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Haverfordwest County (1) v (2) B36 Tórshavn [Faroe Islands] | Thursday, 3 August – 19:45 (S4C) (Cardiff City Stadium – Second Leg of Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round 2023/24) After an unexpected triumph over KF Shkëndija of North Macedonia in the previous round, Haverfordwest County are still living the European dream. But the Bluebirds faced a difficult task in the Faroe Islands on Thursday night as they came up against a team packed with international experience. B36 Tórshavn are one of the most decorated clubs in the Faroe Islands, having won the championship 11 times, and the Faroese Cup on six occasions. Since 2018 the club has won eight of their 12 European rounds, which includes a penalty shoot-out triumph over The New Saints in 2020. And in Gundadalur on Thursday night it took just 11 minutes for B36 to show their quality with a quick and slick short passing move which ended with Faroe Islands international, Hannes Agnarsson netting for the home team. Haverfordwest County had to dig deep to prove how they’ve come so far under Tony Pennock with an organised and energetic defensive display that prevented B36 from testing Zac Jones between the sticks. During the break, Haverfordwest County had somehow been locked out of their own changing room for a period and the Bluebirds came out determined to make an impact in the second half. But just as the Welsh side were starting to get a foot-hold in the game with spells of good possession higher up the pitch, the gaps appeared at the back, and a delightful cross-field pass from Michal Przybylski (who scored vs TNS in 2020) reached left-winger Bjarki Nielsen who accelerated past Jack Wilson before setting-up Andrass Johansen who swept the ball beneath Jones to put B36 2-0 up on the hour-mark. B36 had their confidence back, but as Haverfordwest seemed to be fading out of the tie they were given a lifeline with Martell Taylor-Crossdale scoring his first goal for his new club. With 10 minutes left, Jack Wilson whipped in a cross from the right-hand side, and despite B36’s efforts to clear the ball fell kindly into the path of Taylor-Crossdale who showed his prowess by beating the keeper with his only chance of the match, after working tirelessly to defend from the front throughout the game. Which means there’s only one goal in it ahead of the second leg at the Cardiff City Stadium, and Haverfordwest County have already shown in the previous round, and in the JD Cymru Premier play-offs that they thrive on the pressure, and that they are an underdog that you can never write off. The winners will face either HNK Rijeka (Croatia) or KF Dukagjini (Kosovo) in the Europa Conference League third qualifying round, with Rijeka currently 1-0 up following their first leg victory.
2023-08-04
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