Maccabi Haifa and Fiorentina drew 1-1 (5-4 on aggregate to Fiorentina) in the second leg of their UEFA Conference League Round of 16 tie as the Greens were knocked out of European play ending a terrific continental campaign for Head Coach Messay Diego in his first season in charge.

After a goalless first half, Antonin Barak headed home the go ahead goal in the 58th minute. However, Anan Khaliali found the equalizer thirty minutes later when he scored into the left hand corner of the Italian’s goal. But the 1-1 draw wouldn’t be enough as Fiorentina had won the first leg by the score of 4-3 and will now continue on to the quarterfinals.

“We planned on starting the game off slowly and then bring up our intensity,” Dego said after the game. “We wanted to get to the 60th minute and bring in some better players but that was the moment that Fiorentina scored. We had a great run and we only played one home game. I believe that if we has 30,000 fans supporting us the results would have been different. Now we gave to just focus on the Israeli league championship. We are proud as to how we played and Fiorentina is at the level of a Champions League team and can make it to the final of this competition.”