Shamrock Rovers slip to two-goal defeat in Champions League qualifier

Richie Towell of Shamrock Rovers in action against Joeri de Kamps of Slovan Bratislava. Photo by Grega Valancic/Sportsfile

Uefa Champions League first qualifying round, first leg:

Slovan Bratislava 2 (Rafael Ratão 28, 47) Shamrock Rovers 0 

Shamrock Rovers have it all to do to remain in the Uefa Champions League as Slovan Bratislava take a two-goal lead into next week’s first qualifying round second leg.

At the same Tehelné Pole venue where Ireland’s European Championship qualification dream ended last October, Rovers were fortunate to concede only a pair of Rafael Ratão goals as they struggled for fluency in the stifling Bratislava heat.

It took a penalty save from Alan Mannus from substitute Vladimir Weiss with the last kick of the game to avoid the tie being entirely killed off before the return in Tallaght next Wednesday.

Manager Stephen Bradley had highlighted the importance of keeping concentration and it proved their undoing as they were clinically punished for lapses in either half.

Wing-back Sean Gannon was caught out of position on 28 minutes when Joeri de Kamps sprayed a pass out left for Vernon De Marco to whip in a cross. Brazilian Ratão was first to react, outjumping Lee Grace to nod his six-yard header beyond the scrambling Alan Mannus.

Playing their first competitive game of the season, Vladimir Weiss’s side were in cruise control, testing Mannus again as the interval approached and grabbing another 33 seconds into the second half.

Once again, Rovers switched off inside their box, allowing Ratão to exchange passes with Aleksandar Čavrić from the endline and fire home.

Aside from a couple of early half-chances for Gannon and Richie Towell, the Irish champions were tepid in attack.

They rode their luck overall and had Mannus to thank for repelling the late spot-kick from the manager’s son, one of two of the Slovakian Euro squad members introduced in the second half.

Unless Rovers overcome the deficit next week, they will slip into the new Europa Conference League, receiving a bye into the third round.

Slovan Bratislava: A Chovan; J Medveděv, G Kashia, V Bozhikov, De Marco; J de Kamps; A Čavrić (J Zmrhal 73), J Kankava (D Hrnčár 73), R Ibrahim (F Lichy 90), R Ratão (D Strelec 90); E Henty (V Weiss 63).

Shamrock Rovers: A Mannus; S Hoare, R Lopes, L Grace; S Gannon (D Watts 68), R Finn, G O’Neill, R Towell (D Mandriou 68), L Scales; A Greene (G Burke 68), R Gaffney.

Referee: Sebastian Gishamer (AUT)