Shamrock Rovers 0 - 2 FC Copenhagen
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
Goals from Dame N‘Doye and Christian Bolanos ended Shamrock Rovers
participation in the 2011 Champions League as the Hoops went down 2-0
to FC Copenhagen at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday night.
For much of the opening 45 minutes Rovers were the better team, a situation largely engineered by a five man midfield that chased every ball, seldom gave away possession and attempted to push forwards with both patience and purpose.
Copenhagen, for their part, seldom looked panicked, despite having less possession than they might have liked and regardless of the fact that they rarely managed to get any dangerous attacking ball to their lone striker Dame N’Doye.
Rovers had a shout for a penalty as early as the tenth minute when Billy Dennehy went down under a challenge inside the Danish box but Turkish referee Halis Ozkayha was probably right to allow play to run on.
Eight minutes later Chris Turner crashed a header from an Enda Stevens cross off the angle of Johan Wiland’s post and bar. It was a moment that lifted an already vociferous crowd and, with Rovers in charge at that point, things looked good for Michael O’Neill’s men.
Gary Twigg nearly got on the end of another Stevens cross on 20 minutes but soon after the Danish side began to claw their way back into the game. They began to gather more possession and were soon threatening Ryan Thompson’s goal with some intent.
Thomas Kristensen blasted over from 20 yards on 27 minutes and ten minutes from half time the Brazilian Claudemir turned on a dropping ball ten yards from goal and sent a viciously dipping volley just inches over the Rovers crossbar.
Then, with just three minutes to go until half time, tragedy struck. Copenhagen generated a corner on the left which Bolanos took. A Rovers defender got his head to the ball but could only help it on its way and, ten yards beyond the back post, N’Doye came in to side foot the ball back past Thompson and into the Rovers net.
Rovers might have pulled themselves back into the tie just three minutes after the break when Ronan Finn skirted the edge of the Copenhagen box before finding Chris Turner with a square ball, but the midfielder’s effort to curl his shot around Wiland failed and the goalkeeper gathered the ball comfortably.
Rovers never gave up the chase but as the game wore on the Danish side showed their experience, sitting on possession and allowing the passage of time to eat away at the hopes’ of Michael O’Neill’s men.
Gary Twigg flashed a header narrowly wide on 55 minutes but increasingly it looked like Copenhagen might score on the break. The impressive N’Doye was denied having killed a cross stone dead inside the Rovers box but Dan Murray managed to swipe the ball off his toe, and Bolanos shot straight into Thompson’s arms from a tight angle on 67 minutes.
With 17 minutes left Bolanos ended all speculation when he stooped to head home after N’Doye’s initial header had been superbly saved by Thompson. Still the home side fought on with McCormack and Turner battling heroically to cut the deficit but the clearer chances continued to fall the way of the visitors, Thompson saving well from Cesar Santin after the substitute had been played through by Thomas Kristensen in the 87th minute.
And Rovers were to be dealt one further blow in added time when full back Pat Sullivan was stretchered off the field following a collision with Thompson during a late goalmouth scramble.
Rovers now go into the draw for the Europa League play-offs which takes place on Friday and while dreams of an Irish side cracking the group stages of the Champions League fade, for another year at least, the group stage of the Europa League still beckon.
Shamrock Rovers: Ryan Thompson; Pat Sullivan, Craig Sives, Dan Murray, Enda Stevens; Gary McCabe (Dean Kelly, 65), Ronan Finn (Stephen Rice, 75), Chris Turner, Conor McCormack, Billy Dennehy; Gary Twigg (Ciaran Kilduff, 75).
Subs not used: Richard Brush, Pat Flynn, Paddy Kavanagh, Gary O’Neill.
Bookings: McCormack (40).
FC Copenhagen: Johan Wiland; Ragnar Sigurdsson, Mathias Jorgensen, Solvi Ottesen, Pierre Bengtsson; Christian Bolanos (Thoams Delaney, 78), Claudemir, Christian Grindheim, Thomas Kristensen (Johan Absalonsen, 92); Pape Diouf (Cesar Santin, 83), Dame N’Doye.
Subs not used: Kim Christensen, Morten Nordstrand, Bryan Oviedo, Youssef Toutouh.
Bookings: None.
Referee: Halis Özkahya (Turkey).
Attendance: 6,000.
extratime.ie Man of the Match: Conor McCormack.
For much of the opening 45 minutes Rovers were the better team, a situation largely engineered by a five man midfield that chased every ball, seldom gave away possession and attempted to push forwards with both patience and purpose.
Copenhagen, for their part, seldom looked panicked, despite having less possession than they might have liked and regardless of the fact that they rarely managed to get any dangerous attacking ball to their lone striker Dame N’Doye.
Rovers had a shout for a penalty as early as the tenth minute when Billy Dennehy went down under a challenge inside the Danish box but Turkish referee Halis Ozkayha was probably right to allow play to run on.
Eight minutes later Chris Turner crashed a header from an Enda Stevens cross off the angle of Johan Wiland’s post and bar. It was a moment that lifted an already vociferous crowd and, with Rovers in charge at that point, things looked good for Michael O’Neill’s men.
Gary Twigg nearly got on the end of another Stevens cross on 20 minutes but soon after the Danish side began to claw their way back into the game. They began to gather more possession and were soon threatening Ryan Thompson’s goal with some intent.
Thomas Kristensen blasted over from 20 yards on 27 minutes and ten minutes from half time the Brazilian Claudemir turned on a dropping ball ten yards from goal and sent a viciously dipping volley just inches over the Rovers crossbar.
Then, with just three minutes to go until half time, tragedy struck. Copenhagen generated a corner on the left which Bolanos took. A Rovers defender got his head to the ball but could only help it on its way and, ten yards beyond the back post, N’Doye came in to side foot the ball back past Thompson and into the Rovers net.
Rovers might have pulled themselves back into the tie just three minutes after the break when Ronan Finn skirted the edge of the Copenhagen box before finding Chris Turner with a square ball, but the midfielder’s effort to curl his shot around Wiland failed and the goalkeeper gathered the ball comfortably.
Rovers never gave up the chase but as the game wore on the Danish side showed their experience, sitting on possession and allowing the passage of time to eat away at the hopes’ of Michael O’Neill’s men.
Gary Twigg flashed a header narrowly wide on 55 minutes but increasingly it looked like Copenhagen might score on the break. The impressive N’Doye was denied having killed a cross stone dead inside the Rovers box but Dan Murray managed to swipe the ball off his toe, and Bolanos shot straight into Thompson’s arms from a tight angle on 67 minutes.
With 17 minutes left Bolanos ended all speculation when he stooped to head home after N’Doye’s initial header had been superbly saved by Thompson. Still the home side fought on with McCormack and Turner battling heroically to cut the deficit but the clearer chances continued to fall the way of the visitors, Thompson saving well from Cesar Santin after the substitute had been played through by Thomas Kristensen in the 87th minute.
And Rovers were to be dealt one further blow in added time when full back Pat Sullivan was stretchered off the field following a collision with Thompson during a late goalmouth scramble.
Rovers now go into the draw for the Europa League play-offs which takes place on Friday and while dreams of an Irish side cracking the group stages of the Champions League fade, for another year at least, the group stage of the Europa League still beckon.
Shamrock Rovers: Ryan Thompson; Pat Sullivan, Craig Sives, Dan Murray, Enda Stevens; Gary McCabe (Dean Kelly, 65), Ronan Finn (Stephen Rice, 75), Chris Turner, Conor McCormack, Billy Dennehy; Gary Twigg (Ciaran Kilduff, 75).
Subs not used: Richard Brush, Pat Flynn, Paddy Kavanagh, Gary O’Neill.
Bookings: McCormack (40).
FC Copenhagen: Johan Wiland; Ragnar Sigurdsson, Mathias Jorgensen, Solvi Ottesen, Pierre Bengtsson; Christian Bolanos (Thoams Delaney, 78), Claudemir, Christian Grindheim, Thomas Kristensen (Johan Absalonsen, 92); Pape Diouf (Cesar Santin, 83), Dame N’Doye.
Subs not used: Kim Christensen, Morten Nordstrand, Bryan Oviedo, Youssef Toutouh.
Bookings: None.
Referee: Halis Özkahya (Turkey).
Attendance: 6,000.
extratime.ie Man of the Match: Conor McCormack.
About Simon O'Gorman
Simon O'Gorman began reporting for Extratime in 2010. He remembers Milltown and Flower Lodge and, back in the mists of time, saw Diego Maradona play at Lansdowne Road. He now lives in Co Kildare and … View Full Profile