Borac BB advanced to the next round of the UEFA Europa Conference League after winning a tense penalty shootout 4-2 against ML Vitebsk, despite losing the match itself 0-1. It was a cruel exit for the Belarusian side, whose forward Artem Kontsevoy had done everything in his power to send his team through, scoring the only goal and earning the Player of the Match award with a 7.4 rating. But when the spot-kicks arrived, it was the Bosnian outfit who held their nerve to progress.

Kontsevoy was the central figure throughout the contest. The forward found the net to give ML Vitebsk a 1-0 lead, and his all-round contribution was enough to earn him the official MOTM recognition. His efforts ensured that Vitebsk's defence held firm for a clean sheet across the entirety of regulation and extra time, with the hosts refusing to concede and seemingly on course for qualification.

Yet Borac BB showed remarkable resilience. Despite trailing for much of the encounter, the visitors refused to wilt and took the tie deep into the latter stages of extra time. Late tension around the 120-minute mark kept both sets of supporters on edge, but neither side could alter the scoreline before the final whistle, sending the knockout clash to a penalty shootout.

From twelve yards, the narrative shifted entirely. ML Vitebsk's composure deserted them at the worst possible moment, converting just two of their attempts. Borac BB, by contrast, were clinical, burying four of their penalties to seal a 4-2 shootout victory. It was a devastating reversal for Kontsevoy and his teammates, who had controlled large portions of the match only to see their European journey come to an abrupt end.

For Borac BB, this was a triumph built on collective mental fortitude rather than attacking brilliance. They failed to score in open play across 120 minutes yet still found a way through when it mattered most. Their reward is a place in the next round of the Conference League, while ML Vitebsk are left to reflect on what might have been — a match won on the pitch but lost where it counted most.