UEFA Champions League First Qualifying Round
Shamrock Rovers 2-1 Vikingur Reykjavik (Agg: 2-1)
Vikingur missed a penalty with the last kick of the game to spurn a chance at extra-time as Shamrock Rovers have exorcised the ghosts of Breidablik with a victory over Icelandic opposition a year after falling at this hurdle. They have progressed to the second round of Champions League qualifying for a glamour tie with Sparta Prague after a 2-1 win at Tallaght Stadium
After a bit of a backs-to-the-wall job in Reykjavik last week, it looked like it was going to be another here when, with just over a minute on the clock, Ari Sigurpalsson cut back to Helgi Gudjonsson with the goal at his mercy from six yards but Leon Pohls was alert to prevent an early opener for the visitors.
Having survived this scare, Rovers went on the offensive themselves in search of the opening goal of the tie and they found it on eight minutes. Johnny Kenny missed a couple of chances in last week’s first leg but was bright off the bench and was rewarded with the start by Stephen Bradley. The Celtic loanee rewarded his manager as he latched on to Dylan Watts’ long ball and cut inside a sliding Oliver Ekroth to bury a left-footed strike past Ingvar Jonsson.
This got Tallaght jumping and they were almost celebrating again on fifteen minutes when Gary O’Neill was played in but Jonsson bravely came out and forced him wide and the chance went begging. However, Kenny would get the better of the Vikingur keeper again on 20 minutes. It was a ball over the top from Watts again that put the visitors on the back foot but Kenny was wide left and seemingly no danger. However, he cut inside and unleashed a shot that beat Jonsson at his near post. He will have been disappointed to be beaten like that but Rovers had doubled their lead.
Arnar Gunnlaugsson made a double-change at half-time but it was Sigurpalsson who spurned a golden opportunity to get one back less than five minutes after the restart. He found space at the back post and met Erlingur Agnarsson’s cross from the right but side-footed into the ground and bounced it over.
However, Sigurpalsson would turn provider as his tempting ball from the left was met with a diving header from one of those half-time subs Nikolaj Hansen who halved the deficit. Rovers attempted to restore their two-goal lead with long-range efforts from Josh Honohan and Kenny whistling just wide of the post while Darragh Burns’ effort from a narrow angle was beaten away by Iceland international Jonsson.
It was not a dirty game by any stretch but Rovers were falling foul of Premier League referee Jarred Gillett with six yellow cards for niggling fouls and having a bit too much conversation with the Australian official. After having Darragh Nugent sent off in Reykjavik last week, the Hoops went down to ten again as Jack Byrne picked up his second booking on 74 minutes.
The hosts were expecting an onslaught in the last quarter and it came. Viktor Andrason struck a low, hard effort from the edge of the box that Pohls was equal to and the German stopper made a critical save from Valdimar Ingimundarson on 86 minutes as he turned his effort around the post. With mere seconds to go, Ingimundarsson was felled in the box by Rovers captain Roberto Lopes to bring a hush on Tallaght but that soon turned to ecstasy as Hansen’s spot kick with the last kick of the game glanced off the post and wide.
It will be Rovers who progress to the glamour tie against the Czech giants next week but not before a FAI Cup tie against old foes Bohemians on Friday night.