Shamrock Rovers 0-1 Breidablik: Stephen Bradley's side lose out in first leg of Champions League qualifier

Shamrock Rovers will have to bring fire and ice to the party next week if they are to keep their Champions League hopes alive.

The Hoops were left thunderstruck by a thunderstrike as Damir Muminovic scored a 30-yard screamer to give Breidablik the advantage going to Iceland on Tuesday.

And the visitors deserved the win after slapping manners on their out-of-sort hosts in the first-half with that stunning goal.

Sean Kavanagh’s wayward finish when attempting to equalise in the 87th minute - with the goal opening up before him - summed up their frustrating night.

But he did go agonisingly close to making amends three minutes later, only for Anton Einarsson to get down low and push the scissors kick away from the bottom corner.

Rovers were much improved after the break but they had been a mess before that and Breidablik would justifiably have felt hard done by not to leave without this win.

Stephen Bradley had warned in the build-up that Breidablik would be no pushovers and even claimed they were on a par with the Hoops’ group stage rivals last year.

There were times in those games against Gent, Molde and Djurgardens where nervous Rovers fans were watching through their fingers.

Much was made at the time of the Hoops ability to shoot themselves in the foot with the concession of soft goals on the road.

Their home form in the qualifying rounds had been particularly strong last year, but at no stage did they play with that conviction here.

Rovers’ play was error strewn and Breidablik had all of the chances in a first-half which they dominated and deservedly led at the break.

And the warning signs were there from an early stage.

Just 11 minutes in, winger Jason Svanthorsson left Sean Hoare for dead down the right and Markus Poom’s sliding tackle in the box to cut out the cross saved a goal.

From the corner, Hoare pinched the ball off Viktor Margeirsson’s feet and turned it behind as he prepared to shoot from six yards.

And from that corner, Leoh Pohls had to swat away a Klaemint Olsen header that was on target.

Early troubles and ones which would only manifest into an even bigger headache by the break.

Dylan Watt’s rising shot from the edge of the area, after a flowing move involving Jack Byrne and Ronan Finn, did nothing to ease home concerns.

But Rory Gaffney's industry and energy almost had the hosts in the lead against the run of play.

Byrne clipped a precision pass in behind Breidablik’s two centre-backs which Gaffney latched onto but after racing in on goal, Einarsson saved his shot.

And thereafter Breidablik upped the ante and peppered Pohls and his goal from all angles.

Oliver Sigurjonsson smashed a long-range free at the German before Hoskulder Gunnlaugsson went close with a diving header in the box.

But the Icelandic champions got the goal their have-a-go approach deserved, five minutes before the break.

Gaffney gave the ball away from a quick-free and Dan Cleary reacted by hauling down Olsen.

Up stepped centre-back Muminovic who burst Pohls’ net with a 30-yard thunderstrike after a well worked free-kick routine.

Rovers will launch a probe into just how poor their wall was, but Muminovic’s shot was hit with such force you suspect nothing could have stopped it.

Minutes after the break, Muminovic briefly threatened to turn from hero to villain when it appeared he handled a cross into the box, with Watts putting him under pressure.

VAR was available but it appears the Cypriot officials decided not to check, but the brief furore over it still fuelled a second-half revival of sorts.

By no means were Rovers foot perfect thereafter, but they played with far more purpose than they had shown during that lifeless first-half display.

Gaffney was a beast up front and Graham Burke’s arrival on the hour brought a touch more cunning to the party.

And Burke threatened soon after. His shot off the outside of his boot forced Einarsson to make an unorthodox save, but the rebound wouldn’t fall kindly for Gaffney who was lurking.

Breidablik may have eased off the gas, but they hadn’t gone away.

And the visitors almost put the tie beyond reach, only for Pohls who kept out a Viktor Einarsson thump from distance.

Kavanagh went close to rescuing a draw at the death but Rovers will need to be much improved and carry more threat in Iceland to prolong their Champions League run.

If they bow out, they will drop into the Europa Conference League qualifiers.