Kenyan duo misses out on Europa Conference League qualification

Kenyan internationals Amos Nondi and Alywn Tera saw their bid of qualifying to the Group Stages of the 2023/24 Uefa Conference League tournament ended in the qualification stages as their Armenian side Ararat Armenia was dumped out 1-2 on aggregate by Greek side Aris Thessaloniki on Thursday evening.

Prior to the second leg match that was hosted by Aris at their Kleanthis Vikedilis Stadium, both sides still had a chance of making it to the third round of qualification as the tie was levelled 1-1 after the first leg held a week ago in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

While Nondi was entrusted with a starting berth in the staring eleven, Tera watched the opening proceedings from the bench.

Both teams failed to find the back of the net as they went into the half time break with the deadlock intact and that situation remained to be the case even after Tera was brought on in the 64th minute in place of Portuguese international Adriano Castanheira to try and alter the scoreline.

Ten minutes to time however, a breakthrough was found in the match and it was one that sent a dagger to Ararat’s hearts as 31-year-old Brazilian Fabiano scored what would be the all-important goal in the clash to safely secure his team’s passage to the last round of qualification.

That is how the result remained as Aris Thessaloniki progress to the third qualifying round as Ararat Armenia were eliminated from the European competition for the season.

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Aris will now join 53 other sides in the third round with the 27 winning sides advancing to the play-off round (Main Path).

Third qualifying round

The third qualifying round draw took place on Monday 24 July, with the two-legged ties scheduled for 10 and 17 August. Specific fixture dates will be confirmed in due course.

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Main path

AEK Larnaca (CYP) vs Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)

Sabah (AZE) vs Partizan (SRB)

Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe (ROU) vs Aktobe (KAZ)

Rapid Wien (AUT) vs Debrecen (HUN)

Hajduk Split (CRO) vs PAOK (GRE)

Santa Coloma (AND) vs AZ Alkmaar (NED)

Celje (SVN) vs Neman Grodno (BLR)

Beşiktaş (TUR) vs Neftçi (AZE)

Omonoia (CYP) vs Midtjylland (DEN)

Aris Thessaloniki (GRE) vs Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)

Legia Warszawa (POL) vs Austria Wien (AUT)

Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR) vs Levski Sofia (BUL)

Hibernian (SCO) vs Luzern (SUI)

Viktoria Plzeň (CZE) vs Gzira United (MLT)

Arouca (POR) vs Brann (NOR)

Gent (BEL) vs Pogoń Szczecin (POL)

Adana Demirspor (TUR) vs Osijek (CRO)

B36 Tórshavn (FRO) vs Rijeka (CRO)

Twente (NED) vs Riga (LVA)

Rosenborg (NOR) vs Heart of Midlothian (SCO)

Fenerbahçe (TUR) vs Maribor (SVN)

Club Brugge (BEL) vs KA Akureyri (ISL)

Dila Gori (GEO) vs APOEL (CYP)

Lech Poznań (POL) vs Spartak Trnava (SVK)

FCSB (ROU) vs Nordsjælland (DEN)

Tobol Kostanay (KAZ) vs Derry City (IRL)

Bodø/Glimt (NOR) vs Pyunik (ARM)