Chelsea scraped into this season’s revamped UEFA Europa Convention League regardless of shedding 2-1 to Servette in Switzerland on Thursday night time.
The double European Champions are joined among the many 36 qualifiers by Welsh aspect The New Saints and Larne from Northern Eire who grow to be the primary golf equipment to characterize these nations in UEFA competitors correct, after coming by means of the qualifiers for the primary time.
Defeat on the night time however the Blues are by means of on combination. 💪#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/rzWAmoOqA0
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 29, 2024
Star-studded Blues off color in Geneva
Enzo Maresca’s aspect received the primary leg 2-0 at Stamford Bridge and when first-leg hero Christopher Nkunku put them forward on the night time on the Stade de Geneve with a 14th minute penalty after Mykhailo Mudryk was fouled within the space by Keigo Tsunemoto, the Blues appeared residence and dry.
Nonetheless Jeremy Guillemenot levelled on the night time simply after the half-hour when he latched onto a through-ball and fired a first-time shot previous new Blues keeper Filip Jorgensen.
When sub Enzo Crivelli headed residence a left-wing cross from Miroslav Stevanovic to make it 2-1, and 2-3 on combination 18 minutes from time, Chelsea nerves had been jangling.
The hosts piled on the stress late on in the hunt for an equaliser and Timothee Cognat curled inches previous the bottom of Jorgensen’s upright in stoppage-time, however Chelsea noticed it by means of.
Into the Convention League as the primary Welsh aspect ever to qualify for the group stage of a significant European competitors – what an evening for TNS! ❤️#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/iDEwbFqcML
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) August 29, 2024
Technically one other English-based aspect will be part of them within the hat for the league section draw which is able to happen on Friday.
The New Saints made historical past by turning into the primary Welsh Premier League membership to achieve the latter phases of a European competitors.
TNS – who play their residence video games simply over the border on the Park Corridor Stadium in Oswestry, Shropshire, noticed out a goalless draw towards KF Panevezys on Thursday night, having received 3-0 in Lithuania final week.
They at the moment lie ninth of 12 within the Welsh league, nonetheless have performed just one match, successful it 4-1, whereas their rivals have all performed 4 video games already.
Northern Eire’s Larne additionally made historical past by turning into the primary NIFL Premiership aspect to qualify for a UEFA match correct.
They went by means of in type as Andy Ryan fired a surprising hat-trick at Inver Park to assist overturn a 2-1 first leg deficit towards Gibraltan aspect Lincoln Crimson Imps to progress 4-3 on combination, regardless of enjoying greater than half an hour with 10 males.
Historical past is made. Larne are the primary Irish Premiership membership to qualify for the group phases of a significant European Competitors. They’ll be within the Europa Convention League group phases. pic.twitter.com/L1sjznPr7K
— Will Esler (@WillEsler) August 29, 2024
Hearts, from Scotland, and Shamrock Rovers, from the Republic of Eire, will full the house nation set within the draw after shedding of their Europa League play-offs on Thursday night time to Viktoria Plzen and PAOK respectively.
Just like the Champions League and Europa League, the group stage has been abolished this season in favour of a seeded 36-team league section.
Either side might be drawn towards six completely different groups (three at residence, three away).
The highest eight finishers will advance straight to the spherical of 16 whereas sides ending 9th to twenty fourth face a play-off spherical to hitch them. From then on it’s a straight knockout. The underside 12 are eradicated.
Kilmarnock’s dream was ended by a 1-1 draw at residence to FC Copenhagen which noticed them exit of the Convention League play-offs 3-1 on combination.