Article by Daniel Grigore – Published Friday, December 19, 2025, 08:02 / Updated Friday, December 19, 2025 08:03
Normally, the University of Craiova could have advanced in the Conference League and defeated in Athens, but the unreal developments in the other parties seem to have “conspired” for the Oltenians to stay at home! Below, some incredible milestones.
Defeated by AEK, 2-3 after leading in the 90th+7th minute, the University ended the league phase in 25th place, first below the line. Only Lincoln still has such a dowry (7 points) and does not advance in the competition.
Immediately above Craiova were Sigma Olomouc, Zrinjski, Shkendija and KuPS, all with the same number of points, but either more goals scored or a higher overall goal difference. The way they ticked off these conditions is amazing. Let's take them one at a time.
Zrinjski qualified thanks to an own goal in '90+3!
First, the Bosnians at Zrinjski seemed out of sorts. At home, they were led by Rapid Vienna from the 11th minute. At that score, 0-1, they would have finished the league stage with 6 points, below Craiova.
The fate of the match (and the qualification) was decided by an own goal in the 90th+3rd minutewhen Rapid Vienna's Nenad Cvetkovic put the ball into his own goal.
Shkendija also haunts the University!
We move on to Shkendija, the champion of North Macedonia, the team that eliminated FCSB from the Champions League preliminaries.
The North Macedonians finished above Craiova although they lost in the last round, 0-1 against AEK Larnaca, away. If the Cypriots had also scored the 2nd goal, Shkendija would have been eliminated.
And how many circumstances they had to do it!
In the 43rd minute, AEK had a goal disallowed for offside. In the 53rd minute, Shkendija remained outnumbered, Latifi receiving the red card.
In 10 men for 40 minutes, the North Macedonians conceded only one goalthat one in the 83rd minute. The second, which would have taken Craiova further in the competition, did not come either, although AEK had a total of 17 shots, 3 squares, and a colossal xG, 2.37!
Sigma Olomouc, how lucky: a penalty missed by the opponents and a late goal scored
The team that finished immediately above Craiova is Sigma Olomouc, also with 7 points and also with an overall goal difference of -2, but with more goals scored than Olteni (7 versus 6).
Sigma lost on Thursday evening, 1-2 with Lech Poznan, scoring the saving goal late, in the 84th minute! If Kral's success had not come, the Czechs would have been eliminated.
But the picture becomes even more painful when we look at what Lech did: Mikael Ishak, who scored the goals for the Poles, had the chance to make it 0-3, but missed the penalty in the 59th minute!
At 1-3 in Olomouc – Lech, Craiova would have gone on!
KuPS, 2-2 with Crystal Palace having THREE shots all game
Finally, also with 7 points, but above Craiova, KuPS ranked, although the Finns played in the last stage in London, with Crystal Palace.
Despite Premier League opposition, with the amendment that Palace used the reserves, KuPS managed a 2-2 draw and even led for 23 minutes at Selhurst Park.
Oliver Glasner fielded 5 starters in the second half, Devenny equalized at 2 in the 76th minute, but Palace did not have the strength to score the winning goal, a goal that would have sent Craiova on.
And here, to make the elimination sting even more, KuPS scored two goals from only two shots on goal, THREE in total!
