Estonian side Paide Linnameeskond booked their place in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League after earning a hard-fought 1-1 draw away to Azerbaijani club Zira FK, securing a 2-1 aggregate victory and setting up a glamour tie against Austrian giants Rapid Vienna.
Holding a narrow 1-0 advantage from last week’s first leg, Paide endured heavy pressure for much of the evening in Sumqayıt. The hosts needed just four minutes to erase the aggregate deficit as Eren Aydin bundled home after goalkeeper Ebrima Jarju had initially made an excellent save.
The early goal shifted momentum firmly in Zira’s favour and the Azerbaijani side dominated the remainder of the first half. Jarju proved to be Paide’s standout performer, producing several crucial saves, while the visitors also survived a number of close calls, including efforts that struck the woodwork.
Although Zira continued to control possession after the break, Paide gradually began to threaten on the counter. Head coach Tarmo Kink introduced experienced forwards Henri Anier and Henrik Ojamaa, and the changes transformed the visitors’ attacking play.
The decisive moment arrived in the 70th minute when Ojamaa threaded a perfectly weighted pass through the defence for his long-time teammate Anier, who calmly slotted past the goalkeeper to level the score on the night and restore Paide’s aggregate lead.
The closing stages were tense as Zira threw everything forward in search of another goal. Paide survived several dangerous moments, including a controversial late incident when the ball appeared to strike Nikita Baranov’s arm inside the penalty area before rebounding off the post. With no VAR in operation during this stage of the competition, play continued and the Estonian side held firm through four minutes of stoppage time.
The final whistle confirmed one of the biggest European results in Paide’s history as they advanced to the third qualifying round, where they will face Austrian side Rapid Vienna who beat Andorran side Santa Coloma 9-3 on aggregate.
