SHAMROCK ROVERS were left with an uphill task after a 2-0 loss away to Slovan Bratislava in this evening’s Champions League first-leg qualifier.
Rafael Ratão opened the scoring in the 28th minute and added another just after half-time.
It could have been worse for the visitors, but Alan Mannus guessed right to save Vladimír Weiss’ penalty in the dying seconds.
Slovan began on the front foot, with Rovers sitting back, though the visitors managed to create two half-chances amid a cagey opening 45 minutes.
Sean Gannon dragged a shot wide from the edge of the area from Liam Scales’ cross, while Richie Towell tested goalkeeper Adrián Chovan with a volley.
It was the hosts, though, who threatened more frequently. Early on, Ratão snuck in behind the Rovers defence, latching on to a long ball and breaking the offside trap, before heading wide.
Ezekiel Henty also forced Mannus into a save with a powerful strike from distance.
The deadlock was broken just before the half-hour mark. Argentine full-back Vernon De Marco produced a dangerous cross from the left and Ratão got to the ball ahead of Lee Grace and sent a powerful downward header past Mannus.
It went from bad to worse as the reigning Premier Division champions got off to a disastrous start in the second half. A cross broke kindly for Ratão and he poked the ball home from close range with an opportunistic finish as Mannus attempted to gather it.
Finding themselves two goals down and desperately seeking a way back into the game, Rovers pressed higher up the pitch and began to enjoy more possession inside the Slovan half.
However, the Irish team lacked a cutting edge and struggled to create chances of note, with Towell’s tame shot from distance the best effort they could conjure.
A triple substitution saw Graham Burke, Danny Mandroiu and Dylan Watts replace Towell, Sean Gannon and Aaron Greene, with Rovers in search of some much-needed inspiration.
However, none of the changes had the desired effect, as the visitors continued to look laboured going forward, while the humid conditions appeared to be taking a toll on several tired-looking Hoops players.
Ultimately, Slovan appeared more likely to add to their lead and almost did in second-half stoppage time.
With nearly every Rovers player in the Slovan half, a poorly delivered set-piece enabled the hosts to break away with speed.
Substitute Weiss — who just a few weeks ago was at the Euros with Slovakia — had plenty of space to burst through on goal and Ronan Finn was subsequently adjudged to have tripped him as he prepared to take a shot.
The same Slovan player stepped up to take the penalty, but his effort was weak, as Mannus got down well to his right to keep the ball out in what was the last meaningful action of the match.
A third goal would surely have put the outcome of the tie beyond doubt, but instead, Rovers can retain faint hopes of progression ahead of Tuesday’s second leg at Tallaght Stadium, though on tonight’s showing, the Slovaks will be firm favourites to prevail.
Slovan Bratislava: Chovan, Medvedev, Kashia, Bozhikov, De Marco, De Kamps, Cavric (Hrncar 73), Kankava (Zmrhal 73), Rabiu (Lichy 90), Ratao (Strelec 90), Henty (Weiss 62).
Shamrock Rovers: Mannus, Hoare, Lopes, Grace, O’Neill, Scales, Gannon (Mandroiu 68), Towell (Burke 68), Finn, Greene (Watts 68), Gaffney.
