As the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying race heats up, Brest, Strasbourg, and Toulouse have all shown their potential to make a run for it in Europe's second-tier club competition.

In the first leg of their respective ties against Romanian side Steaua Bucuresti, Brest secured a comfortable 2-0 win at home thanks to goals from Maxime Le Roy and Adrien Maitre. The result puts them one step closer to advancing to the next round of the Europa Conference League.

Meanwhile, Strasbourg also had a successful night in Romania as they defeated Dinamo Bucuresti 2-1 away from home. Goals from Benjamin Gavriel and Adil Rami gave the Alsacien a narrow advantage heading into the return fixture.

On the other hand, Toulouse suffered a disappointing loss at the hands of FC Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova. Despite taking the lead early on through a goal from Maxime Le Roy, the hosts managed to equalize before half-time and then go on to secure a 2-1 victory with two late strikes.

Despite these results, all three teams still have a chance to qualify for the Europa Conference League if they can maintain their form and improve upon their performances in the second leg matches. With only four points separating them from the top spot, there is still plenty of football left to be played and anything could happen in this exciting qualifying race.

Overall, it looks like Brest, Strasbourg, and Toulouse will all be pushing hard for a place in Europe's second-tier club competition. With strong performances in their first legs, it seems likely that they will continue to do so throughout the rest of the season.