10-man Linfield dumped out of Europe by injury-time stunner while Glens also falter

Linfield manager David Healy felt his side deserved to take the game to extra-time, at the very least

Linfield and Glentoran both fell at the first hurdle in the Europa Conference League last night.

David Healy’s Blues had the prospect of another all-Ireland second round qualifier in their sights against Shelbourne, but fell just short against Nomme Kalju.

Linfield twice took the lead at Windsor Park but were reduced to 10 men and were eventually undone by an injury-time goal for the visitors.

“I always feel it’s a missed opportunity when we don’t win here – that’s the belief I have in the squad of players,” Healy said to BBC Sport NI.

“European games are as challenging as they can be, but you can’t legislate for going down to 10 men.

“It [extra-time] was the least we deserved tonight, but you don’t get always get out of a game what you feel you want or need.”

The home side started well and Kalju goalkeeper Henri Perk made a great save at full stretch to deny Darragh Leahy from opening the scoring on the volley.

The pressure told and Ethan McGee levelled the tie with a brilliant header from Adam Frizzell’s corner.

The whole direction of the tie shifted just before the half hour mark when Kalju were awarded a penalty and Linfield were reduced to 10 men.

Goalscorer McGee was penalised for a handball in the area and was shown red. Chris Johns saved the penalty from Oleksandr Musolitin, but the Ukrainian buried the rebound.

Healy brought on Kieran Offord and Dane McCullough at the break and striker Offord made his mark, latching onto McCullough’s long throw and blasting home, within four minutes to make it 2-1 on the night, 2-2 overall.

Johns kept Linfield in it with a super stop to deny Bogdan Vastsuk, but they were a threat at the other end and Offord almost got another, only to fire straight at Henri Perk in the Kalju goal.

Two minutes into injury-time, Linfield were punished for failing to clear their lines and Mihhail Orlov produced a moment of real quality with a strike into the top corner from the edge of the area to win it.

Meanwhile, Glentoran lost 2-0 away to Latvian side RFS, making it 4-1 on aggregate.

Modou Saidy scored for the hosts after just five minutes and Janis Ikavnieks doubled their lead 16 minutes into the second half after a slip from Glens goalkeeper Billy Crellin.

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