The first team eliminated from continental play was confirmed on Wednesday, as Auda twice took the lead against Larne, but failed to hold on. After 90 minutes of football, it ended 2-2 on the night as well as on aggregate.
The match would ultimately go to penalties, where the Northern Irish team, who featured in the league phase last term, held their nerve. Rohan Ferguson stopped the first spot kick, before Ousmane Kamara put Auda's fourth kick wide. That was enough for Larne to advance, winning the shootout 4-2.
Thursday had the remaining 23 matches for the round. The first major upset of the day came in Andorra, as FC Santa Coloma managed to hold off round of 16 participants Borac Banja Luka. Although the hosts played the final 21 minutes down a man, they managed to hold firm. They did lose 2-0 at home to the Bosnian outfit, but progressed 4-3 on aggregate. FCSC have now successfully negotiated this round in each of their three appeareances.
HJK pulled off the most remarkable of comebacks in their clash with Faroese side NSI. After losing the away leg 4-0, the group phase regulars from Finland stormed their way back, finding a 94th minute leveller from Giorgos Antzoulas. The team from Runavik, playing a man down since the 15th minute, could not finsih the job, and they were made to pay.
Three minutes into extra time, Santeri Hostikka bagged the winner to send HJK through 5-4 across the two legs. Having taken 60 shots in the two hours, the home side escaped from a tricky situation.
It was not all negative things for Faroese football fans, as KI Klaksvik did beat SJK 2-0 at home to prevail 4-1 on aggregate. Meanwhile, Vikingur Reykjavik did not hold back in their 8-0 thumping of Malisheva, dumping out the side from Kosovo 9-0 on aggregate, Nikolaj Hansen scored a first half hat-trick, sending the home team on their way to the next round.
St. Joseph's from Gibraltar also advanced in dramatic fashion. After a 2-2 first leg at home to Cliftonville, it was more of the same at Solitude. Like the reverse fixture, the Northern Irish club went down a man. That did not stop them from scoring and taking the lead in the second half. Nevertheless, the Saints held their nerve, forcing extra time, before Hugo Jesslen gave his side the winner less than two minutes in. The final aggregate score ended 5-4 in the visitors' favour.
Some of the other Conference League results include Torpedo Zhodino edging Ordabasy 5-4 over the two legs, Atletic Club d'Escaldes avenge F91 Dudelange for eliminating them last year with a 5-2 aggregate win, and Sutjeska striking in the 89th minute to take out Dynamo Brest 3-2 overall.
The 24 winning teams from the first qualifying round will be joined by 56 new sides in the second round, along with the eight losing clubs from the Europa League first qualifying round. Those ties will take place across the next two weeks.