Hibernian’s bid to reach the UEFA Conference League group stage ended in heartbreak after a stoppage-time own goal by Miguel Chaiwa handed Belgian side Gent a 3-2 win in their qualifier on Thursday.

The tightly contested match saw both teams exchange leads and responded quickly to each other’s goals. Gent initially took the lead, but Hibernian equalized through a header by Jason Kerr. Felix Passlack then put Hibs ahead with a goal of his own, only for Christian Burgess to level the score with a header for Gent. The match appeared poised for extra time until Chaiwa inadvertently turned the ball into his own net deep into stoppage time, sealing victory for the Belgian side.

Chaiwa further complicated matters for Hibernian after receiving a second yellow card, reducing his team to ten men late in the game. This disadvantage made it difficult for Hibs to recover in the final moments.

The defeat adds to a series of disappointing results for Scottish clubs in European competition this season, contributing negatively to Scotland’s UEFA coefficient ranking. The coefficient plays a significant role in determining the number of European competition places allocated to Scottish clubs in future seasons.

Hibernian’s elimination from the Conference League qualifying rounds marks another setback for Scottish football as the season continues. Gent now progress further into the competition, while Hibernian face a return to domestic fixtures following the narrow loss.