Birkirkara were eliminated from the UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round main path by Olimpija Ljubljana after losing on penalties at the Centenary Stadium on Thursday.
Following the narrow defeat in Ljubljana, the Stripes scored the goal they needed to force extra-time but after a goalless thirty minutes of extra-time, they scored the first four penalties with Olimpija Ljubljana doing the same but Paul Mbong had the last penalty saved by goalkeeper Nejc Vidmar and Aldair scored for the visitors to hand them a 5-4 win on penalties.
Diego Venancio had put the Stripes ahead on the 27th with a great direct freekick which ended in the top left corner.
The aggregate score at the end of the ninety minutes was therefore 1-1. With the result remaining 1-0 by the end of the ninety minutes, the match went into extra-time and with no more goals being scored, the penalty shoot-out had to decide the issue.
Enrico Pepe scored the first penalty for Birkirkara, TImi Elsnik equalised, Diego Venancio made it 2-1 and Dino Spehar 2-2, Johann Bezzina 3-2, Tomislav Tomic 3-3, Leandro Aguirre scored Birkirkara’s fourth, Enrik Ostric 4-4, Paul Mbong missed and Aldair scored to put them into the next round where they will meet Santa Clara of Portugal or Shkupi of North Macedonia.
Birkirkara: Daniel Marcio Fernandes, Enrico Pepe, Yannick Yankam (Johann Bezzina 106), Luke Montebello (Paul Mbong 95), Kurt Zammit Diego Venancio, Federico Falcone (Roderick Briffa 101), Cain Attard, Claudio Bonanni (Ryan Scicluna 79), Oscar Carniello, Jeferson Fernandes Macedo (Leandro Aguirre 89)
Olimpija Ljubljana: Nejc Vodmar, Musatfa Nukic(29-Dino Spehar 95), Eric Boakye (Jan Andrejasic 106), Erik Gliha (62-Michael Pavlovic 56), Nik Kapun (10-Timi Elskin 65), Svit Seslar (Enrik Ostrc 106), Sava Petrov (Gal Kurez 56), Antonio Delamea-Mlinar, Uros Korun, Tomislav Tomic, Aldair.
Referee: Bram Van Driesccche (BEL)
Assistant Referees: Yves De Neve, Kevin Monteny (BEL)
Fourth Official: Kevin Van Damme (BEL)