Shamrock Rovers' European hopes hanging by a thread after costly home defeat

Shamrock Rovers 0

Odds BK 2

SHAMROCK ROVERS WILL have to overturn a two goal deficit in Norway next week if they are to keep their Europa League campaign alive after suffering a damaging defeat to Odds BK in Tallaght tonight.

Pat Fenlon’s side have left themselves with a mountain to climb after Olivier Occean’s second-half double decided an otherwise dull affair.

After an uneventful first-half, Rovers increased the intensify after the break but moments after Mikey Drennan was brilliantly denied from close-range, the visitors hit the front.

The Norwegian outfit broke quickly and Pat Cregg was adjudged to have fouled Nordkvelle in the area and Occean made no mistake from the spot.

Odds grew in confidence thereafter and landed a knock-out blow shortly after the hour mark, leaving the Hoops on the brink of an Europa League exit at the second qualifying round stage.

Shamrock Rovers: Craig Hyland; Luke Byrne, David Webster, Conor Kenna, Simon Madden; Gary McCabe, Patrick Cregg, Gavin Brennan, Ryan Brennan, Kieran Marty Waters; Mikey Drennan.

Odds BK: Sondre Lovseth Rossbach; Espen Rudd, Adrian Gashi, Ole Jorgen Halvorsen, Jone Samuelson; Olivier Occean, Frederik Nordkvelle, Emil Jonassen, Steffen Hagen; Lars Kristian Eriksen, Chukwuma Akabueze.

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