Noah Twice Took the Lead but Let Victory Slip Against Sion

Armenian side Noah drew with Switzerland’s Sion in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round. The match, played in Abovyan, ended 2–2.

Before kick-off, such a result might have been considered acceptable for the Armenian team. However, Noah took the lead twice and played with a numerical advantage for nearly half the match, so the final draw felt like a missed victory.

The hosts opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute. Elder Ferreira confidently converted a penalty. Winsley Boteli equalised in the 13th minute, but seven minutes later Noah regained the lead: Gor Manvelyan scored with a superb header following a cross from Ferreira.

Sion were reduced to ten men in the 26th minute when defender Nias Hefti was shown a straight red card. He will miss the return leg because of the suspension.

Despite their opponents’ numerical advantage, the Swiss team managed to equalise in the second half. Ilyas Chouaref found the net in the 57th minute.

The teams were back on level terms numerically in the 65th minute, when Noah defender Stone Mambo was sent off. He will also be unavailable for the return leg. No further goals were scored after that.

The draw earned Armenia 0.125 points in the UEFA coefficient rankings. Noah retained a good chance of progressing to the next qualifying round.

Personnel problems also affected the Armenian team’s performance. Mario Gonzalez suffered an injury before the match, while both full-backs, Hovhannes Hambardzumyan and David Sualehe, were forced off with injuries during the game.

The return leg will take place in Sion on August 13. Before then, Noah will face Shirak on August 9, while Sion will play Vaduz.

Team Line-ups

Noah: Dani Figueira — Hovhannes Hambardzumyan (Boakye, 32), Stone Mambo, Nathaniel Saintini, David Sualehe (Pavlovic, 46) — Gustavo Sangare, Gor Manvelyan (Muradyan, 67), Takuto Oshima — Elder Ferreira, Marin Jakolis — Marko Lazetic (Costache, 60).

Sion: Racioppi — Lavanchy, Sow, Kronig, Hefti — Kabacalman, Baltazar, Chouaref (Lukembila, 75), Sürdez (Rrudhani, 60), Boteli (Bardayes, 60) — Nivokazi (Marquinhos, 30).

Why Noah’s Chances of Progressing Remain Strong

Despite letting a home victory slip away, Noah still have a genuinely good chance of reaching the next qualifying round.

The Armenian side are particularly dangerous on the counterattack against opponents who want to dominate possession and take the initiative. In the return leg, Sion are likely to attack more frequently and control more of the ball in front of their home supporters. The level score from the first match should also encourage the Swiss side to push forward, potentially leaving space for Noah’s quick counterattacks.

Sion will also be without first-choice left-back Nias Hefti, who is suspended for the return leg. His absence could be a more significant problem for the Swiss team than Stone Mambo’s suspension or even David Sualehe’s injury is for Noah.

Sion do not have much defensive depth, which means replacing Hefti without a drop in quality may prove difficult. Noah could exploit that weakness, particularly with quick attacks down the flank.