against Derry had no problems getting a
visa for the away game.


Hammarby IF (SWE) v RSC Anderlecht (BEL)* 1-1 (0-1)
(Adjei 89'; Sikan 6'; Red Card: Saliba (And) 78')

Anderlecht took an early lead thanks to a great free-kick by their
Ukrainian forward Danylo Sikan that left Hammarby's Surinamese keeper
Warner Hahn rooted to the spot: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536068/190642-Record_2026_07_23_19_06_23_490.mp4
The Swedes had a couple of good chances to equalise, but needed to wait
until Nathan Saliba, just back from the Canadian NT at the World Cup,
received a second yellow for stepping into the path of Frederik Winther
to break up a counter-attack. Against ten Belgians the Ghanaian
substitute Frank Adjei volleyed in the equaliser at the second attempt: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536068/190730-Record_2026_07_23_20_48_17_782.mp4


Troms|+ IL (NOR) v FC Hradec Kr|ilov|- (CZE)* 0-1 (0-0)
(Van Buren 85')

Hradec Kr|ilov|-, the team that replaced Viktoria Plze+e in this round following the exclusion of Karvin|i for match fixing (and took over
Viktoria's seeded status which they would otherwise not have had), took
full advantage of that boon provided by the notoriously late UEFA decision-making.

Throughout the match Troms|+ were the better and more dangerous team on
their artificial turf, but their finishing let them down more than
once - especially when youngster Jens Hjert|+-Dahl sent a very poor spot
kick straight into the arms of Hradec Kr|ilov|- keeper Adam Zadra++il, the
guy who had caused the penalty in the first place by clattering into
Lars Olden Larsen:
https://media4.giphy.com/media/5fUkEDxEo4d2ioAfMz/giphy.gif
And as it so often happens, with one of their very few forays into the Norwegian box the Czechs even scored the winner - Mick van Buren's solo
run on the break wasn't stopped, or even impeded, by anyone, and so the long-time former Slavia Prague striker must have figured he'd just
finish it off all by himself: https://media4.giphy.com/media/QDiRkVXi296HKQsSnx/giphy.gif
This was Hradec Kr|ilov|-'s only shot on goal.


FC Sheriff (MDA) v Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR)* 0-5 (0-2)
(Abu Farchi 5', 74' (pen), Peretz 29', Jehezkel 53', Sissokho 78')

Incidentally, Sheriff were the team that should have been seeded had
they conducted the draw with Hradec Kr|ilov|- in it instead of Viktoria
Plze+e, and they paid the full price for that UEFA oversight.

But truth be told, as poor as they were against the Israeli they would
have had a hard time against any opponent, unseeded or not. Ido Shahar
had all the time and space in the world to float in a cross that
20-year-old striker Sayed Abu Farchi headed in to open the rout early: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536070/190644-Maccabi%201.mp4 Dor Peretz likewise volleyed in a pin-point cross from the left side,
this one delivered by Roy Revivo: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536070/190655-Zaznam%20obrazovky%202026-07-23%20193011.mp4
The son of former Celta Vigo midfielder Haim Revivo also provided the
through ball that Sagiv Yehezkel slotted past Sheriff keeper Emil T|<mbur
for Maccabi's third: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536070/190695-Zaznam%20obrazovky%202026-07-23%20201156.mp4
Abu Farchi added another from the spot after Peretz had been scythed
down in the box by Malian centre-back Souma|>la Magassouba, and Issouf Sissokho, a Malian on Maccabi's side, made it five by rifling in a
loose ball: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536070/190720-Zaznam%20obrazovky%202026-07-23%20203737.mp4

This was Sheriff's biggest home defeat in their pretty long European
history. They're no longer on the level they used to be, it appears like
the Transnistrian funds have been drying up.


FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) v PAOK FC (GRE)* 2-3 (1-2)
(Brazhko 3', Lonwijk 77'; Konstantelias 13', Zafeiris 38',
Santamaria 51')

In their usual exile in Lublin Dynamo took the early lead when a long
cut-back cross by Eduardo Guerrero, who had not made the cut for
Panama's World Cup squad, found Volodymyr Brazhko at the edge of the
box, and the Ukraine international took a couple of steps before
unleashing a powerful shot into the far corner: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536071/190639-Record_2026_07_23_19_04_19_115.mp4
PAOK soon equalised through great Greek hope Giannis Konstantelias who
ran onto Andrija ++ivkovi-c's through ball and chipped over Dynamo keeper Ruslan Neshcheret: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536071/190649-Record_2026_07_23_19_13_38_383.mp4
Brazhko then undid his previous good work by playing a horrible back
pass into his own box and straight to Christos Zafeiris, who alone in
front of Neshcheret had no problems turning around to fire in: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536071/190663-Record_2026_07_23_19_38_37_360.mp4
Newly signed Frenchman Baptiste Santamaria, a former mainstay for Angers
and Rennes, and who had also had left a good impression during his year
at Freiburg, scored PAOK's third with a precise shot from twenty metres
into the bottom corner: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536071/190693-Record_2026_07_23_20_12_11_658.mp4
Surinamese international Justin Lonwijk pulled one back for Dynamo when
he likewise sent a precise effort through a forest of legs into the far
corner, and the Ukrainians could have even scored a late equaliser when
Matviy Ponomarenko pushed a ball past PAOK keeper Ji+O|! Pavlenka but it
went off the near post: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536071/190723-Record_2026_07_23_20_43_23_824.mp4
In the very last second of stoppage time PAOK's Guinean substitute Mady
Camara also hit the woodwork.


FC Twente (NED) v Ferencv|irosi TC (HUN)* 1-2 (1-1)
(Adelgaard 38'; Joseph 14', 80')

Kristoffer Zachariassen chipped a speculative ball into the Dutch box,
and Haiti international striker Lenny Joseph duped Twente right-back
Bart van Rooij to volley past Lars Unnerstall: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536072/190772-Record_2026_07_23_22_04_02_8.mp4
Twente equalised through their new Danish left-back Aske Adelgaard who
fired in a cut-back by young Norwegian winger Sondre |yrjas|ater: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536072/190770-Record_2026_07_23_22_03_22_989.mp4
Ten minutes from time Fradi still got the win when Joseph stuck out a
leg to steer in a cross by the Irish substitute Callum O'Dowda: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536072/190773-Record_2026_07_23_22_04_47_644.mp4


Be+fikta+f JK (TUR) v FC Midtjylland (DEN)* 1-0 (1-0)
(K||k|o|+ 26'; Red Card: Etim (Mid) 15')

In a pretty wild game both sides attacked from the start, with big
chances falling to Salih |uzcan and Viktor Bak respectively, but the
complexion of the match changed immediately when Midtjylland's Nigerian
striker Friday Etim saw red for a studs-up stomp on the shin of Tiago
Djal||, one of those fouls that look really bad in VAR slow motion.
Be+fikta+f immediately took over the match, and they went in front thanks
to a lovely curler by Orkun K||k|o|+: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536073/190708-Record_2026_07_23_20_26_02_763.mp4
Soon after FCM's Icelandic keeper El|!as Rafn |olafsson pulled off a great
save to push a volley by Panamanian World Cup starter Amir Murillo
against the crossbar, and on the follow-up Beninese international Junior Olaitan in front of the gaping net failed to connect with the ball: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536073/190709-Record_2026_07_23_20_29_02_82.mp4
But if the Turkish fans expected the onslaught to continue like that
they were disappointed. The Danes managed to stabilize their defence,
El|!as Rafn was on hand every time Be+fikta+f still managed to break
through, and ten minutes from time out of nowhere they could even have
scored the equaliser - on the break Philip Billing suddenly found
himself alone in front of Alexander N|+bel, but he was denied by a great
save from Germany's potential future number one.


FC St. Gallen 1879 (SUI) v SL Benfica (POR)* 2-1 (1-1)
(Bald|- 37', Gaal 80'; Rafa Silva 44')

Similarly to Braga the day before Benfica were evidently still rusty,
and a lost ball while trying to play out from the back led to FCSG's
Guinean forward Aliou Bald|-, on loan from Nice, curling a shot from a
tight angle through the arms of Anatoliy Trubin: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536074/190719-Record_2026_07_23_20_37_50_438.mp4
Bald|- then also missed a one-on-one with Trubin, and a minute later
Benfica were level as Rafa Silva was played in by Vangelis Pavlidis and
he slotted past Ghana's World Cup keeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536074/190724-Record_2026_07_23_20_44_25_220.mp4
Ati-Zigi then made several saves to deny the Portuguese favourites, and
late on St. Gallen even managed to score the winner, centre-back Tom
Gaal headed in a curving free-kick by fellow German Lukas Daschner: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536074/190755-Record_2026_07_23_21_36_35_680.mp4


HNK Hajduk Split (CRO) v Pafos FC (CYP)* 2-0 (0-0)
(+aego 56', Melnjak 64')

From the start Hajduk had the upper hand against last year's Champions
League surprise package, even though they had to wait until after the
break to open the scoring. Former Croatian youth international Michele
+aego bent in a direct free-kick that left Rados+eaw Majeckiflat-footed: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536075/190781-Record_2026_07_23_22_17_44_259.mp4
Pafos's Polish keeper, just arrived on loan from Monaco, was also
beaten when Dario Melnjak flicked on a cross by R|-union-born Madagascar international Mathieu Acapandi|-, newly signed by Hajduk from Nantes: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536075/190784-Record_2026_07_23_22_22_48_876.mp4

Could this be the year that Hajduk finally make it all the way through
the qualifiers and into a league stage? It's looking pretty good so far.


Ciao,
Werner
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From Newsgroup: rec.sport.soccer

Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round 2nd leg
Teams in CAPITALS through to ELQ3, losers go to ConfLQ3
* = seeded team


July 30


MACCABI TEL AVIV FC (ISR)* v FC Sheriff (MDA) 1-0 (1-0), 6-0 on aggregate (Kon|- 29' (og))

In Batumi in Georgia a harmless Transnistrian side conceded the sole
goal when Sheriff's Malian midfielder Samba Kon|- ran into Roy Revivo's in-swinging free-kick and deflected it into his own net.


FC HRADEC KR|ULOV|e (CZE)* v Troms|+ IL (NOR) 3-1 (1-1), 4-1 on aggregate
(Van Buren 30', Slon-i|!k 48', Mih|ilik 53'; H. |a. Larsen 25')

Troms|+ took the lead and levelled the aggregate score when their young left-back Sander Innv|ar powered into the box, and his cross eluded
Hradec Kr|ilov|- keeper Adam Zadra++il and was acrobatically volleyed in by Heine |asen Larsen: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536077/191706-Record_2026_07_30_19_25_45_186.mp4
Just five minutes later though the Czechs equalised as first-leg scorer
Mick van Buren expertly flicked Jakub Ku-iera's cross into the far
corner: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536077/191713-Record_2026_07_30_19_30_06_892.mp4
The tie remained in balance until half-time but was decided by two quick
Czech goals after the break - Tom Slon-i|!k headed in a Van Buren cross: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536077/191730-Record_2026_07_30_20_08_59_519.mp4
and Ond+Oej Mih|ilik did likewise from Daniel Hor|ik's delivery: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536077/191736-Record_2026_07_30_20_14_15_87.mp4
A shot by Erling Haaland's remote cousin Daniel Braut hit the post in
Troms|+'s only big chance of the second half.


FC Midtjylland (DEN)* v BE+RIKTA+R JK (TUR) 0-2 (0-0), 0-3 on aggregate (Rashica 70', K||k|o|+ 76' (pen); Red Card: Erli-c (Mid) 53')

FCM were the better team in the first half and their Bissau-Guinean
mainstay Franculino Dj|| twice hit the woodwork, but just as in the first
leg a red card for the Jutlanders proved crucial - Martin Erli-c, an
unused sub for Croatia at the World Cup, had already been on a yellow
when he went in with a pointless late sliding tackle at the centre line
against Be+fikta+f's South Korean forward Oh Hyeon-gyu. Against ten men
the Turks at first also only hit the far post through Orkun K||k|o|+, but former Werder Bremen and Norwich City winger Milot Rashica a minute
after having come on as a substitute decided the tie for good when he
raced clear to collect Junior Olaitan's excellent assist and left
Midtjylland's Icelandic keeper El|!as Rafn |olafsson no chance: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536078/191753-Record_2026_07_30_20_28_32_738.mp4
K||k|o|+ added a second from the spot after French-born youngster -#lhan Fak-#l-# had been tripped by former Salzburg and Eintracht Frankfurt
right-back Rasmus Nissen Kristensen.


PAFOS FC (CYP)* v HNK Hajduk Split (CRO) 4-0 aet (1-0, 2-0), 4-2 on
aggregate
(Guga 40', Goldar 90'+1, Biel 93', Correia 117')

Former Portuguese youth international Gon|oalo Rodrigues called Guga,
newly signed by Pafos from Al-Najma in the Saudi Premier League, halved
the Cypriots' first-leg deficit when he surprised Hajduk's young keeper
Toni Sili-c with a shot from distance: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536079/191721-Record_2026_07_30_19_41_19_730.mp4
The Croatians were let off the hook when Pafos's Spanish centre-back
David Goldar headed in a corner kick but the Polish ref had already
whistled for a foul by a Cypriot attacker, but Goldar still scored the aggregate equaliser in stoppage time by expertly heading in Vlad
Dragomir's cross: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536079/191784-Record_2026_07_30_20_53_42_277.mp4
In extra time Sporting loanee Gabriel Teixeira Arag|uo called Biel soon
got Pafos's third when he fired in the loose ball after Sili-c had
only slapped away a cross by Biel's Brazilian compatriot Lel|-, also a
loan player from Fluminense: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536079/191788-Record_2026_07_30_21_03_15_728.mp4
With Hajduk throwing everything forward but hardly threatening, Pafos
finished them off on the break as the Cape Verdean substitute Jo|uo
Correia tapped in a feed by Pedro Rodrigues called P|-p|-, another of
Pafos's Portuguese contingent: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536079/191819-Record_2026_07_30_21_30_10_40.mp4
It amuses me a bit that Pafos have Guga, Jaj|i, Lel|-, and P|-p|- in
their squad. Let's see if I'm still amused once they play Salzburg.

As for Split, Hajduk's gonna Hajduk. I wouldn't bet on them in the
Conference League qualifiers.


PAOK FC (GRE)* v FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) 2-0 (1-0), 5-2 on aggregate (Konstantelias 45'+1, 48')

In an otherwise quite uneventful game Giannis Konstantelias made the
difference with two goals either side of half-time - he beat Dynamo's
young reserve keeper Vyacheslav Surkis with a curled shot from outside
the area: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536080/191757-Record_2026_07_30_20_32_59_109.mp4
and also finished off a solo run with a precise shot into the low
corner: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536080/191781-Record_2026_07_30_20_54_13_783.mp4
The closest the Ukrainians came to scoring were a header by Suriname international Justin Lonwijk that landed on the crossbar and a shot by Volodymyr Brazhko that came off the left post.


PFC CSKA SOFIA (BUL) v Qaraba-f FK (AZE)* 0-0 aet (0-0, 0-0), 0-0 on aggregate, CSKA win 5-4 on penalties

The Azeri favourites were the better team throughout, but CSKA's
Belarusian keeper Fyodor Lapoukhov kept out everything Qaraba-f threw at
him. In the shootout Lapoukhov also made a great save to push the
penalty by Brazilian right-back Matheus Silva against the crossbar, and
that proved decisive.

So both CSKA Sofia's in Europe (this OG one and CSKA 1948 in the
Conference League) managed to progress on penalties after 210 scoreless minutes.


RSC ANDERLECHT (BEL)* v Hammarby IF (SWE) 3-1 (0-1), 4-2 on aggregate
(Sikan 48', Cvetkovi-c 81', De Greef 89'; Abraham 2')

Just two minutes in a well-placed shot by Hammarby's Danish winger
Victor Lind went off the upright, and Paulos Abraham was on hand to
sweep in the rebound: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536082/191808-Record_2026_07_30_21_19_53_694.mp4
Anderlecht could have equalised in the first half, but a free header by
French centre-back Giulian Biancone, newly signed from Olympiacos, came
off the right post. Just before the break Abraham saw a good chance
denied by Anderlecht keeper Colin Coosemans, and the Belgians managed to equalise right after the re-start when a cross by Senegalese left-back
Moussa Ndiaye, on at half-time, was headed back across goal by Morocco
youth international Ali Maamar, and Ukrainian striker Danylo Sikan
nodded in: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536082/191828-Record_2026_07_30_21_36_17_238.mp4
The tie hung in the balance for the longest time until nine minutes
from the end when Hammarby's Surinamese keeper Warner Hahn could only
parry a shot by the young Czech Luk|i+i Ambros, just signed by Anderlecht
from G||rnik Zabrze, and the other half-time substitute, Serbian
youngster Mihajlo Cvetkovi-c, buried the rebound: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536082/191855-Record_2026_07_30_22_09_35_434.mp4
Adriano Bertaccini then managed to miss the empty net from three metres
out (he also didn't expect to be served the ball on a platter): https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536082/191856-Record_2026_07_30_22_11_55_300.mp4
but Anderlecht still scored a third thanks to another mistake by the
Swedish defence as young winger Tristan Degreef managed to intercept
Hahn's bad pass towards Ibrahima Fofana and fire in: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536082/191866-Record_2026_07_30_22_18_19_379.mp4


FERENCV|UROSI TC (HUN)* v FC Twente (NED) 2-2 (1-0), 4-3 on aggregate (Raemaekers 22' (pen), Joseph 50; Weghorst 83',
Vennegoor of Hesselink 86'; Red Card: Rommens (Fer) 34')

The Belgians in Fradi's squad played the main role in the first half -
Toon Raemaekers gave them the lead from the spot after Thomas van den
Belt had tripped Kristoffer Zachariassen in the box, and Philippe
Rommens got himself sent off by VAR for a studs-up tackle against Ramiz Zerrouki's ankle. Still, right after the break a great solo effort by
Haitian striker Lenny Joseph gave the ten-man Hungarians their second,
he outpaced Stav Lemkin and surprised Twente keeper Lars Unnerstall with
a shot through the Israeli defender's legs: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536083/191907-Record_2026_07_30_23_55_27_901.mp4
Wout Weghorst might be on his last legs as a striker for a top team,
but he scored his first goal in a Twente jersey when he was in the right
place to flick Marco Pjaca's header past Ferencv|iros keeper D|-nes
Dibusz: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536083/191908-Record_2026_07_30_23_56_13_967.mp4
The match then also saw the return of a famous name to the scoresheet -
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's 20-year-old son Lucas scored his first professional goal with another header: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536083/191908-Record_2026_07_30_23_56_13_967.mp4
Twente managed to get his full name on the jersey by the way, but they
didn't manage to get the goal that would have sent the tie to extra
time.


SL BENFICA (POR)* v FC St. Gallen 1879 (SUI) 5-0 (1-0), 6-2 on aggregate (Pavlidis 11', 55', 66', 74' (pen), Lenglet 81';
Red Card: Stani-c (StG) 57')

Benfica needed just ten minutes to make up the first-leg deficit as they
caught the Swiss on the break and Rafa Silva centred for Vangelis
Pavlidis who scored through the legs of St. Gallen's German keeper
Lukas Watkowiak: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536084/191799-Record_2026_07_30_21_11_00_409.mp4
The Swiss kept the result close until half-time and even hit the outside
of the post through Aliou Bald|-: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536084/191829-Record_2026_07_30_21_40_55_958.mp4
but the second half was a different matter. Pavlidis scored his second
of the night when he played a one-two with Polish winger Jakub Kami+aski,
newly signed by Benfica from Cologne: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536084/191860-Record_2026_07_30_22_13_50_120.mp4
St. Gallen's German-Croatian centre-back Jozo Stani-c then was rightfully
sent off with a second booking for tripping Heorhiy Sudakov, and
Pavlidis got his hat trick by heading in which was rather bizarrely
Alexander Bah's third attempt at a cross: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536084/191870-Record_2026_07_30_22_25_49_857.mp4
Pavlidis even scored a fourth from the spot after Leon Frokaj had felled
the Colombian substitute Richard R|!os, and following a short corner kick Atl|-tico Madrid loanee Cl|-ment Lenglet finished the rout by volleying in
Dodi Luk|-bakio's cross: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/536084/191885-Record_2026_07_30_22_40_40_903.mp4



Draw for Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round (August 6 and 13)
* = seeded team

Winners go to ELPO, Losers go to ConfLPO (Champions and Main Paths)


Champions Path

Larne FC (NIR)* v FC Iberia 1999 (GEO)
Lincoln Red Imps FC (GIB) v AC Omonoia (CYP)*
KuPS (FIN) v CS Universitatea Craiova (ROM)*

Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL)* v KF Egnatia (ALB)
KKS Lech Pozna+a (POL)* v K|i (FAR)
FC Thun (SUI) v KF V|!kingur (ISL)*


Main Path

FC Hradec Kr|ilov|- (CZE) v Be+fikta+f JK (TUR)*
Jagiellonia Bia+eystok (POL) v Rangers FC (SCO)*
PAOK FC (GRE)* v RSC Anderlecht (BEL)
Pafos FC (CYP) v RB Salzburg (AUT)*

SL Benfica (POR)* v Heart of Midlothian FC (SCO)
Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR) v PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL)*
Ferencv|irosi TC (HUN)* v G||rnik Zabrze (POL)


Ciao,
Werner
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: rec.sport.soccer

On 20/07/2026 14:00, Werner Pichler wrote:

Werner Pichler <wpichler@gmail.com> wrote:

Draw for Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round (July 23 and July 30)
* = seeded team

Winners go to ELQ3 (Main Path), Losers go to ConfLQ3 (Main Path)

Hammarby IF (SWE) v RSC Anderlecht (BEL)*
Qaraba-f FK (AZE)* v PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL)
Troms|+ IL (NOR) v FC Viktoria Plze+e (CZE)*
FC Twente (NED) v Ferencv|irosi TC (HUN)*
Be+fikta+f JK (TUR) v FC Midtjylland (DEN)*

HNK Hajduk Split (CRO) v Pafos FC (CYP)*
FC Sheriff (MDA) v Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR)*
FC St. Gallen 1879 (SUI) v SL Benfica (POR)*
FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) v PAOK FC (GRE)*

Draw for Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round (August 6 and 13)
* = seeded team

Winners go to ELPO, Losers go to ConfLPO (Champions and Main Paths)

Champions Path

(loser of:) Larne FC (NIR)/FK Crvena zvezda (SRB)* v (loser of:) FC Iberia 1999 (GEO)/+aK Slovan Bratislava (SLK)
(loser of:) Mj|nllby AIF (SWE)/Lincoln Red Imps FC (GIB) v (loser of:) AC Omonoia (CYP)/FC Kairat (KAZ)*
(loser of:) Sabah FK (AZE)/KuPS (FIN) v (loser of:) PFC Levski Sofia
(BUL)/CS Universitatea Craiova (ROM)*

(loser of:) FC Ararat-Armenia (ARM)/Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL)* v (loser of:) KF Egnatia (ALB)/NK Celje
(loser of:) AGF (DEN)/KKS Lech Pozna+a (POL)* v (loser of:) K|i (FAR)/FK Kauno ++algiris (LTU)
(loser of:) FC Thun (SUI)/GNK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) v (loser of:) KF V|!kingur (ISL)/Hapoel Be'er-Sheva FC (ISR)*

Main Path

Troms|+ IL (NOR)/FC Hradec Kr|ilov|- (CZE) v Be+fikta+f JK (TUR)/FC Midtjylland
(DEN)*
Jagiellonia Bia+eystok (POL) v Rangers FC (SCO)*
FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)/PAOK FC (GRE)* v Hammarby IF (SWE)/RSC Anderlecht
(BEL)
HNK Hajduk Split (CRO)/Pafos FC (CYP) v RB Salzburg (AUT)*

FC St. Gallen 1879 (SUI)/SL Benfica (POR)* v (loser of:) SK Sturm Graz (AUT)/Heart of Midlothian FC (SCO)
FC Sheriff (MDA)/Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR) v Qaraba-f FK (AZE)/PFC CSKA
Sofia (BUL)*
FC Twente (NED)/Ferencv|irosi TC (HUN)* v (loser of:) Fenerbah|oe SK (TUR)/G||rnik Zabrze (POL)

Draw for Europa League Playoff (August 20 and 27)
* = seeded team

Winners go to EL League Stage, Losers go to ConfL League Stage


Trabzonspor (TUR) v Ferencv|irosi TC (HUN)/G||rnik Zabrze (POL)*
KuPS (FIN)/CS Universitatea Craiova (ROM)* v (loser of:) FC
Ararat-Armenia (ARM)/NK Celje (SLO)
K. Sint-Truidense VV (BEL) v Lincoln Red Imps FC (GIB)/AC Omonoia (CYP)*
(loser of:) Hapoel Be'er-Sheva FC (ISR)/FK Crvena zvezda (SRB) v FC
Viktoria Plze+e (CZE)*
Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL)/KF Egnatia (ALB)* v Lillestr|+m SK (NOR)
Jagiellonia Bia+eystok (POL)/Rangers FC (SCO)* v Larne FC (NIR)/FC Iberia
1999 (GEO)

(loser of:) Mj|nllby AIF (SWE)/+aK Slovan Bratislava (SLK) v Pafos FC
(CYP)/RB Salzburg (AUT)*
(loser of:) PFC Levski Sofia (BUL)/FC Kairat (KAZ) v PAOK FC (GRE)/RSC Anderlecht (BEL)*
KKS Lech Pozna+a (POL)/K|i (FAR)* v FC Thun (SUI)/KF V|!kingur (ISL)
FC Hradec Kr|ilov|- (CZE)/Be+fikta+f JK (TUR)* v (loser of:) GNK Dinamo
Zagreb (CRO)/FK Kauno ++algiris (LTU)
SL Benfica (POR)/Heart of Midlothian FC (SCO)* v (loser of:) AGF
(DEN)/Sabah FK (AZE)
OFI FC (GRE) v Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR)/PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL)*



Ciao,
Werner
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: rec.sport.soccer

On 04/08/2026 09.28, Werner Pichler wrote:

SL Benfica (POR)/Heart of Midlothian FC (SCO)* v (loser of:) AGF (DEN)/ Sabah FK (AZE)

Outrageous there's no chapions' path at the playoff stage.

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: rec.sport.soccer

Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round 1st leg
* = seeded team


August 4

Champions Path

Larne FC (NIR)* v FC Iberia 1999 (GEO) 0-0 (0-0)

This match-up is a golden opportunity for either team to enjoy European
games in autumn, so predictably it ended in a goalless draw. It also
didn't help the Georgians that Iberia had both visa trouble (what is it
this year with Northern Ireland and denied visa) and major paperwork
issues with their charter company, so in the end arrived in Belfast at
3am the day of the match.


Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL)* v KF Egnatia (ALB) 3-1 (1-1)
(Burke 29' (pen), Lopes 55', Greene 57'; Jaime 41')

The Rovers took the lead when Egnatia's Ildi Gruda satisfied the old
adage about strikers in their own box as he went through the back of
Dylan Watts, and Graham Burke converted the resulting penalty. The
Albanian champions equalised thanks to a VAR penalty of their own,
awarded for Tunmise Sobowale's trip on Gruda. Former Barcelona B right-
back Guillem Jaime saw his spot kick saved by Edward McGinty, but the
Rovers keeper unluckily spilled the shot just far enough for Jaime to
push the ball past him at the last second and somehow bundle it over the
line. After the break Cabo Verde mainstay Pico Lopes headed in a corner
kick delivered Arsenal-style by Jack Byrne, and two minutes later Aaron
Greene did exactly the same.


August 5

Main Path

Ferencv|irosi TC (HUN)* v G||rnik Zabrze (POL) 1-0 (0-0)
(Corbu 65')

Both sides threatened mostly through shots from distance, and one of
them, a curler by former Romanian youth international Marius Corbu, beat G||rnik's German keeper Philipp Schulze at the far post: https://media.onlajny.com/media/pl/football/2026/539193/192902-Nagrywaj_2026_08_05_21_39_43_263.mp4


August 6

Champions Path

KuPS (FIN) v CS Universitatea Craiova (ROM)* 1-1 (0-1)
(Moreno 72'; Baiaram 39')

An early KuPS goal by Ghanaian winger Bob Nii Armah was disallowed for
offside while at the other end a turn-and-shot by Craiova's Nigerian
forward Monday Etim went just wide, and former Young Boys and Hoffenheim centre-back Kasim Adams Nuhu scraped his own goal-bound deflection off
the Kuopio goal line. Uni Craiova took the deserved lead when the
Finnish defence failed to cut out Adrian Rus's low cross, and +ytefan
Baiaram arrived at the far post to steer it in: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539194/193052-Record_2026_08_06_17_38_54_963.mp4
Not much happened in the second half until Nicaragua international Jaime
Moreno rose to head in Tommi Jyry's corner kick: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539194/193085-Record_2026_08_06_18_29_08_673.mp4
There was a shock moment in stoppage time when Kuopio's Swedish-Ugandan
winger Calvin Kubaye was knocked groggy by a collision to the head,
stumbled about the pitch like a zombie, and had to be taken to the
hospital from where he thankfully could soon be discharged.


Lincoln Red Imps FC (GIB) v AC Omonoia (CYP)* 1-1 (0-0)
(Rutjens 71'; Andreou 90'+3)

Unsurprisingly the Cypriots had more of the match in the first half, but
their South African winger Mihlali Mayambela had a goal disallowed for
offside, in front of the gaping net failed to connect with a cross, and
also saw his penalty shout denied. The match remained uneventful until
the Red Imps' Dutch-Spanish centre-back Christian Rutjens headed in a
corner kick by Argentine winger Facu |Ulvarez to give them a shock lead.
In stoppage time Muamer Tankovi-c sent a free-kick into the Gibraltarian
area, Red Imps keeper Jayland Hankins made two miraculous saves to keep
two close-range headers out, but at the third attempt Omonoia youngster Panagiotis Andreou volleyed in the loose ball to spare the Cypriot
champions the biggest blushes.


KKS Lech Pozna+a (POL)* v K|i (FAR) 1-0 (0-0)
(Agnero 81')

The Poles could have taken an early lead but Klaksv|!k's Danish keeper
Mark Jensen pulled off a great save to push out a point-blank volley by
Lech's new Iranian winger Allahyar Sayyadmanesh: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539198/193123-Record_2026_08_06_19_16_19_699.mp4
Just after the break Lech's Spanish forward Pablo Rodr|!guez alone in
front of Jensen missed the target, and the Faroese underdogs held on
until nine minutes from time when Mikael Ishak's ball over the top
released Yannick Agnero alone through on goal, and Jensen slipped,
leaving the Ivorian substitute with a simple finish: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539198/193199-Record_2026_08_06_20_41_29_695.mp4
Jensen at least made amends a couple of minutes later when he denied
Patrik W|Nlemark from close range.


FC Thun (SUI) v KF V|!kingur (ISL)* 3-0 (2-0)
(Bamert 19', Labeau 25', Saiz 90'+4)

Set-pieces decided the match for the Swiss champions - Thun centre-back
Jan Bamert headed in from Nico Maier's corner kick, and Martinique international Brighton Labeau volleyed in a free-kick cross that had
also been delivered by Maier, newly returned to Switzerland after a year
with Austrian relegated side Blau-Wei|f Linz. V|!kingur were able to fight
back a bit, but a goal by St|!gur Diljan |R||r|#arson was disallowed by VAR
for a foul in the build-up. Five minutes from the end a shot by the
V|!kingur substitute Valdimar |R||r Ingimundarson went off the right post,
and instead Thun added a third in stoppage time when a precise effort
from distance by Fabio Saiz went through several sets of legs - to the
great ire of the Icelanders including one in what looked like an offside position - and beat V|!kingur keeper Aron Sn|ar Fri|#riksson at the far
post.


Main Path

Jagiellonia Bia+eystok (POL) v Rangers FC (SCO)* 2-1 (2-1)
(Szmyt 13', 21'; Mont||ia 4' (og)

Jagiellonia's Portuguese left-back Guilherme Mont||ia unluckily deflected
a cross by Tuur Rommens into his own net to give Rangers the early lead: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539195/193058-Record_2026_08_06_18_06_45_45.mp4
but the Podlachians soon equalised when a cross-shot by Kajetan Szmyt
took perhaps a slight deflection off Emmanuel Fernandez and beat
Rangers' new Croatian keeper Ivor Pandur at the far post: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539195/193067-Record_2026_08_06_18_15_35_462.mp4
Eight minutes later Szmyt added a second by tapping a rebound into the
empty net after Pandur had made a great save to deny Jagiellonia's
Spanish mainstay Jes||s Imaz from point-blank range: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539195/193073-Record_2026_08_06_18_23_52_961.mp4
Following their shaky first half new Rangers manager Derek McInnes made
three substitutions at half-time, and the Glaswegians were much better
after the break. Both sides missed the net from promising positions,
Scottish youngster Findlay Curtis volleyed Thelo Aasgard's cross just
wide while Imaz did likewise from Norbert Wojtuszek's centre. Late on
Rangers had two more big chances to equalise, but Jagiellonia's young
keeper S+eawomir Abramowicz saved expertly against Curtis and Szmyt
blocked Ross McCrories's follow-up shot, and in stoppage time another
Curtis volley cannoned off the left post: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539195/193165-Record_2026_08_06_19_57_34_521.mp4


Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR) v PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL)* 0-3 (0-2)
(Ebong 9', Godoy 29', Zwarts 90')

In Batumi in Georgia the OG CSKA took the early lead when following a
lost ball in midfield Belarusian international with Cameroonian roots
Max Ebong curled in an assist by Santiago Godoy. CSKA's Argentine
forward scored the second himself by volleying in a loose ball from a
short corner kick. The Bulgarians remained the better team throughout
the match, and in the last minute the Dutch substitute Jo|2l Zwarts, who
had found his way to Bulgaria via the German 3. Liga, added a third on
the break from Brazilian right-back Pastor's assist.


FC Hradec Kr|ilov|- (CZE) v Be+fikta+f JK (TUR)* 0-1 (0-0)
(K-#l-#|osoy 80'; Red Card: Ouattara (Be+f) 72')

Both sides could have gone in front in the first half, but Hradec
Kr|ilov|- midfielder Jakub Ku-iera in front of the gaping net instead of connecting with Mick van Buren's centre kicked into the turf and in the
process injured himself so badly that he had to be subbed off: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539199/193149-Record_2026_08_06_19_40_07_667.mp4
and immediately afterwards at the other end Oh Hyeon-gyu's shot went off
the crossbar: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539199/193152-Record_2026_08_06_19_42_53_390.mp4
Just before half-time Emirhan Top|ou also scraped Daniel Hor|ik's shot
off the Be+fikta+f goal line: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539199/193155-Record_2026_08_06_19_44_26_491.mp4
A Czech almost gave Be+fikta+f the lead just after the re-start, but after Hradec Kr|ilov|- keeper Adam Zadra++il had parried Orkun K||k|o|+'s shot V|iclav -iern|+ from the closest of ranges sent the rebound wide: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539199/193170-Record_2026_08_06_20_06_16_154.mp4
Then it was Hradec Kr|ilov|-'s turn again to miss, with Nigerian youngster Abdullahi Umar being denied by Be+fikta+f keeper Alexander N|+bel: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539199/193186-Record_2026_08_06_20_27_41_560.mp4
but things still looked good for the Czechs from Eastern Bohemia as Be+fikta+f's French left-back Kassoum Ouattara collected two bookings in
the space of seven minutes and got sent off. But ten Turks still scored
the winner when a misunderstanding between Zadra++il and Filip -iih|ik led
to the latter volleying Wilfred Ndidi's cross past his keeper and onto
the head of the young substitute Semih K-#l-#|osoy who nodded into the
empty net: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539199/193196-Record_2026_08_06_20_37_58_582.mp4


RB Salzburg (AUT)* v Pafos FC (CYP) 1-0 (0-0)
(Tabakovi-c 88'; Red Card: Sema (Paf) 90'+3)

The home and away legs in this tie had been reversed after the draw
because of the UEFA Super Cup being played in Salzburg next week, which
was a bad thing because the heat wave over Central Europe ended on that
very day with a violent thunderstorm that forced the game to be
suspended after fifteen minutes of play: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539200/193124-Record_2026_08_06_19_16_56_248.mp4
But after two hours interruption the match could actually be re-started,
and Salzburg dominated possession but were not incisive enough in front
of the opponents' net, their old problem that has seen them go two
seasons now without a domestic title. Haalands don't grow on trees.
Following a mistake by Salzburg's new Swiss left-back Dominik Schmid the Cypriots could even have gone in front in the second half, but young
goalkeeper Christian Zawieschitzky, their number one now that Alexander Schlager has gone to Bremen, made a brilliant stop to deny Brazilian
forward Lel|- one-on-one. A lovely move still gave Salzburg the winner
two minutes from time - Gambian midfielder Abubakr Barry, newly signed
from league rivals Austria Vienna, chipped a weighted ball into the box, Nikolas Veratschnig, another new signing from Mainz, laid it back for
Haris Tabakovi-c, and the veteran Swiss striker, brought in from M||nchengladbach to finally have a target man up front, beat the Pafos
defence at the second attempt after his initial effort had been blocked
by Nikolas Ioannou: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539200/193274-Record_2026_08_06_22_48_33_445.mp4
In stoppage time the Swedish substitute Ken Sema saw a second yellow
for kicking Enrique Aguilar in the knee, but what was worse for the
young Swiss was that the foul caused him to fall awkwardly, and he had
to leave the pitch in tears with what's in the meantime been confirmed
as a broken lower arm.


PAOK FC (GRE)* v RSC Anderlecht (BEL) 0-1 (0-1)
(Cvetkovi-c 1')

From the kick-off the Belgians sent the ball forwards, it pinballed
around the Greek area, and fell kindly for 19-year-old Serbian striker
Mihajlo Cvetkovi-c who beat former Werder Bremen keeper Ji+O|! Pavlenka
from close range. PAOK had their chances to equalise in the first half,
and they were awarded a penalty when Anderlecht's Spanish-Dutch
midfielder Enric Llansana slid into the irresistible dribbler Giannis Konstantelias. Anderlecht keeper Colin Coosemans parried Giannis
Michailidis's spot kick, and while Anestis Mythou managed to turn in the rebound, that goal was disallowed by VAR for encroachment. Just two
minutes later VAR denied Konstantelias another penalty because there had
been a PAOK foul in the build-up, and as can be imagined Greek tempers
flared high. Anderlecht managed to contain their opponents much better
in the second half, and PAOK's biggest chance to equalise came only in
stoppage time when Coosemans turned a bouncing volley by Christos
Zafeiris over the crossbar.


SL Benfica (POR)* v Heart of Midlothian FC (SCO) 6-1 (3-0)
(Rafa Silva 3', Ara||jo 23', Pavlidis 42' (pen), Prestianni 59',
Dur|in 87', Schjelderup 90'+4 (pen); Renaud 72')

By now Hearts probably aren't finding their European adventure to be particularly enjoyable. Rafa Silva opened the rout early by tapping in
a cut-back by Luxembourg international Leandro Barreiro: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539203/193215-Record_2026_08_06_21_03_24_977.mp4
Centre-back Tom|is Ara||jo added a second by heading in Heorhiy Sudakov's corner kick, and Vangelis Pavlidis made it three from the spot after
Gianluci Prestianni had been felled by Hearts's new French signing
Laurent Mendy at the edge of the area. Prestianni, the reason for the
new lip-reading rules, scored the fourth after the break with a nice
curler past Hearts's new Dutch keeper Beau Reus: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539203/193260-Record_2026_08_06_22_16_42_730.mp4
The Scottish scored a consolation goal when two more of their new
Frenchmen combined, with Tom Renaud firing in an angled shot from Sabri Guendouz's nice assist: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539203/193269-Record_2026_08_06_22_35_41_661.mp4
But late on Benfica added two more - Jhon Dur|in slotted in Andreas Schjelderup's cross on the break: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539203/193271-Record_2026_08_06_22_44_35_255.mp4
and the Portuguese got their second penalty of the night when Oisin
McEntee blocked a Schjelderup shot with his outstretched arm, and the
Norwegian converted from the spot himself.


Ciao,
Werner
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From Newsgroup: rec.sport.soccer

Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round 2nd leg
Teams in CAPITALS (except PAOK and K|i) through to ELPO, Losers go to ConfLPO
* = seeded team


August 11

Champions Path

FC IBERIA 1999 (GEO) v Larne FC (NIR)* 2-1 aet (0-0, 1-1), 2-1 on aggregate (Bedoshvili 74', Sikharulashvili 102'; Simpson 76')

The Georgian champions were the better team and took the deserved lead
when Nika Sikharulashvili's clever back-heel released Vakho Bedoshvili
towards the net, and Larne's Scottish keeper Rohan Ferguson could
probably have done a bit better to keep the shot by the Georgian
youngster out: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539204/193997-Record_2026_08_11_19_30_26_750.mp4
But just two minutes later out of nowhere Larne were level as a loose
ball in the box was slotted home by 19-year-old left-back James Simpson: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539204/193998-Record_2026_08_11_19_32_18_173.mp4
In extra time Sikharulashvili nudged in Nikoloz Dadiani's ball over
the top: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539204/194014-Record_2026_08_11_20_06_39_291.mp4
and so assured that Iberia would play in Europe in autumn, the first
time a Georgian team has achieved that feat in 22 years - the only
previous group phase was played by Dinamo Tbilisi in the 2004-05 UEFA
Cup.

On the other hand, the upcoming Conference League Playoff between Larne
and the Lincoln Red Imps will most likely directly determine which
territory of the British Crown will find itself in the Bottom Five in
the UEFA ranking this year. Other than Wales, of course.


August 13

Champions Path

AC OMONOIA (CYP)* v Lincoln Red Imps FC (GIB) 1-0 (1-0), 2-1 on aggregate (Diony 22')

Veteran French striker Lo|>s Diony, newly signed by the Cypriot champions
from Manisa in the Turkish second tier, took on the Gibraltarian defence
by himself, and after fighting his way past four opponents he toe-poked
past Red Imps keeper Nauzet Santana: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539205/194550-Record_2026_08_13_22_46_00_874.mp4
The Gibraltarian champions never really came close to getting the goal
they would have needed to send the tie to extra time.


CS UNIVERSITATEA CRAIOVA (ROM)* v KuPS (FIN) 2-1 (1-1), 3-2 on aggregate (Nsimba 43' (pen), Mora 62'; Gasc 4')

Former Argentine youth international Valentin Gasc gave Kuopio the early
lead with a swerving shot from distance that curved over Uni Craiova
keeper Lauren+ciu Popescu: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539206/194533-Record_2026_08_13_22_27_18_416.mp4
Just before half-time a blatant handball by Kuopio's French centre-back
Brahima Magassa: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539206/194535-Record_2026_08_13_22_29_36_534.mp4
gave away a penalty that Magassa's French compatriot Steven Nsimba had
no troubles converting. The decisive goal came near the hour-mark when
a long-range shot by Costa Rican international Carlos Mora beat Kuopio's Austrian keeper Johannes Kreidl at his near post, he really should have
done better there: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539206/194540-Record_2026_08_13_22_32_34_182.mp4
Kuopio's biggest chance to equalise came six minutes from the end, but
Tommi Jyry's deflected shot was expertly saved by Popescu.


KF V|!kingur (ISL)* v FC THUN (SUI) 3-2 (2-2), 3-5 on aggregate
(Sigur|#sson 16', |R||r|#arson 38', Ingimundarson 55'; Fehr 10', Labeau 36')

Switzerland-born Chile international Nils Reichmuth showed great
coordination to volley a loose ball towards the unmarked Fabio Fehr, who
had no problems slotting past V|!kingur keeper Aron Sn|ar Fri|#riksson: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539211/194414-Record_2026_08_13_19_39_39_61.mp4
Old man Gylfi Sigur|#sson scored the equaliser with a trademark shot from distance: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539211/194416-Record_2026_08_13_19_45_10_750.mp4
Martinique international Brighton Labeau then rose impressively over the Icelandic defence to head in Reichmuth's cross and give Thun the lead
again: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539211/194435-Record_2026_08_13_20_04_49_830.mp4
but just two minutes later V|!kingur were once more level as St|!gur
Diljan |R||r|#arson had been left completely unmarked to likewise head in a cross by Karl Fri|#leifur Gunnarsson: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539211/194437-Record_2026_08_13_20_06_49_583.mp4
Early in the second half Valdimar |R||r Ingimundarson fired in the loose
ball after young winger |Urmann Ingi Finnbogason had been blocked by Thun keeper Niklas Steffen: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539211/194455-Record_2026_08_13_20_45_01_135.mp4
and with extra time just two goals away the Swiss surprise champions had
to live through some tense moments in the remaining half hour.


KF EGNATIA (ALB) v Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL)* 5-1 (4-0), 6-4 on aggregate (Adjessa 4', 38', Albanese 11', 58', Gruda 20'; Burke 74';
Red Card: Ndreca (Egn) 45'+3)

Already after a couple of minutes Cameroonian striker Daniel Adjessa
muscled his way into the box and fired past Rovers keeper Edward
McGinty, and Egnatia continued to have chance after chance.
Appropriately named Belgian winger Alessandro Albanese made it two by
volleying in a cross from Brazilian Fernando Medeiros, with the Rovers
defence again nowhere to be seen: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539216/194482-Record_2026_08_13_21_11_18_487.mp4
and the Albanian champions took the aggregate lead after only twenty
minutes when Ildi Gruda punished another shocking performance by the
Irish defence: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539216/194489-Record_2026_08_13_21_20_48_325.mp4
Adjessa then once more showed his physicality when he beat Enda Stevens
to a cross and volleyed in to make it four: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539216/194501-Record_2026_08_13_21_37_59_687.mp4
Things got a bit more complicated for Egnatia when Edison Ndreca's
rather pointless sliding tackle led to a second yellow, but even down to
ten the Albanians managed to carve the Irish defence open with ease.
Medeiros on the left wing provided the through ball that Albanese
chipped over McGinty for his brace: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539216/194525-Record_2026_08_13_22_20_29_364.mp4
Graham Burke volleyed in the rebound after Jonathan Afolabi's cross had
come off the crossbar: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539216/194544-Record_2026_08_13_22_35_57_731.mp4
but even against ten Albanians the Irish champions were far away from
scoring the two more goals they would have needed.


Main Path

BE+RIKTA+R JK (TUR)* v FC Hradec Kr|ilov|- (CZE) 1-0 (1-0), 2-0 on aggregate (-iern|+ 40')

Vincenzo Italiano's side could have taken the lead in the first minute,
but French-born youngster -#lhan Fak-#l-# from three metres out blazed over
the bar: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539207/194389-Record_2026_08_13_19_01_21_204.mp4
The East Bohemians didn't play badly at all and had opportunities of
their own, but they were lucky that a curler from distance by Orkun
K||k|o|+ only hit the crossbar, and in the end it was a Czech who scored
the decisive goal - V|iclav -iern|+ started well inside his own half and finished off a lightning-quick counter attack by firing past Hradec
Kr|ilov|- keeper Adam Zadra++il: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539207/194413-Record_2026_08_13_19_40_39_642.mp4
Both sides continued to have their chances in the second half, but good
saves, some last-ditch blocks, and bad finishing meant no more goals.


Pafos FC (CYP) v RB SALZBURG (AUT)* 3-3 (2-0), 3-4 on aggregate
(Lel|- 15', Biel 37', M+Omm+Odov 84'; Tabakovi-c 54', 58' (pen), 70')

Following a lively start, during which Pafos's Polish keeper Rados+eaw
Majecki did well to save at close range against his 19-year-old fellow countryman in a Red Bull jersey Bartosz Mazurek, Salzburg wilted in the
Cypriot heat, at least in the first half. Two Brazilians combined for
Pafos's opener as Bruno Felipe, who had started his professional career
in Austria, crossed for Lel|-, and the Fluminense loanee beat his
Togolese marker K|-vin Boma to head in at the far post: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539208/194543-Record_2026_08_13_22_37_08_622.mp4

The Salzburg defence including young goalkeeper Christian Zawieschitzky
then let a not particularly fierce free-kick by Biel, another of Pafos's Brazilians, pass unhindered through the area and into the back of the
net. Salzburg's new manager Danny R||hl made a substitution and some
tactical adjustments at half-time, and the higher press immediately paid
off, with Salzburg laying siege to the Cypriot area, and in the end
Hungarian international with Bosnian roots Damir Red++i-c centred for
Haris Tabakovi-c, and the guy hired by Salzburg to score some much-needed
ugly goals scored a much-needed ugly goal: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539208/194546-Record_2026_08_13_22_38_41_13.mp4
Pafos's Spanish centre-back David Goldar then handled the ball while
trying to defend against a Tabakovi-c header, and the Switzerland-born
Bosnian World Cup participant converted the resulting penalty himself. Tabakovi-c completed his sixteen-minutes hat trick in Tabakovi-c style by bundling in the loose ball from another blocked shot. But if Salzburg
were back to being business in the front, they were also party in the
back - Zawieschitzky had to pull off a couple of excellent saves, and
Pafos still scored a deserved equaliser when Azerbaijani youngster Murad M+Omm+Odov was allowed to collect a corner kick, take it uncontested into
the box, and unleash a great curled shot that beat Zawieschitzky at the
far post. With extra time only a goal away Salzburg had to survive some
late scares, but ultimately prevailed.


G||rnik Zabrze (POL) v FERENCV|UROSI TC (HUN)* 1-1 (1-0), 1-2 on aggregate (Urba+aski 45' (pen); S|i-iek 82' (og))

In an even match with a number of chances on both sides G||rnik took the
lead from the spot after their Portuguese Celtic loanee Paulo Bernardo
had been pulled back by Philippe Rommens, and Kacper Urba+aski's penalty
sent Fradi keeper D|-nes Dibusz the wrong way. But eight minutes from the
end Kristoffer Zachariassen met Cadu's corner kick with a free header,
and while G||rnik's German keeper Philipp Schulze made a great reaction
save to keep the ball out the rebound deflected off Czech right-back
Michal S|i-iek to still go in. With the Silesians desperately pushing for
the aggregate equaliser Zachariassen late on also hit the post on the
break.

Despite not having been outplayed in any of their four European matches
so far Lukas Podolski-owned G||rnik are now staring the dreaded triple elimination in the face, their Conference League Play-off opponents are
going to be AS Monaco.


PFC CSKA SOFIA (BUL)* v Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (ISR) 1-3 (0-1), 4-3 on
aggregate
(Sensi 66'; Peretz 12', Sokler 61', Varela 69')

Now that Aarhus have done it, making up a three-goal deficit away is
starting to look like a real possibility instead of a pipe dream, and
Maccabi Tel Aviv, who three years ago had been at the receiving end of
such a remontada, gave it a real shot. In an eventful first twelve
minutes the Israeli first saw an already awarded penalty correctly
cancelled by VAR, then their young keeper Ofek Melika with a great save
pushed Santiago Godoy's shot onto the post, and they took the lead
through their veteran captain Dor Peretz who stabbed home Osher Davida's
cross from close range. The match continued to be wide open - Melika
once more saved against Godoy's point-blank volley, while at the other
end a shot by Cabo Verde international H|-lio Varela went off the outside
of the post. In the second half Melika saved another one-on-one with
Godoy before former Aberdeen forward Ester Sokler, whose female-sounding
first name is unusual in his native Slovenia, too, headed in another
Davida cross to bring Maccabi within one goal of levelling the
aggregate score: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539212/194534-Record_2026_08_13_22_29_45_877.mp4
But five minutes later the Israeli needlessly lost the ball in their own defence, and following some chaos in the box former Inter Milan
midfielder and Italy international Stefano Sensi, who had joined the
Bulgarians from Cyprus, in the end volleyed into the gaping net. That
goal proved decisive since even though CSKA's Belarusian keeper Fedor
Lapoukhov repaid the favour three minutes later when he let Varela's speculative shot from a tight angle squirm over him, the Israeli didn't
manage to get the goal that would have sent the tie to extra time.
Sokler wasted their best chance when in alone on Lapoukhov he didn't
quite manage to control the ball and ultimately sent a shot wide.


Rangers FC (SCO)* v JAGIELLONIA BIA+UYSTOK (POL) 1-1 (1-0), 2-3 on aggregate (Shankland 19' (pen); Prelec 65')

Jagiellonia's veteran Spanish forward Jes||s Imaz had already hit the
post for the Poles before Rangers were awarded a lucky penalty when
Japanese former Celtic centre-back Yuki Kobayashi was adjudged by VAR
to have handled a cross by his compatriot Daisuke Yokota, and new
Rangers captain Lawrence Shankland, who had jumped ship from Hearts
together with manager Derek McInnes (thereby condemning the Edinburghers
to a challenging start to their season), sent Jagiellonia keeper
S+eawomir Abramowicz the wrong way. But the Polish were the better side throughout, and they scored the deserved equaliser, and aggregate
winner, when Slovenian striker Nik Prelec, well-known in Austria from
his time in Tyrol and with Austria Vienna, rose to head in Anders
Klynge's pin-point cross: https://media.onlajny.com/media/pl/football/2026/539213/194556-ranfers3.mp4 Rangers subsequently failed to put on any meaningful pressure and never
really troubled Abramowicz.

Jagiellonia reach their third European league phase in a row while it's
already dangerously close to a false start to the season for Rangers and McInnes.


RSC ANDERLECHT (BEL) v PAOK FC (GRE)* 3-2 (1-1), 4-2 on aggregate
(P|-trot 20', Ambros 47', Sikan 55'; ++ivkovi-c 34', Jeremejeff 88' (pen);
Red Cards: ++ivkovi-c (PAO) 89', Jeremejeff (PAO) 90'+3)

Anderlecht had the better start, and PAOK keeper Ji+O|! Pavlenka had
already been called into action a couple of times before he was beaten
for the first time - three of Anderlecht's new signings combined as
Pavlenka's Czech compatriot Luk|i+i Ambros provided the corner kick that Frenchman Giulian Biancone headed towards goal, Pavlenka parried, but Anderlecht's other newly signed French centre-back L|-o P|-trot tapped in
the rebound: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539214/194466-Record_2026_08_13_20_57_49_496.mp4
The Belgians fell back a bit after that, and PAOK equalised when old man
Taison delivered a perfect in-swinging cross that Andrija ++ivkovi-c
nodded in at the far post: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539214/194490-Record_2026_08_13_21_23_28_850.mp4
Just before half-time Anderlecht hit the crossbar through Danylo Sikan's free-kick, and the Belgians decided the tie with two quick goals shortly
after the break. Ambros capped off a solo run with a precise shot past Pavlenka: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539214/194504-Record_2026_08_13_21_37_41_218.mp4
and Sikan curled a great shot into the far corner: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539214/194513-Record_2026_08_13_21_46_24_658.mp4
The best chance for PAOK to get back into the game came halfway through
the second half when a shot by Mady Camara came off the post, went off
the back of Anderlecht keeper Colin Coosemans and trickled over the
line, but a four-minute VAR check resulted in the goal being disallowed
for a very close offside in the build-up. Late on PAOK still pulled one
back when on occasion of a corner kick Coosemans punched both the ball
and a Greek, and veteran Swedish striker Alexander Jeremejeff converted
from the spot. All that this late drama produced though were some
kindergarten scenes as Biancone hogged the ball while tangled in the
goal net, and got punched by ++ivkovi-c - yellow for Biancone and a
straight red for PAOK's Serbian captain. A couple of minutes later
PAOK's other goalscorer Jeremejeff also got sent off for yelling his displeasure with how things were going into the assistant ref's face.


Heart of Midlothian FC (SCO) v SL BENFICA (POR)* 1-1 (0-0), 2-7 on aggregate (Magn||sson 77'; Luk|-bakio 79')

Benfica unsurprisingly dominated the first half, but they wasted
numerous chances, the biggest of which fell to Dodi Luk|-bakio whose
header came off the crossbar. The Scots were better after the break,
had a goal disallowed by VAR for offside, and they took the lead when a
loose ball fell perfectly for the Icelandic substitute T||mas Bent
Magn||sson who unleashed a hard shot past Benfica's reserve keeper
Samuel Soares: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539215/194529-Hearts%201.mp4 Just a minute later though Luk|-bakio slotted in a cut-back by youngster
Jos|- Neto for the equaliser: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539215/194530-Benfica%201.mp4

Having lost heavily against Sturm Graz in the CL qualifiers, Hearts now
face Rapid Vienna in the Conference League play-offs to avoid a triple elimination.


August 14

Champions Path


K|i (FAR) v KKS LECH POZNA+a (POL)* 0-5 (0-1), 0-6 on aggregate
(Sayyadmanesh 20', Rodr|!guez 49', Kozubal 75', H|Nkans 89',
W|Nlemark 90'+2)

This match was controversially postponed to Friday because fog prevented
any landings on V|igar airport, but that only affected Lech because they travelled too late and without any buffer. In the Conference League
Lugano had managed to fly to the Faroes without any problems the day
before.

Anyway, the special circumstances surrounding this match appeared to
affect Klaksv|!k more. They could have taken an early lead when Hallur
Hansson from short range headed against the post, but fell behind when
their Danish keeper Mark Jensen made a great foot save to keep out
Mikael Ishak's shot, but Iranian international Allahyar Sayyadmanesh
buried the rebound: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539210/194778-Record_2026_08_14_20_20_59_827.mp4
Shortly after the break Lech's Spanish forward Pablo Rodr|!guez scooped
up a loose ball in the box, rounded two K|i defenders and fired past
Hansen: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539210/194790-Record_2026_08_14_21_08_16_171.mp4
and that broke Faroese resistance. Sayyadmanesh hit the crossbar,
youngster Antoni Kozubal volleyed in after Hansson had inexplicably
headed the ball back towards him: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539210/194797-Record_2026_08_14_21_33_31_875.mp4
and late on Lech added two more - the Finnish substitute Daniel H|Nkans
ran onto Patrik W|Nlemark's through ball and chipped over Hansen, and
W|Nlemark scored the fifth himself with a precise volley into the near
corner: https://media.onlajny.com/media/cs/football/2026/539210/194804-Record_2026_08_14_21_51_30_69.mp4



Draw for Europa League Playoff (August 20 and 27)
* = seeded team

Winners go to EL League Stage, Losers go to ConfL League Stage

Trabzonspor (TUR) v Ferencv|irosi TC (HUN)*
CS Universitatea Craiova (ROM)* v FC Ararat-Armenia (ARM)
K. Sint-Truidense VV (BEL) v AC Omonoia (CYP)*
FK Crvena zvezda (SRB) v FC Viktoria Plze+e (CZE)*
KF Egnatia (ALB)* v Lillestr|+m SK (NOR)
Jagiellonia Bia+eystok (POL)* v FC Iberia 1999 (GEO)

Mj|nllby AIF (SWE) v RB Salzburg (AUT)*
FC Kairat (KAZ) v RSC Anderlecht (BEL)*
KKS Lech Pozna+a (POL)* v FC Thun (SUI)
Be+fikta+f JK (TUR)* v FK Kauno ++algiris (LTU)
SL Benfica (POR)* v AGF (DEN)
OFI FC (GRE) v PFC CSKA Sofia (BUL)*


Ciao,
Werner
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2