Marsaxlokk’s UEFA Conference League campaign came to an end on Thursday night after they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Armenian champions Pyunik in the second leg of their first qualifying round tie, exiting the competition 4-0 on aggregate.

Facing an uphill task after last week’s 3-0 home defeat, the Maltese side produced a courageous display in Yerevan despite playing with 10 men for almost the entire match.

Marsaxlokk’s hopes of mounting an unlikely comeback suffered a major setback after just nine minutes when goalkeeper Christoffer Mafoumbi was shown a straight red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity outside the penalty area.

The dismissal forced coach Winston Muscat to reshuffle his side, with reserve goalkeeper Andrea Cassar making his first competitive appearance of the 2026-27 season.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Marsaxlokk remained well organised and frustrated the Armenian champions for long periods. Pyunik dominated possession throughout the opening half but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against a disciplined Maltese defence.

Marsaxlokk also carried a threat on the counterattack, with Juan Corbalan forcing the Pyunik goalkeeper into an important save after a well-worked move initiated by Dodo.

The hosts continued to control proceedings after the interval, but Marsaxlokk refused to buckle under the pressure.

Redon Mihana almost caught Pyunik by surprise on a swift counterattack, only to see his effort diverted behind for a corner as the visitors continued to battle admirably.

Pyunik’s breakthrough eventually arrived from the penalty spot after the Armenian side were awarded a spot-kick midway through the second half.

Daniil Kulkov made no mistake from 12 yards, calmly converting to score the only goal of the match and seal Pyunik’s passage to the second qualifying round with a 4-0 aggregate victory.

Although their European campaign ended in disappointment, Marsaxlokk earned credit for their resilience and determination, producing a spirited performance despite spending more than 80 minutes with a numerical disadvantage against one of the competition’s strongest sides.