Football - FA Premier League - Liverpool FC v Nottingham Forest FC LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 22, 2025: Liverpool s goalkeeper Alisson Becker during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda LIVERPOOL Anfield MERSEYSIDE ENGLAND PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK Copyright: xDavidxRawcliffex P2025-11-22-Liverpool_Nottingham_Forest-44
A stunning four-goal home performance from Hibernian has wiped out a humbling 2-0 first-leg defeat to secure their Conference League progression.
David Gray’s side produced a dominant display at Easter Road, beating Kosovo minnows Malisheva 4-1 on the night to advance on aggregate.
Goals from Owen Elding, Felix Passlack, Nathan Lowe, and Martin Boyle fired Hibs into the next round after last week’s dismal showing in Kosovo.
The hosts were visibly fired up after being widely criticised for their woeful display in the first leg seven days earlier, and they made amends quickly.
There were only 20 seconds on the clock when Boyle wriggled free in the box, though he pulled his right-footed drive wide of the target.
The pressure paid off after 15 minutes when Boyle played a clever reverse pass to Elding, who lashed a shot through goalkeeper Llir Avdyli to level the tie.
Just six minutes later, Passlack brought Hibs level across the two legs, bundling the ball into the net from an angle after it rolled back to him inside the area.
Memories of the Kosovo nightmare faded further in the 35th minute when Lowe nodded into an unguarded net, converting Elding’s headed knockdown from Boyle’s deep cross.
Boyle then put the result beyond doubt in the 57th minute with a stunning solo effort, showing superb close control before fizzing a low drive past Avdyli.
The Australia international plucked a high ball out of the sky and weaved his way toward goal in a moment that summed up Hibs’ impressive individual quality on the night.
Omer Bajraktari’s goal for Malisheva briefly had nerves jangling at Easter Road, with extra time suddenly looming as a possibility.
The Premiership side held firm, however, ensuring the aggregate scoreline was enough to send them through to the next stage of the competition.
The turnaround from the first leg was remarkable, with Hibs transforming from a side mocked for a poor performance abroad into one that delivered a clinical home display.
Gray will be satisfied with the character shown by his players, who responded to significant public pressure with an assertive and largely controlled performance.
Attention now turns to the draw for the next round, where Hibs will hope to build further on what proved to be a convincing aggregate victory.
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