SLOVAKIA — In the return leg of the final qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League, Armenia’s Noah FC lost 1-3 to Slovakia’s “Ružomberok” but advanced to the group stage with a 4-3 aggregate score.
The match saw early action when 22-year-old Slovak midfielder Oliver Lutheran scored in the 10th minute. Just before halftime, 30-year-old Czech forward Jan Hladik doubled the lead for the home team. Noah FC faced additional challenges when 32-year-old Brazilian defender Pablo was sent off in the 70th minute after receiving a second yellow card. The resulting penalty was successfully converted by 27-year-old Slovak striker Martin Boda.
Despite being a man down, Noah FC managed to score a late goal in the 88th minute, courtesy of 27-year-old Brazilian striker Mateus Ayas. Having won the first match 3-0, Noah FC secured a place in the group stage, marking a historic achievement for the club as they become the first Armenian team to compete at this stage of the Conference League.
