UEFA Conference League – 1st Round 2nd Leg
Marsaxlokk……1
Partizani………..2
Marsaxlokk were knocked out of the UEFA Conference League as FK Partizani Tirana overturned a deficit to secure a 2-1 victory in the second leg of the first qualifying round at the Centenary Stadium on Thursday.
Partizani advanced to the second qualifying round with an aggregate score of 3-2, following a 1-1 draw in Elbasan the previous week. They are set to face FC Iberia 1999 Tbilisi from Georgia in the next phase.
After a goalless first half, Marsaxlokk took the lead, but Partizani quickly equalised and scored the decisive goal deep into stoppage time.
In the 27th minute, the visitors nearly took the lead when Archange Bintsouka’s lob from the left struck the crossbar. Nine minutes later, Drobnjak saved a low shot from Arnaldo Rrapaj at the edge of the area. Six minutes before halftime, Rrapaj fired a powerful shot just over the bar following an assist from Andi Hadroj.
One minute into the second half, Marsaxlokk went ahead when Yuri Messias, assisted by Nikolai Muscat, surged upfield and unleashed a powerful rising shot that hit the crossbar before finding the back of the net.
Marsaxlokk’s jubilation was fleeting as just a minute later, Hadroj set up Tedi Cara in the box, who deftly put the ball past Drobnjak from close range.
At the hour mark, Sembene Saliou squandered a golden chance for Partizani, shooting high from inside the box after a well-coordinated play on the right wing. Nine minutes afterwards, Alex Tanque had a close-range shot stopped by goalkeeper Qirko following a cross from Aguirre on the left.
With only four minutes remaining, Drobnjak saved Marsaxlokk with a brilliant stop against Arinaldo Rrapaj, who had made his way into the area from the left side.
In the third minute of added time, Partizani secured the victory when Mehmeti delivered the ball into the area. After a deflection by Jefferson, it fell to Hadroj, who passed to an unmarked Albers Keko, allowing Keko to score from close range.
MARSAXLOKK: Marko Drobnjak, Jefferson (95’ Patrick Nonato), Karl Micallef, Nikolai Muscat (77’ Jake Ghio), Yuri, Lucas Lopez, Alex Tanque, Leandro Aguirre, Nikola Raden, Ryan Scicluna, Igor Goularte (81’ Jacob Walker).
PARTIZANI: Pano Qirko, Altin Bytyqi, Maguette Gueye, Valentino Murataj (8’ Arnard Mehmeti), Tedi Cara (87’ Albers Keko), Achange Bintsouka, Paulo Buxhelaj, Vangjel Zguro, Sembene Sallou (70’ Cristian Mba), Andi Hadroj, Arinaldo Rrapaj.
