The UEFA Conference League is back, and Matchday 2 of the league phase brought some crazy results that fans will be talking about for a while. Thursday and Friday saw 18 exciting matches across Europe, and there were plenty of late goals, big upsets, and record-breaking moments. Let’s dive into some of the most interesting stats and stories from each game.
Strasbourg vs Jagiellonia Bialystok – 1-1
French team Strasbourg almost lost at home but managed to grab a late equalizer in the 79th minute against Poland’s Jagiellonia Bialystok. This draw means Strasbourg is proving to be really hard to beat at home in Europe—they haven’t lost at home in 14 UEFA club competition matches in a row, with 8 wins and 6 draws. That’s some impressive consistency!
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Rapid Wien vs Fiorentina – 0-3
Italian side Fiorentina made a statement in Austria by winning 3-0 against Rapid Wien. The big news? Fiorentina have now kept back-to-back clean sheets (not letting the other team score) in the group phase for the first time in 11 years. Early goals really set the tone for La Viola, and they’re at the top of their group after two rounds.
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Shkendija vs Shelbourne – 1-0
North Macedonia’s Shkendija shocked Shelbourne with a last-minute winner thanks to an own goal from Paddy Barrett. This was historic because it’s the first time a North Macedonian club has won a group stage match in European competition. For Shelbourne, it’s been tough—they’ve been held scoreless in European matches four times this season, which hasn’t happened since the UEFA Cup 21 years ago!
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Shakhtar Donetsk vs Legia Warsaw – 1-2
Legia Warsaw snatched victory at the very end with a 94th-minute goal, coming back from their previous shocking loss. This was Legia’s fifth win against Ukrainian teams, and they finally beat Shakhtar Donetsk after two failed attempts. Late goals like this show how exciting soccer can be—games aren’t over until the final whistle!
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Hacken vs Rayo Vallecano – 2-2
In Sweden, Rayo Vallecano rescued a point with a 103rd-minute penalty to make it 2-2. Hacken had been leading for over 40 minutes in the second half, but Rayo’s persistence paid off. Hacken is still searching for their first group stage win, now without a victory in eight matches. Soccer can be tough like that sometimes!
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Drita vs Omonia Nicosia – 1-1
Kosovo’s Drita and Cyprus’ Omonia Nicosia played a match full of first-half drama with both teams scoring before halftime. The game ended in a draw, meaning Drita now has two draws to start their group phase in Europe. For a team from a smaller league, that’s not bad at all—they’ve made history by keeping an unbeaten start in European competitions.
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Breidablik vs KuPS Kuopio – 0-0
Iceland’s Breidablik and Finland’s KuPS Kuopio played the only goalless match of the round. Breidablik had 16 shots—the most they’ve ever had in a group stage game—but couldn’t convert any into a goal. KuPS, meanwhile, recorded their second straight draw. Sometimes in soccer, even lots of shots don’t guarantee goals!
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AEK Athens vs Aberdeen – 6-0
Greek side AEK Athens were unstoppable at home, smashing Aberdeen 6-0. Aboubakary Koita scored two goals in just seven minutes, setting up the team’s largest European win in 24 years. Aberdeen, on the other hand, are having a rough time—they’ve now conceded 18 goals in seven European road matches without winning.
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AZ Alkmaar vs Slovan Bratislava – 1-0
Dutch club AZ Alkmaar bounced back from an earlier loss, beating Slovan Bratislava 1-0 thanks to Sven Mijnans’ first-half goal. The Dutch side seems to love playing at home—they’ve now won seven consecutive home games in the Conference League.
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CS Universitatea Craiova vs FC Noah – 1-1
Romania’s CSU Craiova almost won at home but conceded a late goal to FC Noah. Craiova still hasn’t lost at home in European competitions, while Noah extended their longest-ever unbeaten streak on the road to three matches. Soccer stats like these are always fun because they show how consistent teams can be in certain conditions.
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Sigma Olomouc vs Rakow Czestochowa – 1-1
Late goals were the story again in Czechia, where both teams scored within the final 10 minutes. The result meant neither side could claim the win. Interestingly, Sigma have now scored exactly one goal in each of their three matches against Polish opponents.
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Shamrock Rovers vs Celje – 0-2
Slovenia’s Celje are off to a flying start this season, winning 2-0 away at Shamrock Rovers. Franko Kovacevic scored both goals in the first half. Celje has scored nine goals in their last three away matches without conceding any—a solid defensive and attacking performance.
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Samsunspor vs Dynamo Kyiv – 3-0
The Turkish team Samsunspor continued their amazing run, winning 3-0 at home against Dynamo Kyiv. They are now one of six teams with a perfect record after two rounds. Dynamo struggled, failing to register a single shot on target, which shows how tough Samsunspor’s defense was.
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Mainz vs Zrinjski – 1-0
Germany’s Mainz scored early and held on to win 1-0 against Zrinjski. The Bosnian team played over half the match with 10 men after a red card. This is Mainz’s second straight 1-0 victory in the group phase, and Zrinjski has now failed to score in a European match 29 times in history.
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Lincoln Red Imps vs Lech Poznan – 2-1
Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps pulled off one of the biggest upsets in European football by beating Poland’s Lech Poznan 2-1 with a last-minute goal. They also had 12 shots in the match. For a small club like Lincoln, this is historic—a truly incredible moment for their fans.
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Lausanne-Sport vs Hamrun Spartans – 1-0
Swiss team Lausanne-Sport narrowly defeated Malta’s Hamrun Spartans 1-0, with Gaossou Diakite scoring just before halftime. Hamrun continues to struggle in Europe, now losing 13 home games in UEFA competitions.
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Crystal Palace vs AEK Larnaca – 0-1
Another shocker came as AEK Larnaca of Cyprus stunned English Premier League side Crystal Palace 1-0. Riad Bajic scored early in the second half, giving Larnaca their second win of the group phase—making history for the club as it’s the first time they’ve won multiple group games in Europe.
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Rijeka vs Sparta Praha – 1-0
In a match played on Friday due to bad weather, Rijeka beat Sparta Praha 1-0. The goal came 15 minutes from the end. Sparta, who are usually strong away, failed to score in consecutive European away games for the first time in four years. Rijeka’s win shows how tough Croatian champions can be at home.
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Final Thoughts
Matchday 2 of the UEFA Conference League had everything: last-minute goals, giant-killing upsets, record-breaking moments, and dominant performances. Teams like Lincoln Red Imps, AEK Larnaca, and Samsunspor made headlines, while traditional clubs like Fiorentina, AZ Alkmaar, and AEK Athens showed their class. The UEFA Conference League is still young, but fans are already seeing that anything can happen in this exciting tournament!
Soccer news from Europe always reminds us: never underestimate the underdogs, and keep your eyes on those late goals—they can change everything. Stay tuned for more action as the group phase continues.