Differdange Defeat TNS to Reach Europa Conference League Third Qualifying Round

On Thursday 29 July 2025, Luxembourg's champions FC Differdange 03 progressed to the third qualifying round of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa Conference League.

Pedro Silva’s team once again secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Welsh champions The New Saints (TNS), this time on home pitch at the Stade Municipal de la Ville de Differdange, in front of 1,622 spectators.

In the opening stages of the match, the visitors appeared more active, with both sides engaging in a physical contest. This was reflected in two early yellow cards: Artur Abreu was booked in the fourteenth minute, followed by Rafa Pinto in the 21st.

The most significant opportunity for TNS in the first half came in the 22nd minute. After Samir Hadji went to ground in the visitors' penalty area without a foul being called, TNS launched a quick counterattack. However, their attempt was denied, with defender Jordan Williams’ shot blocked while Differdange’s goalkeeper was out of position.

Differdange responded with a chance in the 36th minute. Following a rebound, Dylan Lempereur took a shot inside the box, but it was blocked by TNS captain Jack Bodenham. The ball struck the defender’s arm at close range, though referee Sigurd Kringstad (Norway) chose not to award a penalty.

The final five minutes of the half saw TNS apply pressure, but they failed to register a shot on target. Differdange’s defence remained solid, successfully intercepting crosses and limiting the visitors' attacking options.

In the third minute of added time, Differdange created a final opportunity. Samir Hadji broke through on the right wing and closed in on goal from a tight angle, but his effort was stopped by TNS goalkeeper Nathan Shepperd. The teams went into the break with the score level at 0-0.

Early in the second half, FC Differdange 03 created another opportunity when Samir Hadji won an aerial challenge outside the TNS penalty area and headed the ball into the path of Boris Mfoumou, who opted for a first-touch shot, but his effort went well wide of the target.

The goal came in the 68th minute. Differdange applied pressure in the box, with TNS goalkeeper Nathan Shepperd saving the first attempt. However, a subsequent shot was blocked by a TNS defender's arm, prompting the referee to award a penalty. Hadji converted from the spot, sending the ball into the top right corner while the goalkeeper dived the other way.

Both sides had further chances in the closing stages, but the score remained 1-0 in favour of Differdange.

Commenting after the match, Differdange head coach, Pedro Silva, stated: “Yes, the first half was a bit of a disaster, but we made adjustments. In the second half, there was much more individual and collective quality. Above all, we improved in terms of confidence and our football.”

The goalscorer Samir Hadji also shared his thoughts with Chronicle.lu, emphasising the collective effort: “What matters is the result and the effort of the whole team to achieve it. It’s not about personal records - the objective is to help the team progress.”

In the third qualifying round of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa Conference League, FC Differdange 03 will face Estonian side Levadia Tallinn, who advanced by defeating Iberia Tbilisi of Georgia 3-2 on aggregate.

Starting lineups:

FC Differdange 03: Felipe (GK), Geoffrey Franzoni(c), Kevin D’Anzico, Theo Brusko, Juan Bedouret, Dylan Lempereur, Rafael Pereira Pinto, Leandro Borgec, Boris Mfoumou, Samir Hadji, Artur Abreu.

The New Saints: Nathan Shepperd (GK), Ben Clark, Harrison McGahey, Jack Bodenham, Jordan Marshall, Daniel Redmond (c), Daniel Williams, Dominic Corness, Jordan Williams, Ken Charles, Ryan Brobbel.

On Thursday 31 July 2025, BGL Ligue vice-champions UNA Strassen are set to host Dundee United at the Stade Municipal de la Ville de Differdange for the second leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round tie. Stefani Bensi’s team will be looking to overturn a 0-1 defeat from the first leg.

(Caption: Samir Hadji takes the penalty kick; Credit: Ievgenii Karanov, Chronicle.lu)