Much changed Shelbourne drop into Europa League after narrow loss to Qarabag
OFF TO CROATIA: Shelbourne applaud the supporters after the UEFA Champions League Second Qualifying Round second leg match away to Qarabag FK. Pic: Aziz Karimov/Sportsfile.
One life sacrificed for Shelbourne, two lives remaining.
Losing in Uefa’s supreme competition to a Qarabag side used to mixing it with European royalty for over a decade doesn’t heap shame on Shels.
That they overcame the opponent they ought to, Linfield, did the heavy lifting in guaranteeing shots at reaching the Conference League group stages.
Damien Duff’s successor Joey O’Brien said as much after the triumph in Belfast, referencing the €3m riches from passing that threshold.
It will be only be after the free hits are extinguished that the overall assessment of Shels’ first Champions League involvement for 20 years will be judged.
Azeri champions Qarabag effectively killed this tie off at Tolka Park last week, two late goals in the last 10 minutes stretching the task confronting the League of Ireland title holders to insurmountable levels.
That was reflected by O’Brien making eight changes to his team, conscious of their league campaign resuming at the weekend away to the in-form team within the league, Sligo Rovers.
The former Ireland defender, in the grand scheme of things, also had to be mindful of next week’s Europa first-leg. They’re racking up the airmiles again, flying to Croatia to meet Rijeka, who were also knocked out of the Champions League, beaten 3-1 on aggregate (after extra time) against Ludogorets of Bulgaria.
One of the newcomers to the Shels side was Wessel Speel, in his case for a full debut. The Dutch goalkeeper only arrived on the eve of the first leg from the American leg due to a hamstring strain incurred by Conor Kearns at Windsor Park but he looked the real deal on his bow, ready to challenge Lorcan Healy while the first-choice recovers from injury.
There was nothing he could do about the sole goal on the night, coming on the stroke of half-time through a final touch by a Shels player.
Brazilian Kady, so impressive in Dublin, dribbled across the endline before teeing up a cross for Nariman Akhundzade to connect with the ball crossed the line instead via a deflection of John Martin.
Speel showed his reflexes in the second half, starting with a penalty save from Kady – after he’d a handball by Kameron Ledwidge.
Shels did have their moments, the most regrettable being the opportunity which fell at the feet of Kerr McInroy from point-blank range.
Liverpool loanee James Norris created the opening, haring down the left and squaring for the Scot to strike first-time. Sadly, his effort was hit straight at understudy stopper Mateusz Kochalski. Norris then blazed the rebound over the crossbar.
There was always the sense that Qarabag could up the tempo and they fully extended the debutant goalkeeper with 20 minutes left.
Emmanuel Addai’s curler from 20 yards was destined for the far corner until Speel stooped low and turned the attempt around the post for a corner.
M Kochalski; M Silva, K Medina (S Mmaee 72), B Mustafazade, E Jafarquliyev (T Bayramov 80); P Bicalho, Kady (O Kashchuk 80), L Andrade, E Addai, A Zoubir (C Kouakou 72); N Akhundzade (M Gurbanli 72).
W Speel; L Temple, S Bone, K Ledwidge; D Kelly, M Coyle, E Chapman (A Coote 80), K McInroy (JJ Lunney 62), J Norris (E Caffrey 71); M Odubeko (S Boyd 62), J Martin (H Wood 62).
Andrea Colombo (Italy).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
