In the 6.45pm first leg matches of the playoffs, the Dutch were defeated 1-0 by the team from Yerevan. The English held 1-1 by Zrinjski. Also tied between Sigma Olomuc and Lausanne
Noah is the surprise of the Conference League playoffs. The Armenian club – qualified for the first time in the knockout phase of a European competition – beat favorites AZ Alkmaar 1-0. Captain Hambardzumyan’s goal was enough for Perkovic’s team. Glasner’s Crystal Palace is mocked by the Bosnian champions: it is 1-1 with Zrinjski. In the final, the English were denied a penalty. Sigma Olomouc and Lausanne also drew. In Finland, in the freezing cold of Kuopio (-16° degrees), Kups were left with ten men at the start of the match and suffered their first home defeat of the tournament: Lech Poznan passed. The Slovenians of Celje wasted the double advantage and were caught up by the Kosovars of Drita, but in the 94th minute Poplatnik closed it to 3-2. Samsunspor beat Macedonians Shkendija at home: the Turks missed a penalty in the first minutes with Ndiaye, then in the 77th minute Marius decided the match. A flash from the class of 2005 Adu-Adjei in the 87th minute, having come on shortly before, gave Rijeka the victory against Omonia Nicosia.
results
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Results and scorers of the first legs of the playoffs.
Kups-Lech Poznan 0-2. Scorers: 9′ Kozubal, 41′ Ismaheel. Expulsions: 12′ Luyeye-Lutumba (K).
Noah-AZ Alkmaar 1-0. Scorer: 55′ Hambardzumyan.
Sigma Olomouc-Lausanne 1-1. Scorers: 22′ Butler-Oyedeji (L), 58′ Sturm (L).
Zrinjski-Crystal Palace 1-1. Scorers: 44′ Sarr (C), 55′ Abramovic (Z).
Drita-Celje 2-3. Scorers: 19′ Kucys (C), 42′ Avdyli (C), 59′ Krasniqi (D), 75′ Balaj (D), 94′ Poplatnik (C)
Omonia Nicosia-Rijeka 0-1. Scorers: 87′ Adu-Adjei. Expulsions: 89′ Morchiladze (R)
Shkendija-Samsunspor 0-1. Scorers: 77′ Marius
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