Shelbourne 1 (Mipo 86) Rijeka 3 (Fruk 33, Dantas 72, Orec 89) (Rijeka lead 3-2 on aggregate)
Shelbourne: Speel, Mbeng, Bone, Barrett (capt), Ledwidge, Norris (Caffrey 79), Lunney (Chapman 79), McInroy (Kelly 90), Wood, Coote (Martin 45), Mipo.
Rijeka: Zlomisic, Orec, Majstorovic, Radeljic, Devetak, Petrovic, Dantas (Kreilach 90), Fruk, Ndockyt (Menalo 90), Jankovic, Juric (Lasickas 74)
Last chance saloon as they win a free which Wood takes, keeper and everyone up, but Speel ends up fouling.
Full-time: Shelbourne 1 Rijeka 3
So close yet so far. They’ll get another chance in the Conference League qualifying but small margins.
90+3 mins: Time running out for Shelbourne, five minutes stoppage time.
Good cross by Kelly who just came on at the back post but Caffrey fouls when trying to head it.
89 mins: Goal for Rijeka! Oh no, loose defending by Shelbourne, Jankovic steps into it then the right-back Orec nails one into the corner. Oh dear. Shelbourne 1 Rijeka 3
86 mins: GOAL FOR SHELBOURNE! Mipo scores the penalty and the crowd goes wild!
Shelbourne 1 Rijeka 2
Very fortunate, the keeper went the right way and went through his hands. But they all count.
PENALTY FOR SHELBOURNE!
82 mins: Very tight call for a penalty, several replays for VAR and looks like Martin’s jersey was pulled after a super ball by Wood.
78 mins: Sadly that goal was coming but still what a goal it was. Very disappointing for Shels who need to regroup and somehow get a goal out of somewhere.
72 mins: Goal for Rijeka! Unbelievable shot by Dantas, screamer from 30-35 yards into the top corner. That was something special from a player who has been at Benfica and Bayern Munich.
70 mins: Close one for Rijeka as Fruk shoots from outside the box, curls it just wide of the post. The referee has let almost everything go, to the dismay of the home fans in the build-up, who thought it should have been a foul for a push on Wood.
67 mins: Fruk gets into a dangerous area, again blocked by Barrett. Martin holds the ball up very well and wins a free, but back to Rijeka possession soon after, Shels not holding onto the ball very well.
64 mins: Good save by Speel after McInroy lost the ball, a slight deflection but smart save in the end.
62 mins: Another corner not truly dealt with and falls to Petrovic who blazes it over. Martin takes a goal kick down brilliantly and wins a free in a decent area. Good ball where Martin calls for a penalty for his shirt being tugged. Something in that.
The replays show it doesn’t seem to be a penalty, there is VAR tonight, it’s a corner and ends up with a back post cross to Bone who heads on target but saved by the keeper.
57 mins: Barrett with another very good block after Fruk got the better off the Shels defender down the wing. Rijeka pulling Shelbourne side to side, but hanging on for now.
53 mins: Oh, big chance for Shelbourne! Ball over the top by McInroy to Martin, then slipped into Mipo from just outside the six-yard box, but just hits it wide! Disappointing. Good defending to put him off, but definitely could have scored.
50 mins: Rijeka still on the attack in the second half, some nice interplay but the cross is overhit.
47 mins: Goalscorer from the first leg John Martin is on at half-time, hoping to get a crucial goal for Shelbourne.
Half-time: Shelbourne 0 Rijeka 1
Level on aggregate, all to play for! Shelbourne haven’t been too bad but a moment of quality by Fruk gave the Croatians the lead in the match. Defending corners has to get better if they are to avoid conceding a second.
Here was the Fruk goal:
45 mins: Rijeka’s corners are looking very, very dangerous and nearly a goal yet again from the set piece, chaotic defending by Shelbourne and at one point Speel was completely out of his goal but blocked and survive.
42 mins: Fruk causing havoc and lovely feet then plays in Ndockyt on the wing. Then Rijeka should have taken the lead, Jankovic with another great delivery from a corner and Petrovic has a free header but can’t guide it on target.
39 mins: Mipo has had a good game so far and he drops deep to win the ball and shows some nice touches.
36 mins: Good ball in behind almost falls for Mipo but the keeper sweeps up well. Then a big chance for Shels! Mbeng’s cross far post, headed back to McInroy, strikes it from inside the box and good contact but straight at the keeper.
33 mins: Goal for Rijeka! Stunning goal by the star player Fruk. Hits a brilliant volley from outside the goal. Great build-up by the Croatians. Shelbourne 0 Rijeka 1
29 mins: Dangerous bounce falls to Ndockyt in the box, just recovered by Shels but give away a corner. Then a big chance for Rijeka! Majstorovic gets free in the box and hits off his knee but should have been in. Let-off for the home side.
Mipo goes down the line and digs out a great cross into the six-yard box and Mbeng nearly gets to it, half-chance for Shels.
25 mins: Massive block by the captain Barrett as Petrovic made great contact with it from the edge of the box, that could have been in.
20 mins: Great block by McInroy from Fruk, McInroy has been everywhere so far.
17 mins: Familiar pattern where Rijeka keep the ball and show typical Croatian technique but Shels getting stuck in and nipping at the heels of them.
14 mins: Shelbourne defending well, their shape has been good and every misplaced pass is met with a cheer.
10 mins: Great ball in behind by Riejka and the danger man Fruk is fouled just outside the area. Dangerous free kick spot. Fruk’s free-kick is straight at the wall, then Ndoykt’s shot is dragged well wide.
4 mins: Rijeka look like they mean business so far, but a long ball by the Croatians goes awry and ends up a throw-in, then a big chance for Shelbourne! Long ball causes havoc and Wood has a chance, penalty shout as he tries to round the keeper but referee says no.
The teams are out on the pitch, great atmosphere tonight!
Here is Gavin Cummiskey’s preview:
[ Europa League: Shelbourne on the cusp of European breakthroughOpens in new window ]
Potentially a red-letter night for Shelbourne. If Joey O’Brien’s team avoid defeat to Rijeka, progress to the group stage of European football is guaranteed for the first time in the club’s 130-year history.
If they are beaten, all is not lost.
Here is the Shelbourne team:
The Rijeka team:
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the second leg of the Europa League third qualifying round between Shelbourne and Rijeka, it kicks off at Tolka Park at 7.45pm. Shelbourne pulled off one of the great upsets of Irish football history in Europe by beating the Croatian champions in Croatia in the first leg, a 2-1 victory thanks to a John Martin goal. The Croatians will be looking for revenge and will be highly motivated with a lot of quality, but Shels will hope for a famous night, which would get them through to the next round of qualifying but more importantly guarantee group stage football regardless in the Uefa Conference League.
Unfortunately for Shels, Seán Boyd has been ruled out with a calf injury.
The starting teams will follow when they’re announced.
You can watch the game on LOITV tonight, it’s €10 to buy a stream - https://www.loitv.ie/ie
