UEFA Europa League Second Qualifying Round

B36 F.C. Torshavn 2

The New Saints 2

(After Extra Time)

B36 win 5-4 on penalties

The New Saints have suffered heartbreak in the Europa League after they were knocked out by B36 FC Torshavn on penalties on Wednesday.

Goals from Leo Smith and Dean Ebbe put TNS just seconds away from advancing into a third qualifying round tie with Polish champions Legia Warsaw, after Michal Przybylski put B36 ahead.

But a last-gasp goal from Stefan Radosavljevic forced penalties and it was down to Ebbe to send TNS through, but he saw his weak effort saved and Danny Redmond's miss sealed the defeat.

It means their European campaign is over for another year, despite coming so close to a famous victory in Europe's second competition.

Saints dominated play in the first 15 minutes, attacking down both flanks but nor did they create any clear-cut chances to test the hosts.

But it was Paul Harrison, back with the captain's armband, who was called into action first when he did brilliantly to claw away Ryan Astle's header towards his own goal from a B36 long throw on 20 minutes.

Four minutes later, Harrison was again called into action, as he made a low stop from Sebastian Pingel after he sprung Saints' offside trap, with B36 starting to turn the tide.

Pingel's long throw was a constant cause of concern for TNS as Árni Frederiksberg only just failed to find contact when free in the six-yard box on 25 minutes.

Saints were dealt a blow on the half-hour mark when Scott Ruscoe was forced into making a change as Ben Clark was introduced for the injured Keston Davies, with Ryan Harrington switching from right-back to inside.

The home side were screaming for a penalty on 37 minutes when a shot was blocked by a combination of Tom Holland and Astles, with claims the ball struck the latter's arm.

Saints survived one final scare before the break when Astles managed to stop Ragnar Samuelsen's cross with Jon Routledge clearing.

Any impact of a half-time team talk from Ruscoe was lost when the home side took the lead two minutes after the break, as Przybylski poked home from around eight yards out after bamboozling the TNS defence.

Saints were rocking and needed a strong header from Astles five minutes after the break to prevent B36 from doubling their lead.

Saints had their closest chance on 58 minutes when they were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, but Redmond could only float his effort over.

TNS were starting to show the same level of pressure from the opening quarter, and on 64 minutes, Jamie Mullan sent a dangerous cross from the right but no blue shirts to meet it.

And moments later, Redmond fired in a dangerous shot, only to strike Ebbe and out for a goal kick.

Saints had not yet fired a shot on target by the 75th minute and while crosses were being sent into the box, they were all too close to Rói Mørk Hentze.

Ruscoe sent on veteran Adrian Cieslewicz with more than 10 minutes to go to steal his side a goal, replacing the ineffective Ryan Brobbel.

But it was his fellow sub Smith who drew Saints level when he exchanged passes with Ebbe and fired through Hentze, who could only watch as the ball crept over the line on 81 minutes.

Saints had one final chance to grab the win when Cieslewicz – himself a former B36 player – fired in a shot from 20 yards that Louis Robles dummied when he was onside and could have finished himself.

Harrison was called into early action in extra time when he pushed Radosavljevic's curled free-kick onto his near post and wide for a corner, which came to nothing.

Harrington came close to putting Saints ahead in the 96th minute but his header was comfortable for the back-tracking Hentze to gather.

Saints spurned a glorious chance to take the lead in the second period of extra time when Hentze's poor kick found Ebbe but he could only find a white shirt with Robles free.

But Saints did indeed take the lead when the Irishman Ebbe was the right man in the right place to poke home after Hentze, who had been brilliant in the air all night, was beaten to the ball by Astles.

Ebbe calmly celebrated but was soon mobbed by his teammates, subs and Ruscoe's backroom staff.

But Saints were unable to hold on when in stoppage time in extra time, Radosavljevic fired high into Harrison's net from 16 yards out, after Astles appeared to be fouled.

Harrison was first to step up and score and both sides traded penalties until scorer Przybylski struck the crossbar; however, Ebbe and Redmond failed to convert their spot kicks to send the home side through.

TNS: Harrison, Harrington, Davies (Clark 30), Astles, Redmond, Holland, Routledge (Smith 71), Brobbel (Cieslewicz 77), Mullan, Robles (Draper 116), Ebbe

Subs not used: Roberts, Boateng, Bailey