Neman Grodno resurfaces with a penalty kick, set to square off against Rayo Vallecano during the Conference League pre-season warm-up matches.
The upcoming season of the UEFA Conference League, the 2025/26 Conference League, is set for an exciting finale as FC Neman Grodno and Rayo Vallecano will face off to determine the final play-off spot.
In a thrilling encounter, FC Neman Grodno advanced to this crucial match after a hard-fought victory over Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag in the third qualifying round. The match, which took place on an unspecified date following the regular time and extra time, ended in a penalty shootout that saw FC Neman Grodno emerge victorious with a 5-4 win.
The tie started on a challenging note for FC Neman Grodno, who found themselves trailing 2-0 in the first leg of the match, played on August 5. However, the Belarusian side showed resilience, scoring two late goals in the regular time. Gulzhigit Borubaev found the back of the net in the 80th minute, and Yuri Pantya followed suit in the 84th minute to level the tie.
Despite being reduced to ten men in extra time following Mads Mikkelsen's sending off, Klaksvík held on, forcing the penalty shootout. However, it was FC Neman Grodno who held their nerves, converting all five of their penalty kicks to secure their place in the next round. The turning point of the shootout came when Patrik Johannesen, a Klaksvíkar player, missed a penalty kick in the second round, a mistake that proved costly for the Faroese team.
The winner of the third qualifying round, FC Neman Grodno, will now face Rayo Vallecano in the play-off round to fight for a spot in the group stage of the tournament. The exact opponent for FC Neman Grodno in the play-off round is yet to be determined, as the draw for the play-off round is conducted to determine the opponents for that stage.
The Conference League, a European football competition, promises to deliver more exciting matches as the 2025/26 season progresses. The match between FC Neman Grodno and Rayo Vallecano is scheduled to take place after the penalty shootout win, with both teams eager to secure a place in the group stage of the tournament.
