The third qualifying round match for the Conference League is being played in Tampere, Finland, with the local club Ilves hosting Croatian side Rijeka. This clash is crucial for a place in the play-off, with the winner set to face the victor of the tie between Irish side Bohemians and Danish club Midtjylland. The Danish side won the first leg in Dublin 2-0, while Rijeka recorded a 1-0 victory at Rujevica seven days ago thanks to a goal from Niko Janković.
The match began with the away side dominating, taking possession as early as the fourth minute. Six minutes in, the hosts appealed for a penalty for a possible handball, but the referee instead awarded a free-kick to Rijeka in the same minute. In the 11th minute, Janković played a long ball towards Lasickas, signalling the attacking potential of the visitors.
The 13th minute brought a controversial moment when Lasickas shot from a promising position, but the ball struck an opponent and finished near the hand of the home defender. Despite the incident being visible, the referee did not intervene. In the 23rd minute, the hosts made several errors in passing, but Rijeka failed to capitalise seriously on these mistakes.
Ilves' lineup on the pitch includes players Krkalić, Petterson, Valsanen, Kumpu, Ralea, Multalu, Popovitch and Raapa. The Finnish club is attempting to level the aggregate score, while Rijeka aims to progress to the next qualifying round.
