Shelbourne drop to Europa League qualifiers as Qarabag lead proves too great to overturn in Baku
Shelbourne
have been redirected to the
Europa League
, where they will face the loser of Rijeka (Croatia) v Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria) in a third-round qualifier after their defeat by Azerbaijan side Qarabag in their second-round Champions League qualifier.
The first leg of the Europa qualifier is scheduled to be played next Thursday, followed by the second on August 14th.
Qarabag, as expected, progress in the
Champions League
but Shels leave Azerbaijan with their reputation intact after a professional, compact performance.
Come the stroke of half-time, Kady had seen enough. The Brazilian midfielder received a short corner and stood up Mark Coyle, electing not to collapse for a penalty when the Shelbourne captain tugged his shirt.
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Instead, he glided down the end-line before inviting Nariman Akhundzade to finish at the front post. John Martin got the last touch to beat Shelbourne's new Dutch goalkeeper Wessel Speel.
Shelbourne players dejected after conceeding a goal against Qarabag. Photograph: Aleksandar Djorovic/Inpho
That put Qarabag 4-0 ahead on aggregate as the dead rubber was confirmed.
Any hope of this contest being as entertaining as the first-leg at Tolka Park was ruined by Olexiy Kashchuk and Akhundzade snatching late goals in Drumcondra last week.
Understandably, Shelbourne manager
Joey O'Brien
benched key figures in Harry Wood, Ali Coote and Paddy Barrett as a three-goal deficit was never going to be erased in Baku's stifling conditions.
The temperature tipped over 29 degrees at kick-off. The 5,300 kilometre trek from Dublin to the Republican Stadium is further east than the entire land mass of Iraq.
It is a 16-hour round trip if the Dublin club somehow managed to avoid stop-offs in Istanbul, and Sligo Rovers might exploit some heavy legs at the Showgrounds on Saturday night as a result.
In light of the Europa first-leg fixture, the Dublin derby between Shels and Bohemians has been refixed for August 9th, a day later than its original billing.
O'Brien's squad is braced for a hectic August, with an FAI Cup showdown against St Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park dropped in the middle of their European campaign.
The Shels manager reacted accordingly, with seven starters from the first-leg making way, Wood and Coote among them, which would blunt any
League of Ireland
attack, especially against far superior European opposition.
Shelbourne's James Barry Norris during the Champions League second-round qualifier against Qarabag in Baku. Photograph: Aleksandar Djorovic/Inpho
Qarabag manager Gurban Gurbanov stuck with his best side as they gear up for the Azerbaijan Premier League opener on August 15th.
Speel's six-foot six-inch frame was needed to deny a Leandro Andrade early in the second-half but seconds later the Dutch man needed attention on his shoulder after colliding with Bahlul Mustafazade. He recovered to save Kady's late penalty.
Shelbourne kept probing and McInroy looked to the sky after his snap shot was parried by Mateusz Kochalski. The Scottish midfielder should have equalised on the night.
James Norris impressed at left wing back. On loan from Liverpool, he set up McInroy's chances before blazing over himself.
Italian referee Andrea Colombo was quick to award a penalty in the 67th minute when Silva's cut back caught Kameron Ledwidge's arm. Kady was punished for casually rolling his spot kick too close to Speel before Elvin Jafarguliyev hit the rebound high into the stand.
QARABAG:
Kochalski; Silva, Mustafazade, Medina (Mmaee 72), Jafarguliyev (Bayramov 80); Pedro Bicalho, Kady (Kashchuk 80); Leandro, Addai, Zoubir (Kouakou 72); Akhundzade (Gurbanli 72).
SHELBOURNE:
Speel; Temple, Bone, Ledwidge, Norris (Caffrey 71); Kelly, Coyle, McInroy (Lunney 62), Chapman (Coote 81); Martin (Wood 62), Odubeko (Boyd 62).
Referee:
Andrea Colombo (Italy).
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