Latvian Cup holders Auda produced one of the greatest results in the club’s history on Thursday night, defeating Romanian giants FCSB 3-2 in Bucharest thanks to a dramatic stoppage-time winner from Kader Kone in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League second qualifying round tie.
The Latvian side led twice during an entertaining contest before 20-year-old Ivorian forward Kone produced a moment of individual brilliance deep into added time to hand Didier Zanetti’s men a famous victory ahead of next week’s return leg in Rīga.
Auda made a dream start, taking the lead after just five minutes. Latvia international Eduards Dašķevičs collected the ball on the right wing, cut inside onto his stronger left foot and unleashed a superb strike into the far corner to silence the home crowd.
FCSB responded immediately and piled pressure on the visitors, with goalkeeper Nils Toms Puriņš producing a string of excellent saves to keep Auda in front. However, the Romanian champions eventually found their equaliser in the 23rd minute. Octavian Popescu led a rapid counter-attack before driving into the penalty area and beating Puriņš with a powerful finish from a narrow angle.
Auda refused to be discouraged and regained the lead just nine minutes later. Winning possession in midfield, the Latvian side launched a swift counter-attack, with Barthelemy Diedhiou producing a brilliant individual run. After beating two defenders inside the box, the Senegalese forward calmly created space for himself before firing past the goalkeeper to restore Auda’s advantage.
The hosts once again found a response early in the second half. Young Romanian talent Alexandru Stoian beat Ralfs Kragliks down the flank before bursting into the penalty area and squaring the ball across goal, where Aymen Boutoutaou had the simple task of tapping into an empty net to make it 2-2.
As the match appeared to be heading towards a draw, Auda had one final magical moment in store. Four minutes into stoppage time, Kader Kone, who had worked tirelessly throughout the entire match, collected the ball on the left wing and beat his defender with an outstanding piece of skill. The 20-year-old Ivorian drove into the penalty area before catching the FCSB goalkeeper off guard with a low finish at the near post, sparking wild celebrations among the travelling players and staff.
The unforgettable victory is the biggest European result in Auda’s history and leaves the Latvian Cup holders in a strong position ahead of next week’s second leg at Skonto Stadium, where they will attempt to protect their one-goal advantage and reach the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round for the second time in the last three seasons.
FCSB vs FK Auda – 2-3 (1-2)
Goals: Popescu 23′, Boutoutaou 71′ | Dašķevičs 5′, Diedhiou 32′, K.Kone 90+4′
