Linfield exited the UEFA Conference League at the first qualifying round this evening as a late goal swung a seven-goal tie the way of Icelandic side Stjarnan.
It’s a tough one to take for the Blues who put so much into clawing back the two-goal deficit from last week’s first leg in Reykjavík. In Linfield’s only change, Matthew Fitzpatrick came into the team in place of midfielder Cammy Ballantyne as David Healy named an attacking line-up.
The message to his players will have been to start on the front foot and set themselves up with an early goal, and they managed just that. Seven minutes showed on the clock when the Blues took the lead at Windsor Park as Joel Cooper cut in from the right to see his cross deflected into the far corner of the net, and on his 200th Linfield appearance he claimed the goal.
The Blues bossed the first half but were unable to add a second goal to tie the aggregate score before the break. Chris McKee found himself on the end of a great opportunity in the 23rd minute when a pinpoint lofted pass from Chris Shields put the striker through on goal, however he bent his shot wide of the post.
Despite Linfield’s superiority on the balance of play, it took a vital defensive contribution from Sam Roscoe to prevent Stjarnan equalising with a rare attack before the break. The visitors broke down the left and pulled the ball back centrally to Orvar Eggertsson, whose goalbound shot was crucially blocked by Roscoe who brilliantly threw himself in the way. Other than that, a 35-yard drive from defender Gudmundur Kristjansson was all the visitors mustered up in the first half, although it was confidently saved by Chris Johns.
HT: Linfield 1-0 Stjarnan
The Blues came out positively again at the start of the second half, needing another goal to claw back the aggregate score. Despite that, they did suffer a scare five minutes into the half as Chris Johns raced out in an attempt to intercept a through ball, but was beaten to it. However, with some perseverance and the help of his defensive teammates, the Blues were able to survive the danger.
After a strong Linfield spell, the visitors drew level on the night after 57 minutes. It was a goal which came against the run of play, but one which the Blues will be disappointed with as Emil Atlason – the Stjarnan forward who scored their two goals in last week’s first leg – managed to wriggle free of his man for a free header, which he dived to expertly guide into the far corner. At this stage, the Blues had it all to do and had to press the reset button after putting so much into the opening hour.
Things almost got even trickier, indeed the tie probably would have been settled, if not for Sam Roscoe who produced another goal-saving block, this time denying Oli Valur Omarsson at close range. Chris Johns also kept the Blues in it when he made a great save to deny Robert Frosti from close range in the 68th minute.
David Healy played his cards with a couple of subs to freshen things up. Darragh McBrien and Matthew Orr replaced Ethan McGee and Chris McKee. The decision to bring on 17-year-old defender Matthew Orr for his debut proved to be an inspired one, as the Bangor native scored a fine header to dispatch Kirk Millar’s cross just five minutes after coming on, giving the Blues renewed hope with 20 minutes remaining.
The Blues dramatically struck again six minutes later to take a 3-1 lead on the night and draw level on aggregate. Sam Roscoe battled for a ball on the edge of the Stjarnan box before Matthew Fitzpatrick rifled a volley into the bottom corner on the swivel. At this point, the Blues looked likely to go on and win it, however the threat of the Icelandic side on the counter-attack was still very much there.
Sam Roscoe went close with a header and Darragh McBrien also threatened before Stjarnan broke Linfield’s hearts with an 88th minute goal to tip the tie in their favour. It was a counter-attack down the left, with the ball pulled back across the box for Hilmar Arni Halldorsson on hand to rifle in from close range despite the best efforts of Chris Johns.
Salt was rubbed into the Linfield wound in the third of four additional minutes when Chris Shields’ foul on the adventurous left winger on the left flank was deemed to be a denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity, and the Blues midfielder subsequently received a straight red card.
A bitter pill to swallow for Linfield who put so much into it. The Blues’ European exit means their next competitive fixture will be the opening day of the Sports Direct Premiership, away to Ballymena United on Saturday 10th August.
FT: Linfield 3-2 Stjarnan (3-4 agg.)