Inter Club d’Escaldes began its UEFA Conference League league-phase campaign without a point, losing 2-0 to Sweden’s Mjällby, but the evening marked a significant continental debut for Mexican defender Anwar Hernández.
Hernández, a Mexico City-born centre-back developed in Toluca’s academy, started and completed the 90 minutes for the Andorran side. It was his first official appearance in the league phase of a UEFA competition, a new stage in a career that has taken him through several levels of Mexican football and into the Andorran game.
Mjällby settled the contest after the interval, making better use of the openings available to them. Inter Escaldes had aimed to stay competitive against the Swedish visitors, yet two defensive lapses proved costly.
Mjällby punish Inter errors
Hernández played alongside Inter captain Alex Sánchez at the heart of the defence. The first goal followed a mistake while playing out from the back by Jilmar Torres, who lost possession and allowed Mjällby to launch an attack.
Goalkeeper Javier Díaz made an initial save, but Jacob Bergström reacted to the rebound and scored despite Sánchez’s attempt to cover the danger.
The second goal arrived in the 65th minute. A cross from the left found Axel Norén, who headed home after Hernández lost track of his opponent in the area, extending the Swedish club’s advantage to 2-0.
Despite the defeat, Hernández’s individual figures included three recoveries, two fouls conceded and 72 completed passes. The full-match outing gives the defender an early opportunity to establish himself as an important figure in Inter’s back line on the European stage.
A continental schedule ahead
Hernández moved to Andorra at the beginning of 2024, initially joining Ranger’s as he adapted to a different football environment. His subsequent move to Inter Escaldes has now brought him into UEFA competition and fixtures against opponents from across the continent.
Inter Escaldes will next host Romania’s Universitatea Craiova in the second matchday, seeking their first points of the campaign. Their remaining schedule also includes games against Getafe of Spain, Red Star Belgrade, Denmark’s Aarhus and FC Copenhagen.
For Hernández and the Andorran champions, the defeat to Mjällby was an unforgiving opening lesson, but the league phase offers further tests—and further chances for the Mexican defender to make his mark beyond his home country.
