Gallant UCD suffer late heartbreak in Bratislava

Slovan Bratislava 1 UCD 0<br>There was unkind, late heartbreak for UCD in Slovakia as they came within minutes of holding Slovan Bratislava to a remarkable scoreless draw.

Collie O’Neill’s valiant Students continued to defy the odds with another tenacious display in central Europe.

And though slick Slovan had to play with ten men for over an hour, UCD only fell to an 86th minute, cruelly deflected goal from Adam Zre’lák.

UCD played with an extra man for much of the game when Slovan’s Argentinian defender Nicolas Gorosito was sent off on 28 minutes.

A dreadful challenge by central defender Gorosito on UCD skipper Robbie Benson was rightly punished with a straight red card from Georgian referee, Lasha Silagava.

UCD weathered early second half pressure from Slovan before their best chance of the game arrived on 64 minutes. The hugely impressive Benson crossed from the right. Ryan Swan just didn’t get enough purchase on his snap shot from close range as Mucha saved on his line.

Niall Corbet made the stop of the night on 81 minutes when diving full stretch to palm away a thumping header from Kornel Salata from another corner.

But it came undone for UCD on 84 minutes when left winger Zre’lák’s left-foot drive from the edge of the area deflected to the net past Corbet.

Slovan Bratislava: Mucha; Sekulic, Saláta, Gorosito, Podany; Milinkovic, Simovi´c (Hudak, 44), ?Stefánik, Zre’lák; Priskin (Zahumensky, 90+2), Vittek (Kubik, h/t).

UCD: Corbet; Leahy, Boyle Kouogun, Langtry; O’Neill; Mulhall, Watts (Cannon, 85), Benson, Doyle; Swan.

Referee: Lasha Silagava (Georgia).