New Saints players celebrate after qualifying for the Europa Conference League
The New Saints created Welsh football history as they secured their place in the Europa Conference League group stages.
Saints were held to a goalless draw at Park Hall by FK Panevezys of Lithuania in the second leg of the play-offs to complete a 3-0 aggregate win
The win sees them become the first domestic Welsh club to reach the group stages of a major European competition.
The Cymru Premier champions will discover their opponents in Friday’s draw in Monaco.
The New Saints will discover on Friday who they face next in the Europa Conference League
Manager Craig Harrison and chairman Mike Harris’ had previously spoken of the ambition to become the first Cymru Premier club to reach the group stages.
Saints went into the second leg in Oswestry 3-0 up from the away leg a week earlier, although Harrison insisted his side would take nothing for granted.
They showed a willingness to extend their aggregate lead rather than sit back and early on Rory Holden’s free-kick was headed over by Danny Davies before Adrian Cieslewicz’s shot was saved by keeper Emil Timbur.
Cieslewicz saw his volley go over the crossbar, but Panevezys themselves came close when Emestas Veliulis’ looping header went narrowly wide.
The visitors had a good spell towards the end of the first half and confusion in the Saints defence presented an opportunity for Cheikhou Deng.
Saints, whose European campaign began in the Champions League qualifiers in July, made a positive start to the second half and Adam Wilson, back on loan from Bradford City, had an effort deflected for a corner.
Danny Redmond missed the target after being set up by Wilson, who also had a shot from a tight angle smothered by Timbur.
Panevezys were reduced to 10 men for the final half hour when Rokas Rasimavicius received his second yellow card of the game to leave them with a mountain to climb.
Holden tried his luck from distance with a shot that was comfortably gathered by Timbur while Cieslewicz came agonisingly close late on to breaking the deadlock.
But Saints had done enough in the first leg in Lithuania to win the tie and create history for Welsh football in Europe.
The New Saints manager Craig Harrison told BBC Sport Wales:
“It’s very emotional – something that’s never happened before. It’s not only history for the football club but the history of Welsh domestic football.
“It wasn’t the prettiest tonight but the players were exceptional again tonight. They’ve been fantastic apart from 30 minutes away to Ferencvaros in the whole campaign so they deserve all the plaudits.
“We wanted to play better and we wanted to win the game but at the end of the day we wanted to go through more.
“We want to play anybody – we’re going to enjoy being there tonight. The boys should enjoy it because it’s a massive achievement.
“It’s the biggest and best thing I’ve ever done, without a doubt.”
