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Kenyan international Timothy Ouma played the entire 90 minutes as his Swedish club, IF Elfsborg, secured a thrilling victory over Norwegian side Molde FK to advance to the Europa League group stage on Thursday night.
Elfsborg entered the return leg with a slender 1-0 advantage from the first leg, but the tie took a dramatic turn in the second half, leading to a nerve-wracking penalty shootout where the Swedish team emerged victorious 4-2.
Elfsborg began the match with intensity, pressing Molde high up the pitch and forcing early turnovers. Despite the early pressure, Molde gradually found their rhythm and also began to cause the home team problems in the tie.
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The first real chance of the match fell to Elfsborg in the 11th minute. Jalal Abdullai made a surging run down the right flank, delivering a well-placed ball to Ahmed Qasem, who in turn set up Michael Baidoo. Unfortunately, Baidoo's effort was straight at the Molde goalkeeper, and the chance went begging.
As the first half drew to a close, Molde began to assert themselves, slowing the pace and probing for openings in the Elfsborg defense. The second half saw Elfsborg continue to press, using long throw-ins and corners to keep Molde under pressure. However, the Norwegian defense stood firm, clearing several dangerous crosses.
The game became a battle of attrition, with both sides exchanging control. Molde's breakthrough came in the 62nd minute, as they combined neatly to breach the Elfsborg defense before Veton Berisha slotted the ball home. After a lengthy VAR review for a possible offside, the goal was upheld, levelling the aggregate score and setting up a tense final half-hour.
Elfsborg responded with a flurry of attacks, with Baidoo and Niklas Hult both coming close to scoring, but neither could find the back of the net. As the clock ticked down, Elfsborg nearly found a winner in stoppage time when Buhari Ibrahim's header across goal was inches away from being tapped in by Baidoo. With the match still deadlocked, extra time ensued, leading to a dramatic penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Elfsborg's nerves held firm. Michael Baidoo, Simon Hedlund, and Besfort Zeneli all converted their penalties, while Molde faltered, missing their third attempt. The decisive moment came when Niklas Hult confidently dispatched his penalty, sending the ball high into the left corner and sparking wild celebrations as IF Elfsborg clinched their place in the Europa League group stage.
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Source: Alazeera
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