It is all to play for in The New Saints’ UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round tie against Swift Hesperange following a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Park Hall.
Craig Harrison’s side trailed 1-0 at half-time against their Luxembourgish opponents, but summer signing Rory Holden netted his first goal for the club to level the affair.
Holden came into the starting XI to replace the injured Jon Routledge, in what was Craig Harrison’s only change from last week’s defeat to BK Häcken in the UEFA Champions League. Declan McManus was once again only fit enough for the bench.
In a frantic first five minutes, Connor Roberts was forced to save a dangerous strike from Luxembourg international Dejvid Sinani and Josh Daniels saw an effort deflect wide.
Conceding early goals was TNS’ undoing in both legs of their tie against BK Häcken and they again fell behind inside the opening 20 minutes here.
After the hosts could only half clear a Hesperange free-kick, they failed to react to the second phase of play as Paul Ayongo delivered a cross unopposed and Simao Martins was in the middle to score.
The goal spurred TNS into life and they dominated the rest of the first half, finding particularly joy down both wings. When Danny Davies slid in a low cross in the 34th minute, it looked as if Daniels was destined to score but he somehow blazed his shot over from three yards out.
Yet for all of TNS’ pressure, the game could have been out of their control 10 minutes into the second half when Hesperange were awarded a penalty after Josh Pask tripped Dominik Stolz in the box.
The German, who had scored one penalty and missed another in Hesperange’s previous European tie, stepped up to take the spot-kick himself but Roberts produced a superb save low to his right in the TNS goal.
Stolz came close again shortly after as he struck the post, before Ryan Astles made a goal-line block to deny Rachid Alioui.
After riding that wave of pressure from the visitors, TNS found an equaliser in the 74th minute when Holden took aim from distance and his deflected strike beat Hesperange goalkeeper Geordan Dupire.
Neither side could find a winner in the final quarter of an hour, although Hesperange came agonisingly close when substitute Blankson Anoff struck the post with a curling effort.
