New Saints exit Champions League after late extra time goal

BBC News

6 days ago

The New Saints suffered heartbreak in the Champions League first qualifying round, exiting the competition after conceding a late goal in extra time against Shkendija.Fabrice Tamba struck to give the North Macedonian side the lead but Jordan Williams levelled against the run of play.Saints were relieved when a penalty decision was overturned by VAR during late in normal time.But Shkendija finally settled a tight second leg with Aleksandër Trumçi scoring with four minutes of extra time remaining to secure a 2-1 win.
An evenly contested first leg at Park Hall a week earlier had ended goalless with striker Ben Wilson missing Saints' best chance.Craig Harrison made one change from the one that started the first leg with Kade Craig replacing Leo Smith, ruled out for 10 months with a ruptured cruciate ligament.Shkendija's side included 38-year-old Besart Ibraimi who scored four goals in a 5-0 win the last time the sides had met at the same venue in the same competition in 2018.Saints had an early let off when Liridon Latifi hit the woodwork inside the opening three minutes at the Todor Proeski National Arena in Skopje.Nathan Shepperd made two excellent saves, the second to deny the influential Ibraimi as the hosts dominated.Saints thought they had taken the lead but Wilson's effort was ruled offside and it was the who went ahead five minutes later.Ibraimi's low effort across the face of goal was palmed away by Shepperd but only as far as Tamba on the far post, who fired home,Captain Ibrahmi chipped an effort that flew past the post but Saints settled and against the run of play they levelled eight minutes before the break.Dan Williams' long range shot was deflected by Imran Fetai into the path of Jordan Williams, who scored.
Danny Redmond flashed a long range effort wide of the post after picking up Ryan Brobbel's short corner on the hour markThe second half was a tighter affair but a well worked Saints move released substitute Ben Clark, who could not get the ball under control and hit it over the bar.Ibrahimi glanced a header wide of the post from a dangerous in-swinging corner as both teams looked to settle the tie without the need for extra time.With eight minutes remaining the hosts were awarded a penalty when Imran Fetai fell in the box.But VAR ruled that Fetai had been in offside position and the penalty decision was overturned to the relief of the Welsh side.The game went into extra time but not before goalscorer Tamba had a speculative effort in stoppage time.
Saints defender Harrison McGahey made a crucial touch to divert a dangerous cross from Ronaldo Webster during the first period of extra time.Shkendija wasted a glorious opportunity in the second period when Vane Krstevski missed the target from close range after a dangerous Fiton Ademi cross.But the hosts made the breakthrough with penalties looming with a Trumçi scoring with a tap in after Saints failed to clear.Shekendija will now face FCSB of Romania – European Cup winners in 1986 - in the second qualifying round.Saints drop into the Conference League and will face Differdange of Luxembourg.