Dramatic European night for SPFL clubs as Kilmarnock sinner finds redemption to set up glamour tie and Hearts discover foes

Wright was sent off early in Killie’s 3-0 William Hill Premiership defeat by St Johnstone on Sunday but he was the hero on a famous night for the club in Norway with his deflected goal proving enough to beat Tromso. The defender’s 11th-minute header was the only goal at the home of the world’s northernmost professional football club, above the Arctic Circle, to earn Killie a 3-2 aggregate win.

"He was in such a poor place on Sunday, he felt like he let everyone down," said manager Derek McInnes. "But in football there's always another game. He's the guy who made the difference tonight."

It was Kilmarnock’s first European triumph in 23 years and set up a shot for a place in the group stage against FC Copenhagen, who overcame Banik Ostrava on penalties. The first leg will take place in the Danish capital next week.

 "Last season, we had so many games where we got results from being resilient, hard to play against, everything we weren't on Sunday," said McInnes.

"We played on the outside of their shape really well in first half and we got the all important goal. We wanted to try and continue this run and we've not got a really exciting tie to come. They thought they had one foot in the next round, I felt that last week. I thought there was an overconfidence, we spoke about that."

St Mirren, however, could not join Killie in the play-off round after they conceded two late Brann goals in a 3-1 defeat in Bergen.

A last-gasp equaliser from Toyosi Olusanya in the first leg of their Europa Conference League third qualifying round tie in Paisley last week gave Stephen Robinson’s side hope for the return game in Norway.

In the return game at the rain-lashed Brann Stadion, home defender Joachim Soltvedt scored after just six minutes but Saints battled back and levelled in the 74th minute through a header from substitute Alex Iacovitti.

It looked like the momentum might be going St Mirren’s way but in the 85th minute Felix Myhre, who scored last week in Paisley, put the home side back in front with a close-range header before substitute Aune Heggebo drove in a clinching third for a 4-2 aggregate win.

Hearts have also discovered their Europa League play-off round opponents after Viktoria Plzen defeated Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih 1-0 at home to progress 3-1 on aggregate. Daniel Vasulin scored the only goal of the match, with the Jambos due in Czechia for the first leg next Thursday.