The Blues were knocked out on penalties in the Finnish capital despite fighting back on three separate occasions to force a shootout.
City dominated large spells of the contest in bitter minus-11 conditions, but the hosts took an early lead through a Leevi Palmula header.
We responded when Charlie Gray finished off an excellent team move, but the hosts retook the lead against the run of play when Antton Nylund’s cross deflected off Kaiden Braithwaite and looped into the net before the break.
HJK HELSINKI 3-3 CITY: MATCH REPORT
Once again Ben Wilkinson’s side fought back, this time when Reigan Heskey fired home on the rebound from a saved penalty soon after the restart.
But despite piling on the pressure in Helsinki, we needed Matty Warhurst’s header with 20 to play to pull level again after HJK’s Toivo Mero fired home from a tight angle.
It meant the sides would have to be separated by the lottery of a penalty shootout, and Kian Noble was the unfortunate player to see his effort come back off the post.
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