Cork City to face Progres Niederkorn in Europa League after Luxembourg side beat Cardiff Met on away goals

Cork City will face Progrès Niederkorn in the first qualifying round of the Europa League after the Luxembourgian side overcame Wales’ Cardiff Met on away goals.

Progrès, who lost 3-0 on aggregate to Shamrock Rovers in the first round in 2015 only to knock out Rangers two years later, laboured but advanced thanks to Mayron de Almeida’s late goal.

They led 1-0 coming into the tie courtesy of their slender win on home turf but Cardiff turned the tie on its head before Mayron de Almeida scored the crucial away goal late on as it finished 2-2.

Jordan Lam’s third-minute header and Dylan Rees’ second-half penalty proved insufficient to take the university side from the Welsh capital past the full-time Luxembourg outfit.

The Students made the perfect start to their first-ever home game in European football when Hong Kong midfielder Lam glanced a cross from Elliott Evans over the visiting goalkeeper.

Sebastien Flauss was beaten for the second time midway through the second half when Rees converted from the spot after Mael Davies had been taken down in the box by Yann Marques.

The aggregate lead lasted just six minutes, however, as a slick one-touch move saw captain Sebastien Thill put De Almeida through and the Belgian striker made no mistake.

There was still time for drama as Kyle McCarthy’s shot in the second minute of injury looked destined for the bottom corner only for Flauss to pull off a magnificent reaction stop.

Progrès will travel to Turner’s Cross for the first leg of their first round tie on Thursday, July 11^th before hosting the Rebel Army the following week.