Conference League qualifying: Nomme Kalju, Dinamo Tirana produce unexpected upsets

[p]The Conference League, entering its sixth season of existence, saw several unexpeted results in the opening qualifying round. Northern Ireland's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/linfield/YiTk9JCq/"]Linfield[/a], 57-time champions of their domestic top flight, were knocked out 3-2 on aggregate against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kalju/6sqJGMx9/"]Nomme Kalju[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/kalju-6sqJGMx9/linfield-YiTk9JCq/?mid=0xeV5qwI"]after the decider finished 2-2 in Belfast.[/a][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcgee-ethan/t8sWXpLE/"]Ethan McGee[/a] had struck early on for last season's League Cup winners, only for the winger to be sent off 15 minutes later. That proved decisive, as Kalju retook the aggregate lead moments later.[/p][p]Linfield did not give up though, finding another leveller a few minutes after the restart. But their hard work was undone in the 92nd minute, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/orlov-mihhail/lbUaQfTf/"]Mihhail Orlov[/a]'s effort from outside the box found the back of the net.[/p][embed guid="7c716f63-3066-4ac4-aa67-c77494c7384a" url="https://x.com/OfficialNIFL/status/2077855235708477950" social-type="twitter" /][p]It is the second time in three seasons that The Blues faltered at the first hurdle of UECL qualifying.[/p][p]Estonia were one of the countries to have a great day in the competition, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/levadia/zNmMkSLj/"]FCI Levadia Tallinn[/a] beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/caernarfon/CzgD4yW5/"]Caernarfon[/a] Town [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/caernarfon-CzgD4yW5/levadia-zNmMkSLj/?mid=pt75xxVg"]5-0[/a] for the second week in a row to progress quite comfortably. Joining them there were [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/paide-linnameeskond/CAjWlFop/"]Paide[/a], who beat fellow Baltic side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-hegelmann/nmpJqEeg/"]Hegelmann Litauen[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/hegelmann-nmpJqEeg/paide-CAjWlFop/?mid=G6WdoCdR"]3-0 on the night[/a] and 4-1 overall. [/p][p]Earlier on, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dinamo-tirana/KdZNQkgm/"]Dinamo Tirana[/a] opened the day with a sizeable upset, taking out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-astana/M34GD2Gt/"]Astana[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/dinamo-tirana-KdZNQkgm/fc-astana-M34GD2Gt/?mid=MRgV0ceL"]4-1 in extra time[/a] as the home side played the majority of the second half, plus the 30-minute extra period, down a man. Over the two legs, the Albanians triumphed 4-2.[/p][p]Dinamo reached the playoff round of last season's Conference League, knocking out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hajduk-split/2w5qgpq0/"]Hajduk Split[/a] along the way.[/p][p]Bosnian giants [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fk-sarajevo/MNOCxFD0/"]FK Sarajevo[/a] were also among the sides knocked out, conceding a late goal to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter-turku/QwkNUoNH/"]Inter Turku[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jephta-clinton/0zukbWcT/"]Clinton Jephta[/a] to fall [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/fk-sarajevo-MNOCxFD0/inter-turku-QwkNUoNH/?mid=vN8LYgUI"]2-1 on the road[/a] and 3-2 in total.[/p][embed guid="f0a01c15-71ba-4843-be1e-2e8269416bc8" url="https://x.com/TheEuroFE/status/2077813985089327377?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Three matches needed a penalty shootout to decide the winner, two involving the Belarusian sides. Both advanced, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bate/GnDSyToM/"]BATE Borisov[/a] surviving against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/af-elbasani/QBmz1ReP/"]AF Elbasani[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/af-elbasani-QBmz1ReP/bate-GnDSyToM/?mid=IBEcnbtS"]after a goalless encounter[/a]. The Albanian side had a chance to move on, but faltered in their last two kicks to ultimately lose 5-4 in the shootout.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/din-minsk/Wtzu8xF1/"]Dinamo Minsk[/a] also prevailed against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sileks/OOOcul3J/"]Sileks[/a] after beating them [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/din-minsk-Wtzu8xF1/sileks-OOOcul3J/?mid=vaWA5zat"]1-0 on the night[/a] to tie the aggregate score at one apiece. Also going six rounds, last season's league runner ups scored all of their kicks to win 6-5.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/alashkert/lpzQXDLF/"]Alashkert[/a] were the other team to prevail via spot kicks. In a dramatic contest with debutants [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/yelimay-semey/GEwrHVl3/"]Yelimay[/a] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/alashkert-lpzQXDLF/yelimay-semey-GEwrHVl3/?mid=vRr9gFme"]the score being 2-2 after 120 minutes[/a] - the Armenians pushed through 6-5 after seven rounds of penatlies. Armenia's other team in the round, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/pyunik-yerevan/SGwIMoNO/"]Pyunik[/a], completed a 4-0 aggregate success over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/marsaxlokk/6LJg5A2T/"]Marsaxlokk[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/marsaxlokk-6LJg5A2T/pyunik-yerevan-SGwIMoNO/?mid=voZ2FdAE"]following a 1-0 home win[/a].[/p][h2]Andorran teams enjoy more success as Dinamo Tbilisi escape[/h2][p]Similar to Estonia and Armenia, Andorran sides enjoyed more success in the Conference League. For the second year running, both of their representatives successfully negotiated the first qualifying round.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atletic-escaldes/hQcdh3te/"]Atletic Club d'Escaldes[/a] continued their stoppage time drama as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/valero-david/rJmiMqv4/"]David Valero[/a] converted a pair of penalties in the dying moments to help them see off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mornar-bar/pU3CDOHp/"]Mornar Bar[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/atletic-escaldes-hQcdh3te/mornar-bar-pU3CDOHp/?mid=xxu3KrhB"]2-1 in Montenegro[/a], matching the score from the first leg.[/p][embed guid="04a0d074-45d8-4b78-bcaa-95adc1e9afaf" url="https://x.com/TheEuroFE/status/2077857547260764462?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-santa-coloma/v1MelMDR/"]FC Santa Coloma[/a] joined Atleti in the next round after getting past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/penybont/zym4viel/"]Penybont[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/fc-santa-coloma-v1MelMDR/penybont-zym4viel/?mid=t6ZZYs74"]3-0 at home[/a]. The record Andorran champions have progressed from the first stage of qualification in each of their last four European seasons, beating Penybont in 2023/24 as well.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dinamo-tbilisi/I7RM1rTm/"]Dinamo Tbilisi[/a] were given all they could handle in their clash with Luxembourg's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mondorf/YLIte97b/"]Mondorf les Bains[/a]. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/couturier-clement/I5gdzdvp/"]Clement Couturier[/a] gave the visitors an 86th minute equaliser to force extra time in the Geogrian capital.[/p][p]But, the 1980/81 UEFA Cup Winners Cup champions found a way in extra time, getting their winner from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ninua-nika/GYpwAPsG/"]Nika Ninua[/a] from the spot nine minutes from time to win 3-2 on aggregate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/dinamo-tbilisi-I7RM1rTm/mondorf-YLIte97b/?mid=pvrQ1hb5"]after a 1-1 draw[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hamrun/0EeKzT9a/"]Hamrun Spartans[/a], who reached the league phase last season, were dumped out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/hamrun-0EeKzT9a/nsi-runavik-UaOluym1/?mid=rgE7msMc"]after a shocking 2-1 defeat[/a] to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nsi-runavik/UaOluym1/"]NSI Runavik[/a]. The Faroese team, who threw away a four-goal first leg lead last summer, advanced 3-2 over the two legs.[/p][p]Unfortunately for the other side from the Faroe Islands, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vikingur/pGGon7LD/"]Vikingur Gota[/a], they could not join NSI next round as they conceded twice to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/stjarnan/40ut6U2b/"]Stjarnan[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/stjarnan-40ut6U2b/vikingur-pGGon7LD/?mid=2anwiypm"]in a 2-2 draw[/a], knocking them out 5-3 overall.[/p][p]Tuesday saw the first side to be eliminated from Europe this season, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/la-fiorita/2BZasmEM/"]La Fiorita[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/la-fiorita-2BZasmEM/una-strassen-jB6Sq2yc/?mid=2uEseSOa"]suffering a 2-0 reverse[/a] to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/una-strassen/jB6Sq2yc/"]UNA Strassen[/a], ultimately losing 3-0 across two legs.[/p][p]On Wednesday, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/malisheva/jR3PSENN/"]Malisheva[/a] recovered from their first leg defeat against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vllaznia/0OGo7WXG/"]Vllaznia[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/malisheva-jR3PSENN/vllaznia-0OGo7WXG/?mid=dIqmTCzq"]to triumph 5-0 at home[/a], and 6-2 on aggregate. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fk-liepaja/nym30tD6/"]Liepaja[/a] were the other side to progress that day, defeating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/decic/C4y4FWqt/"]Decic[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/decic-C4y4FWqt/fk-liepaja-nym30tD6/?mid=vcuzvUl1"]2-1 away[/a] to complete a 3-1 aggregate success.[/p][embed guid="b2db44e9-682b-47d3-b1f8-5acb4477a446" url="https://x.com/TheEuroFE/status/2077431107096621401?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Other teams to progress from the Conference League's opening round of qualification are [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dila-gori/2kvaMIqb/"]Dila Gori[/a] (Georgia), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-ballkani/29LmYvYp/"]Ballkani[/a] (Kosovo), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/shkendija-tetovo/je0pik4r/"]Shkendija[/a] (North Macedonia), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/velez-mostar/Q7LPqcLQ/"]Velez Mostar[/a] (Bosnia), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/zalgiris/fuLOijFI/"]Zalgiris Vilnius[/a] (Lithuania), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rfs/Midjg0YH/"]RFS[/a] (Latvia), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ilves/pYGmWmwa/"]Ilves[/a] (Finland), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bohemians/zHEZJ8Wc/"]Bohemians[/a] (Ireland), and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/zira-fk/4CQ5BXNJ/"]Zira[/a] (Azerbaijan).[/p][p]The second quaifying round will take place over the next two weeks, and will incorporate defeated sides from the Champions League first round - they will compete in a dedicated Champions Path - as well as the Europa League. In total, 98 clubs will be involved in the action.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/europe/conference-league/"]Follow the UEFA Conference League qualifiers throughout the summer on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]