Champions League: Apoel Nicosia 3-0 The New Saints (Agg: 3-0)

Saints won the Welsh Cup, League Cup and Welsh Premier League for a second successive season in 2015-16

The New Saints were knocked out of the Champions League in the second qualifying round despite a brave effort in Cyprus.

Goals from Cyprus internationals Nektarios Alexandrou and Pieros Sotiriou did the damage for TNS, who held Apoel to a goalless draw in the first leg at Park Hall last Tuesday.

Tomas de Vincenti added a late penalty for the hosts in injury time.

"I am immensely proud," said New Saints boss Craig Harrison.

"The second goal made it a huge ask and took the wind out of our sails.

"We had our chances, but that is me being ultra critical."

Saints were left to rue missing two key chances in a contest in which scoring opportunities for the visitors were few and far between.

Jamie Mullan had a shot saved when he went clean through in the first period and Adrian Cieslewicz's goalbound shot was blocked on the hour as the Welsh side searched for an equaliser.

However, the Cypriot champions kept captain Paul Harrison busy throughout.

Nuno Morais, formerly with Chelsea, fired a dipping effort just wide before Sotiriou missed a free header.

Vander Vieira crashed the ball against the crossbar as Nicosia pressed, before Sotiriou's header was brilliantly cleared off the line by defender Phil Baker, whose 31 appearances in Europe is a new record for a Welsh club player.

However, the quality of Sotiriou eventually told after the interval, his movement allowing captain Alexandrou to fire through a crowd and beat Harrison at his near post on 53 minutes.

Sotiriou hit the inside of the right hand post as Saints clung on, but when he was given too much space with 20 minutes remaining he swivelled and fired home from close range to end any hopes of a comeback.

De Vincenti added gloss to the scoreline with an injury-time penalty.