Paide moved into the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League after a 4-1 aggregate win took them through against Lithuania’s Hegelmann FC.
After the final whistle, head coach Tarmo Kink said he did not draw a distinction between European ties and domestic fixtures, calling the night “fantastic” for the club. “All wins are sweet. I don’t categorise European competition or the Estonian league – for me, a game is a game. A lot can depend on every match,” he said. “For the club, fantastic – fantastic atmosphere, just pure joy.”
Midfielder Modou Sohna set Paide on their way after 18 minutes, wrong-footing his marker with a sharp feint before drilling a shot from close to 20 metres into the top corner. Reflecting on the goal after the match, he said the strike was one he had been working on in training. “I’ve been practising and refining that kind of shot in training,” Sohna told Estonian media. “Even the back-up goalkeeper Marko Meerits told me I should try it in a match. I got the chance and I scored straight away.”
Sohna said Paide did not feel weighed down by nerves despite the importance of European qualifying. “We prepared very well for this match, trained hard and everything was close to ideal,” added the 25-year-old.
The Gambian also described a clear contrast with domestic football, pointing to the pace and the unfamiliar opponents. “It was different, especially in terms of tempo and the players. In Estonia we know all our opponents,” he said.
Abdourahman Badamosi made it 2-0 before the break, rewarding Paide’s pressure as the hosts took firm control of the tie. Paide’s third arrived in 69th minute, when Daniel Cabral curled a long-range free-kick around the wall and against the post, with Kristofer Piht on hand to convert the rebound from close range.
Despite a comfortable score, Kink praised his side’s collective effort in difficult conditions. “I told the players: big respect. I know it’s very hard to play in this heat, we haven’t even been able to train in this kind of heat. As a team, it was excellent work,” he said.
With tougher ties to come, Sohna insisted Paide’s ambitions extend beyond early qualifying. “Our dream is to reach the league phase,” he said. “That’s the most important thing for us. I believe it’s absolutely achievable.”
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Sources: https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/paide-juhtima-loonud-sohna-unistame-pohiturniirist-see-on-igati-tehtav
https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/millised-olid-paide-vaheajajutud-kink-ma-ei-maleta-ju-utlesin-midagi-tarka
