Hacken have too much for battling TNS at Park Hall

It was TNS’s first defeat at home in Europe since 2019, losing 2-0 on the night and 5-1 over the two legs.

And they put in an impressive second-half performance, which saw them have several good opportunities to score.

It was an early goal they needed after their 3-1 defeat in Sweden six days earlier, but it went the other way when Ibrahim Sadiq netted for the BK Hacken in the 19th minute from a volley just inside the box.

The early goal killed the game as it gave the visitors a three-goal cushion in the tie.

And the first period followed a consistent pattern – the Swedish champions had the ball and TNS stayed in their shape defending in numbers.

The Saints had very few attacks with their first effort coming in added-on time at the end of the first half as the visitors were in cruise control at the break.

Craig Harrison’s men sparked into life after the interval, Josh Pask missing a golden chance to pull one back and Daniel Davies going close when the visitors gave the ball away from a goal-kick.

Ryan Brobbel headed over as TNS searched for a goal in front of their home fans.

But Hacken added a second in stoppage time when Momodou Sonko fired in from close range.

Their exit means TNS will go into the Europa Conference League second qualifying round and will meet either Slovan Bratislava from Slovakia or Luxembourg’s Swift Hesper.

Saints arrived at Park Hall looking to overturn a two-goal deficit after their 3-1 defeat in Sweden last week.

TNS boss Craig Harrison made three changes to the team they played last time out.

Jon Routledge, Ben Clark and Ryan Brobbel all came into the starting XI as Harrison opted to play with a 4-3-3 formation.

Declan McManus was suffering with an injury which meant he had to drop out of the starting XI – he was the man who got TNS’s goal last week in Sweden.

The opening 10 minutes saw little goalmouth action – the visitors, as expected, had the majority of the ball.

TNS sat deep in their shape and looked to soak up the pressure from Hacken.

They were perhaps at their most vulnerable when they did venture forward and the visitors could exploit a little more space on the counter-attack.

A deep cross was cleared by the visitors and they broke at pace.

Kristoffer Lund got in down the left-hand side and his shot went into the side netting – but it was an early warning sign for the hosts.

TNS’s pursuit of qualification became even harder in the 19th minute when they went a goal down courtesy of Sadiq. A cross came in from the left and it was headed up rather than out by the Saints’ skipper Chris Marriott, and it fell to Sadiq, who volleyed home from just inside the 18-yard box – it was deflected off Daniel Davies.

Connor Roberts could do little with it as he appeared unsighted.

He did keep them in the tie a few moments later though, when Sadiq got the better of Davies on the left and unleashed a shot – but Roberts saved with his legs to ensure they did not go any further behind.

The hosts did have an effort in first-half stoppage time when Ben Clark shot just wide of Peter Abrahamsson’s right post and they had plenty of work to do after the break.

TNS needed a goal – and they came so close to it after the break.

Pask got in down the right, after a brilliant play by Clark, but the full-back shot wide when he should have scored – it was a golden opportunity and they wasted it.

Davies then went close moments later when the visitors lost it carelessly from a goal-kick, but his effort was parried by the goalkeeper.

It was much better after the interval, but they needed a goal, and it eluded them as Brobbel was the latest to go close as he headed over from a Pask cross.

Second-half substitute Ashley Baker went close with 15 minutes to go, but his effort went over the bar as the Saints’ second-half rejuvenation continued.

But Hacken added a second right at the end when Sonko fired up from close range to bring an end to The New Saints’ Champions League campaign this season.