Legia Warsaw 3 Hibernian 3

(After extra time, Legia win 5-4 on aggregate)

An extra-time winner ensured Legia Warsaw’s progression to the Europa Conference League at the expense of Hibernian.

David Gray’s side were beaten 2-1 in Leith last Thursday, but started the match well with Warren O’Hora managed the first shot on target in the opening minutes.

Despite a settling start for the Hibees, Vahan Bichakhchyan’s powerful drive put Legia in front. The strike put clear daylight between the teams and was a gutting blow for the Edinburgh men.

The goal helped the Poles grow into the game; further efforts from Rafal Augustyniak were both well saved by Jordan Smith, keeping the lead to one.

Gray’s boys are a very different beast to the team that won just two of their opening 16 Scottish Premiership games at the start of last season. An outstanding second-half display highlighted the levels that Hibs have reached since that horror period.

Rocky Bushiri sparked hopes five minutes into the second half, heading home Nicky Cadden’s in-swinging cross to equalise on the night.

Then they levelled the tie in the 59th minute, after Martin Boyle powered home Bushiri’s clever setup. They incredibly added a third in the 61st minute, as substitute Miguel Chaiwa accelerated into the Legia and unleashed a brilliant finish across the goal.

An outstanding 11-minute period saw the visitors flip the script on this tie. Scottish teams are not supposed to perform in this manner on the European stage; yet remarkably, they were just half an hour away from qualifying for the Europa Conference League.

Hibs thought they were down to ten men after Junior Hoilett was dismissed. The referee rightly overturned the decision, offering further hope to the visitors.

Warsaw looked dangerous, but the away team continued to carve out the better chances. Kacper Tobiasz denied Josh Mulligan, before a 40-yard volley bounced off the bar from Boyle.

Seven minutes of additional time added further torture for the visiting support, somewhat heartbreakingly as Legia clawed their way back into the match. Juergen Elitim was left unmarked in the box; smashing home to make it 4-4 on aggregate, and ensure a further thirty minutes of extra time.

The visitors were visibly exhausted as extra time began, and their hopes were dashed in the 98th minute when Mileta Rajovic lashed a high shot past  Smith, putting them behind again.

Jan Ziolkowski picked up a second yellow to offer hope for Hibs, but they were unable to find their fourth goal of the evening. A gut-wrenching defeat for the visitors, who had produced a stunning second-half period to come roaring back into the tie.

Legia Warsaw: Tobiasz Ziólkowski Jedrzejczyk (Shkurin 90′) Kapuadi Wszolek (Alfarela 79′) Kapustka (Rajović 67′) Augustyniak (Szymański 67′) Elitim Vinagre Bichakhchyan (Stojanović 79′) Nsame (Urbański 90′)

Hibernian: Smith N. Cadden (Iredale 79′) O’Hora Bushiri Obita (Klidje 101′) C. Cadden (Hoilett 57′) Boyle (Megwa 90′) Mulligan Levitt (Youan 90′) McGrath (Chaiwa 57′) Bowie