Qualification of the conference league: Norwegian teams are gaining big, FC Santa Coloma prevails again

There were 100 teams involved in the second qualification round of the UEFA conference league. There was a good mix of results, some of which were unexpected.

The biggest shock of the day occurred in Tampere, where the Ilves of Finland won a 4-3 victory against an AZ team which reached the semi-finals of the conference league in 2022/23.

The hosts never dragged into it because they scored twice in six minutes halfway from the second 45 to take an advantage in the first step. It was only the second time that AZ has lost a qualifier UECL, having dropped 1-0 at Dundee United three years ago.

It was not the only significant shock result. Sparta Praha was also on the wrong side of a 2-1 result in Kazakhstan against Aktobe. The 83rd minute of Oralkhan Orrtaev turned out to be the key to the hosts, who had taken the lead just before half an hour.

The two Norwegian clubs prevailed convincingly. Dino Islamovic de Rosenborg has put a hat-trick in the 5-0 defeat of his Banga team in Lithuania. Viking had the biggest margin of victory this week, striking Koper for seven. Releasingly, it was not the first time that they have been marked seven in a European confrontation. They did it for the last time 26 years ago against the principal of the UEFA Cup.

Austria has been brought to work in their confrontation compared to second level spaeri. In the end, they prevailed 2-0, with their second arriving in the last moments via a penalty.

Elsewhere, FC Santa Coloma, which had never won a game outside in Europe before this season, came from a goal to stun the Polissia Zhytomyr 2-1. Acting six minutes after going down, David Crespo scored the winner at halftime. The Andorrans are 90 minutes from the third qualification round for the second time in three years.

Kosice, who replaced DAC Dunajska Streda at the 11th hour, sold a cushion of two goals to lose 3-2 at home against Neman Grodno. Maxim Kravstov’s penalty, 11 minutes of time, helped his team finish the return.

While the majority of the matches took place on Thursday, several took place on Wednesday, plus a confrontation on Tuesday. Ballkani had ADETUNJI and BLEART Tolaj on Sunday holes when they came from a goal twice in their 4-2 victory against Floriana. The Kosovan outfit has reached the league of the conference twice in the past.

Next week Tuesday and Thursday will have decision -makers, because 50 teams will see their European campaign ending. The eight losing teams from the second round of qualification of the UEFA Europa League, as well as Vikingur Gota and Virtus, both received the oxyes at this stage.

Follow the eliminations of the UEFA conference league on Flashscore.