Chelsea scraped into this season’s revamped UEFA Europa Convention League regardless of dropping 2-1 to Servette in Switzerland on Thursday evening.
The double European Champions are joined among the many 36 qualifiers by Welsh aspect The New Saints and Larne from Northern Eire who turn out to be the primary golf equipment to symbolize these nations in UEFA competitors correct, after coming by way of the qualifiers for the primary time.
Defeat on the evening however the Blues are by way of on mixture. 💪#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/rzWAmoOqA0
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 29, 2024
Star-studded Blues off color in Geneva
Enzo Maresca’s aspect gained the primary leg 2-0 at Stamford Bridge and when first-leg hero Christopher Nkunku put them forward on the evening on the Stade de Geneve with a 14th minute penalty after Mykhailo Mudryk was fouled within the space by Keigo Tsunemoto, the Blues regarded house and dry.
Nevertheless Jeremy Guillemenot levelled on the evening 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 house a left-wing cross from Miroslav Stevanovic to make it 2-1, and 2-3 on mixture 18 minutes from time, Chelsea nerves had been jangling.
The hosts piled on the stress late on searching for an equaliser and Timothee Cognat curled inches previous the bottom of Jorgensen’s upright in stoppage-time, however Chelsea noticed it by way of.
Into the Convention League as the primary Welsh aspect ever to qualify for the group stage of a serious 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 a part of them within the hat for the league part draw which can happen on Friday.
The New Saints made historical past by changing into the primary Welsh Premier League membership to succeed in the latter levels of a European competitors.
TNS – who play their house video games simply over the border on the Park Corridor Stadium in Oswestry, Shropshire, noticed out a goalless draw in opposition to KF Panevezys on Thursday night, having gained 3-0 in Lithuania final week.
They at the moment lie ninth of 12 within the Welsh league, nonetheless have performed just one match, profitable it 4-1, whereas their rivals have all performed 4 video games already.
Northern Eire’s Larne additionally made historical past by changing into the primary NIFL Premiership aspect to qualify for a UEFA event correct.
They went by way of in model as Andy Ryan fired a shocking hat-trick at Inver Park to assist overturn a 2-1 first leg deficit in opposition to Gibraltan aspect Lincoln Purple Imps to progress 4-3 on mixture, regardless of taking part in greater than half an hour with 10 males.
Historical past is made. Larne are the primary Irish Premiership membership to qualify for the group levels of a serious European Competitors. They’ll be within the Europa Convention League group levels. 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 dropping of their Europa League play-offs on Thursday evening 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 part.
Both sides will probably be drawn in opposition to six totally different groups (three at house, 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 house to FC Copenhagen which noticed them exit of the Convention League play-offs 3-1 on mixture.
