Dundalk will be playing Europa League football next week after dropping out of the Champions League qualifiers last night.

Last night's 3-0 defeat away to Qarabag saw them exit the Champions League 4-1 on aggregate at the second qualifying round stage.

Jaime Romero scored twice and Ailton found the net from a header as the hosts ran out comfortable winners at Baku's Dalga Arena.

The double winners will be away to Slovan Bratislava in the first leg of their third qualifying round tie in the Europa League next week and manager Vinny Perth says they'll dust themselves off for that one.

"We've gone up not one but two levels there tonight - that's a decent side," the Dundalk boss told The Mirror.

"But we don't take moral victories and I'm not going to take credit out of anything.

"We have to be there or thereabouts in Europe and that's why winning next week would put us there regarding the playoffs.

"Wouldn't it be amazing to be in the Champions League? But our goal is ultimately Europa League football for the next few years.

"It's about getting as close to that as possible and we're one tie away from the playoffs.

"Results for Irish clubs are getting better. But it's against the backdrop that results around Europe are also getting better for these lower-ranked sides, like Qarabag.

"That's the challenge we have. It's going to be difficult but at the same time we're going to be positive about next week."