Despite being beaten 1-0 on the night as Bekim Balaj headed home the only goal of the tie, Linfield are through to the second round of qualifying for the Europa Conference League.

Linfield were in a strong position heading into the second leg as they held a 3-1 advantage against the Albanian outfit KS Vllaznia, but while it may have looked like a job almost done on paper that was not the case.

The Blues were well tested and matched, the home side deserved the win, but will feel like it should have been a result to put them through, countless chances spurned, they put their opponents under intense scrutiny this evening.

It was a slow burning start which suited Linfield, being 3-1 up in the tie, they were happy to sit back and play for a draw, neither side created much by way of clear-cut chances in the opening quarter of an hour.

Vllaznia had the best of the chances however as the game wore on, Mehdi Coba looked to have a chance at goal, but he was charged down and fired wide from an acute angle, minutes later Coba again had a chance, the ball was in the net, but he was deemed to have handled the ball in the buildup. 

The hosts were having all the chances and asking all the questions, as Linfield were put under pressure, the visitors were yet to register any attempt at goal, while Chris Johns goal was being bombarded by the hosts, Ildi Gruda forced the Blues keeper into a great save, before Esat Mala missed a header from inside the area, before Johns made a terrific save to deny Mala again.

Going into the break tied, Linfield would have been relieved to go in with their two-goal lead intact at the break, considering their relentless host’s attacking the goal, also they may have had the lead before the break, Joel Cooper's effort flashed past the post on 38 minutes, their one and only chance in a poor half from them.

Minutes into the second half, it was all the host’s once again, after a succession of corners Marko Juric had a chance to give them the lead, but he couldn't keep his header down and the host’s had to go again.

Well they did, Bekim Balaj with a towering header to the net, giving them more than they deserved, the lead, putting it to 3-2 on Aggregate, that put the cat amongst the pigeons as far as Linfield were concerned.

After that goal, the pressure did not ease from the hosts, Balaj the goal scorer, again rose high to create the chance but his header was just to the wrong side of the post, they then had a penalty chalked off, the ball looked to have hit Kirk Millar’s arm, but the referee waved away the protests.

But it was not to be, David Healy’s side holding on in a nervy tense period of stoppage time, their work done on home soil, but they were tested and deserve to lose tonight, but know it could have been a disaster in Albania.