Champions League, first qualifying round, second leg
Breidablik 2
Shamrock Rovers 1
Breidablik win 3-1 on aggregate
BREIDABLIK CRUISE THROUGH in the Champions League as Shamrock Rovers crash out and face a serious challenge to rejuvenate their European ambitions this season.
It’s to the Europa Conference League for the Hoops now, and the manner in which they were outclassed by the Icelandic champions illustrates the task at hand.
Graham Burke converted a 65th-minute penalty after a lengthy VAR check for a handball in the box, but it was nothing more than a consolation on a night Rovers could have no complaints about how the tie was taken away from them.
Breidablik had a ruthless edge, turning on the style in the first half to kill some brief momentum the visitors managed to build up. And when the League of Ireland table-toppers showed signs of life after the interval a somewhat fortunate cross-cum-shot looped over Leon Pohls to seal the deal.
You could hardly call it cruel given the way in which the home side looked far more at ease – commanding, even – over the course of the 180 minutes.
Rovers boss Stephen Bradley lamented his side giving Breidablik too much respect in the first leg last week and they set about rectifying that in the early stages tonight.
Rovers trailed 1-0 because of that reticence on home turf and started the brighter, moving the ball with purpose and imposing themselves with a level of intensity required to try and unnerve the hosts.
Within a quarter of an hour, though, that sense of optimism evaporated.
Breidablik extended their aggregate advantage to 2-0 when Jason Dadi Svanthórsson meandered his way into the Rovers box and calmly slotted a shot through Dan Cleary’s legs into the far corner.
It was his second nutmeg of the move, the first on Roberto Lopes creating the opportunity in the box after the Hoops had been sliced open with two passes.
Breidablik were in complete control by the time of this 16th-minute goal and it came at the end of a four-minute spell that could have yielded more dividends.
Damir Muminovic, who drilled that stunning free kick from distance into the roof of the net last week, should have got his second of the tie when he drilled a free header at the back post into the ground and the ball bounced inches over the bar.
It was a poor miss but just seconds later they showed how easily they could play around Rovers.
Viktor Örn Margeirsson played the ball out from the back, Viktor Karl Einarsson received it on the turn and then drove forward, slipping in the advancing Alexander Helgi Sigurdarson from the right side of midfield.
The space was there in the box for the shot but he dragged it wide of the post and Rovers had a let-off.
It was from a similar position in the area that Svanthórsson then found that same corner with a much more precise finish.
Rovers were dumbstruck and, missing the creativity and calmness of the injured Jack Byrne, laboured for the remainder of the half.
Still, when Rory Gaffney fired a fierce effort from the edge of the box that required a fine save seconds after the re-start, the travelling Rovers faithful would have hoped it could stir a revival.
When Burke flashed a cross to the near post in the 51st minute, Gaffney was inches away from making the sort of connection that would have surely got Rovers back in the tie.
Instead, after Pohls made a superb save from Svanthórsson to force a corner on 57 minutes, Breidablik made absolutely certain of progress.
Richie Towell wasn’t alert to the quick corner and while he raced out to close Höskuldur Gunnlaugsson down, a deft cross-cum-shot found its way into the far corner.
Rovers did at least rally, Burke scoring from the spot after a handball decision was correctly given following a VAR review.
The Hoops forward almost drew his side level on the night in spectacular fashion when he attempted a lob from close to the halfway line.
Anton Ari Einarsson had to retreat quickly to palm the ball back into the six-yard box.
Burke showed his displeasure when he was replaced by Johnny Kenny on 78 minutes, a sense of the frustration on a night when Rovers fell short.
The Europa Conference League offers a chance for redemption but, after making the group stages last season, they must now overcome three more rounds to repeat that feat.
Breidablik: Einarsson; Gunnlaugsson, Muminovic, Margeirsson, Yeoman (Helgi Orrason 96); Sigurdarson (Ingvarsson 81), Sigurjonsson, Einarsson; Svanthorsson (Hlynsson 81), Steindorsson, Eyjolfsson.
Shamrock Rovers: Pohls; Cleary, Lopes, Hoare; Finn (captain) (Grace 87), O’Neill, Towell (Greene 70), Poom (Watts 70), Kavanagh; Burke (Kenny 78); Gaffney.
