Late penalty denies Shamrock Rovers famous win in Athens
ROY OF THE ROVERS: Shamrock Rovers players wave to the fans after their draw with AEK Athens. Pic: AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis.
A 90th minute penalty denied valiant Shamrock Rovers a famous victory as they frustrated AEK in the cauldron of the Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens.
Graham Burke’s confidently converted first half penalty, coupled to a herculean defensive display, looked like delivering Hoops a big away win in Europe.
But a harshly awarded spot kick for a handball against substitute Danny Grant, despite his appearing to be fouled by home skipper Petros Mantalos, brought AEK salvation from Luka Jovic’s late equaliser.
In the absence of several key players, and with Sunday’s FAI Cup final abasing Cork City in mind, it was for the most part a tactical masterclass from head coach Stephen Bradley, the draw bringing Rovers a first point of the league campaign, adding another €133,000 to bring their Kitty close to €4 million.
Though they lost 3-1 to Celje - who beat Rovers in Tallaght a fortnight ago - in their opening game, AEK trounced Aberdeen 6-0 last time out and started nine senior internationals here.
As expected, the Greek side, who’d won their previous six home games in Europe, started on the front foot, Adam Matthews blocking a shot from Stavros Pilios inside 30 seconds.
While dominating possession, AEK were having to work hard to carve openings against a disciplined Rovers rearguard.
It wasn’t long before Rovers lived dangerously, though, Ed McGinty saving with his feet to deny Swiss international Dereck Kutesa who ghosted through onto Razvan Marin’s defence splitting pass.
Seconds later Serb Mijat Gacinovic should have done better than blaze over from the edge of the area.
But Rovers would stun the home crowd on 21 minutes in their first counterattack of the night.
Dylan Watts gave John McGovern a run in behind down the left. In hot pursuit, Romanian international Marin bundled the Hoops striker over inside the area.
Following a two-and-a-half minute VAR check, Spanish referee Jose Luis Munuera stood by his original decision and pointed to the penalty spot.
Despite a laser from home fans being flashed in his face, Burke was composure personified, confidently smashing home off his trusted left foot from 12 yards to delight the 500 travelling Rovers fans in extending his club record of European goals to 12.
Though AEK maintained ownership of the football, Rovers’ dogged defence continued to frustrate them, Gacinovic drilling wide from distance their only other effort on goal before the break.
With Cian Barrett, Grant and Aaron McEneff on to replace Burke, Dylan Watts, both of whom were on yellow cards, and Matthews, Rovers survived a let-off minutes in when Jovic had a goal disallowed for an offside before McGinty parried away a drive from Aboubakary Koita, one of two AEK substitutions at halt-time.
In backs to the wall defending, Cory O’Sullivan and Lee Grace made body-on-the-line blocks to deny Orbelin Pineda and Koita in turn as home frustration grew.
Tame efforts from Harold Moukoudi, Gacinovic and Filipe Relvas were comfortable for McGinty ahead of Jovic missing AEK's best chance from play on 82 minutes.
The big moment then arrived three minutes later when Grant was penalised for a handball.
As in the first half, the referee once again went to the pitch side VAR monitor, taking some four minutes to make his decision, which again he stood by.
As Burke did in the first half, Jovic scored emphatically from the spot with McGinty needing to produce a big save from Revlas deep in stoppage time to secure Rovers' hard-earned point.
Strakosha; Rota, Moukoudi, Relvas, Pilios (Pereyra, 90); Gacinovic (Vida, 90), Pineda, Marin (Pierrot, h-t), Kutesa (Koita, h-t); Mantalos; Jovic.
McGinty; Cleary, Lopes, Grace; Matthews (Grant, h-t), Malley (Clarke, 72), Nugent, Watts (Barrett, h-t), O’Sullivan; Burke (McEneff, h-t); McGovern (Mandroiu, 68).
Jose Luis Munuera (Spain)
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