Gent played out a 1:1 draw with IFK Göteborg in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League at Gelamco Arena on Wednesday evening. The Belgian side took the lead through M. Volckaert before the Swedish visitors equalised late on.
Volckaert struck in the 27th minute to give Gent the advantage. Göteborg responded with a series of substitutions, bringing on T. Heintz in the 41st minute and A. Jallow at half-time. The visitors pressed for an equaliser but could not find a way through the home defence.
And here's the thing — it was not until the 85th minute that Göteborg finally broke through. S. Alioum ended his side's barren spell, cancelling out Volckaert's earlier effort. The goal came after several changes on both benches, with Gent also making multiple adjustments in an attempt to hold on.
By then the match had become increasingly physical. Tibe De Vlieger received a yellow card for Gent in the 89th minute, while August Erlingmark was booked for Göteborg two minutes into stoppage time. Alexander Jallow had already been shown a yellow card for Göteborg in the 35th minute.
The statistics tell an interesting story. Gent dominated possession at 51 per cent and created more chances, registering seven corners to Göteborg's three. Both sides recorded similar numbers of attacks — 65 for the hosts and 61 for the visitors — but Gent were more efficient in front of goal.
With the draw, both teams remain in the hunt for progression. The result means neither side can celebrate yet, and the second leg will decide who advances to the next round of the competition.