Connah's Quay Nomads 4-2 Prishtina (Agg 5-6)
- Published
Connah's Quay had dropped into the Europa Conference League after their Champions League exit
Connah's Quay Nomads put up a valiant effort against Prishtina in the Europa Conference League but ultimately came up just short.
Nomads faced an uphill task after losing 4-1 in the second qualifying round first leg in Kosovo but Jamie Insall gave them a dream start after just three minutes at Aberystwyth's Park Avenue.
But two defensive mistakes led to two goals from Endrit Krasniqi extending Prishtina's aggregate lead.
Captain George Horan brought Nomads level on the night before Insall's second put them ahead and within two goals of levelling the tie.
Callum Morris' late penalty - following Gauthier Mankenda's foul on Jordan Davies - set up an exciting climax in which Insall came close agonisingly to securing extra-time.
Prishtina face Norway's Bodo/Glimt in the third qualifying round, with the Norwegian champions completing a 6-0 aggregate win against Iceland's Valur Reykjavik.
Connah's Quay Nomads manager Andy Morrison told 大象传媒 Sport Wales: "We had to get off to a good start and we did, should have been 2-0 up, and then gifted them two goals from two mistakes and then made it difficult for ourselves.
"But we believed and we kept going and it's an incredible performance and I'm incredibly proud of the players.
"There will be a couple of days of pain and what ifs and then batten down and we go again."