LUDOGORETS RAZGRAD 3-0 SHAMROCK ROVERS
Shamrock Rovers were full of Ludo-regrets as their Champions League involvement was all but ended in injury-time on Tuesday night
Just when it looked as if they were on their way home with a daunting but not insurmountable two-goal deficit, substitute Igor Thiago’s 94th minute strike took a double deflection and flew past Alan Mannus.
What a cruel end to a game that Rovers grew into against a classy opposition.
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But they only have themselves to blame. From their own free-kick in the left-back position, Rovers tried to play the ball out of defence when a long ball up the pitch was the sensible option.
It resulted in Lee Grace, who took the initial free, getting the ball back under pressure, and his pass forward to Andy Lyons was cut out, allowing Kiril Despodov to cross.
Alan Mannus made a brilliant save to stop one effort, but could do nothing as Thiago’s drive came off the head of Hoare and fizzed into the net.
It was a long journey to Razgrad for last night’s tie - with players going different routes - but the trip home no doubt felt endless, as they reflected on the madness of those closing moments.
Hoare ripped his shirt in frustration as he left the pitch, as up to then Rovers were still in the tie.
They had been here before. Last year they trailed Slovan Bratislava by two goals after the first-leg and came agonisingly close to overturning that at home.
A three-goal deficit? It looks like the Europa League for Stephen Bradley’s side.
Rovers should be coming home lifted by the problems they caused late in the second-half, following the introduction of Graham Burke.
His presence troubled the hosts, who became loose with their passing and ill disciplined in their tackling when pressed by the Dubliners.
Pieros Sotiriou’s first-half double put the hosts in control, but they looked more vulnerable after the break.
The movement of goalscorer Sotiriou for his 26th minute opener was mesmerising - as was the decoy run of Alex Santana, who opened up the space for his teammate inside the Hoops penalty area.
Sean Hoare was on the wrong side of his man and couldn’t mount a challenge as the Cyprus international rose at the near post to head Cauly’s brilliant cross past Alan Mannus.
To his credit, Hoare produced an outstanding defensive header just after the hour to deny Sotiriou what would have almost certainly been another goal.
That would have been the 49-time capped striker’s hat-trick, as he doubled his account for the night on 36 minutes, benefitting once again from Cauly’s trickery on the right.
From his cross, Rick’s goalbound strike was blocked on the line by Lee Grace, but Sotiriou was in the right place to control and sweep the rebound home from close range.
The goals were the result of some intense Ludogorets pressure. Brazilians Rick and Santana were menacing in attack, as was Brazilian-born Bulgaria right-back Cicinho.
And Cauly, the fourth Brazilian in Ludogorets’ starting-11, was the man through whom all their best attacks flowed.
His back-post cross on 39 minutes was headed over by Rick, who was stretching to reach the ball.
And from another right-wing attack and cross, the Bulgarians hit the foot of the post, with Sotiriou denied his hat-trick by the woodwork.
Cauly almost got his own name on the scoresheet moments before half-time when he took aim from 25 yards.
His curling effort looked destined for the top right-hand corner, before Mannus took flight and spectacularly tipped the ball over with his fingertips.
Rovers were far more compact after the break and they coughed up very little in defence, while a couple of half-chances at the other end had the travelling supporters on their feet.
Dylan Watts was much deeper last night than in domestic action, such was the emphasis on keeping their hosts at bay. His 49th minute snapshot flew over the bar.
Hoare couldn’t control his finish at the back post on 69 minutes, while substitute Burke almost tricked goalkeeper Sergio Padt with a near-post shot from wide left.
Burke was inches from clawing a goal back on 88 minutes with a free-kick that took a crucial nick off the end of the Ludogorets wall, while Mannus saved well from Santana in injury-time.
But there was still time for one more heartbreaking twist.
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