West Ham survive, Debrecen record, Nordic glee
Thursday, July 23, 2015
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There was relief for West Ham, a record for Debrecen and celebrations throughout Scandinavia as the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round second legs were played.
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There was relief for West Ham, a record for Debrecen and celebrations throughout Scandinavia as the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round second legs were played on Thursday.
•Full second-leg results
•Full third qualfying round draw: matches 30 July & 6 August
Pick of the action
Birkirkara 1-0 West Ham United (aet, agg: 1-1, West Ham win 5-3 on pens)
Birkirkara had only conceded in added time in London last week and a 15th-minute goal from former Italy stiker Fabrizio Miccoli as he turned in Lilui's pas, combined with a first-half red card for West Ham's James Tomkins ensured they took the Respect Fair Play qualifiers to extra time on a humid night in Malta. Birkirkara's Mauricio Mazzetti was dismissed in the 108th minute but a shoot-out was needed and West Ham prevailed with Diego Poyet striking the decisive penalty.
Astra Giurgiu 0-0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle (agg: 1-0)
After Steaua's dramatic UEFA Champions League progress, it was relatively simpler for Romania'a Astra. Both goalkeepers had to make important saves as last season's group contenders ousted the Scottish debutants. They now face West Ham.
Debrecen 9-2 Skonto (agg: 11-4)
It was close in Latvia last week but not in Hungary tonight as Debrecen recorded their biggest-ever European win, Skonto's largest UEFA competition defeat. Tibor Tisza's curling opener in the seventh minute was the pick of the goals for Debrecen, for whom seven different players scored. They now play Rosenborg, who beat KR to ensure a clean sweep of three Norwegian teams going through as Odd defeated Shamrock Rovers and Strømsgodset ousted Mladá Boleslav on away goals despite losing 1-0 at home tonight.
Mladost Podgorica 2-4 Kukës (agg: 3-4)
Albania's Kukës, who made the 2013/14 play-offs, now face Legia Warszawa after travelling to Montenegro and overturning a 1-0 deficit from the first leg, the only team in this round to lose at home then go through away. Key to victory were goals in the first 32 minutes from Felipe Moreira, Pero Pejić and Erick Flores.
University College Dublin 1-5 Slovan Bratislava (agg: 1-6)
The sole second-tier side left in the competition, UCD had hopes going into their home leg but Róbert Vittek's 41st-minute header began their downfall. Vittek was to add two more in added time, his hat-trick goal also a header. Slovan's next opponents are FC Krasnodar.
Omonia 1-0 Jagiellonia (agg: 1-0)
Cillian Sheridan got the only goal of the tie in the eighth minute against Omonia's Polish visitors but victory came despite home goalkeeper Constantinos Panagi losing a contact lens with a quarter of an hour to go. The match was halted while Panagi ran to the sidelines and had the lens replaced by coaching staff. Omonia next face Brøndby, who drew 0-0 at home to Beroe Stara Zagora for their own 1-0 aggregate win.
Rabotnicki 2-0 Jelgava (agg: 2-1)
Rabotnicki earned a tie against Trabzonspor after overturning their deficit from the first leg within 17 minutes. Blazhe Ilijoski opened the scoring in the sixth minute with his first goal in 12 European matches, before Suad Sahiti's solo effort sent the Macedonian Cup holders through.
Elfsburg 1-0 Randers (aet, agg: 1-0)
In Tuesday's only second leg, Sweden's Elfsborg edged out their Danish visitors in extra time. It took until the 184th minute of the tie for substitute Simon Lundevall to get the only goal after intercepting a clearance by Randers goalkeeper Karl-Johan Johansson and swiftly shooting in.
In a tight encounter Randers had matched their opponents all the way but had Nicolai Brock-Madsen sent off for a second yellow card six minutes from the end of normal time and they were only denied a probable winning away goal in the 119th minute when their former goalkeeper Kevin Stuhr-Ellegaard saved from Mustafa Amini. Elfsborg play another Scandinavian opponent, Odd and like Norway, all three of Sweden's teams progressed as AIK secured a second 2-0 win against Shirak and IFK Göteborg knocked out Śląsk.
Reporters: Domenic Aquilina, Paul-Daniel Zaharia, Matthew Watson-Broughton, John Leonidou, Javier Aja, Emil Gasevski, Robert Johansson