Hamrun Spartans were eliminated from the UEFA Europa League after losing 3-1 to Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel in the second leg of the third qualifying round at the TSC Arena in Backa Topola, Serbia on Thursday. Maccabi Tel Aviv, therefore, make it to the next stage of the competition where they would be facing Dynamo Kyiv with a 5-2 aggregate score.

Hamrun, on the other hand, will now enter the UEFA Conference League where they would be facing FC RFS of Latvia in the UEFA Conference League play-off round. RFS were eliminated from the UEFA Europa League by KuPS Kuopio of Finland with a 1-3 aggregate score.

Following the 1-2 defeat in the first leg, the Spartans needed to win by a two-goal difference and they had an excellent opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty on 28 minutes when a defender handled the ball inside the area. However Emerson Marcelina’s effort from the penalty spot hit the crossbar.

Eight minutes from the end of the first half, Maccabi Tel Aviv took the lead when off an assist by Raz Shlomo, Ido Shahar slotted the ball past Bonello from inside the area.

Hamrun hit back with a Jovan Cadjenovic effort which hit the upright on 39 minutes but four minutes later, the Spartans equalised when Joseph Mbong received an assist inside the area and managed to hit low past goalkeeper Roi Mishpati.

However, their joy was short-lived as Maccabi Tel Aviv regained the lead two minutes in added time thanks to another goal by Ido Shahar off a Osher Davida cross from the right.

The Israeli champions sealed the issue with another goal on 69 minutes when Shahar returned the compliment to Davida who beat Bonello.

M. TEL-AVIV Roi Mishpati, Roy Revivo, Tyrese Asante, Raz Shlomo (64′ Heitor), Nemanja Stojić, Elad Madmon (46′ Weslley Patati), Issouf Sissokho (80′ Ben Lederman), Ido Shahar, Dor Peretz (64′ Itamar Noy), Osher Davida, Ion Nicolaescu (46′ Dor Turgeman).

HAMRUN Henry Bonello, Rafael Compri, Matias Garcia (59′ Ante Coric), Saliou Thioune (58′ Merlin Hadzi), Joseph Mbong (75′ Redon Mihana), N’Dri Koffi, Jovan Čadjenović, Eder (58′ Mouad El Fanis), Ognjen Bjeličić, Marcelina Emerson (65′ Vincenzo Polito), Ryan Camenzuli.

Referee: Rohit Saggi NOR
Assistant referees: Morten Jensen NOR, Anders Olav Dale NOR
Fourth official: Sigurd Kringstad NOR
Video Assistant Referee: Tom Harald Hagen NOR
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Kristoffer Hagenes NOR