Stoppage-Time Own Goal Hands Shkendija Victory Over Shelbourne in European Clash
Table of Contents
Shelbourne’s hopes for a positive result in their European campaign were dashed in Skopje as a cruel own goal in the second minute of added time gifted North Macedonian side Shkendija a 1-0 victory.The League of Ireland champions, despite a spirited performance, were left to rue a missed chance and a defensive lapse at the death.
The match at the National Arena saw Shelbourne, worthy of a draw, come agonizingly close to taking the lead earlier in the game. Substitute John Martin struck the post, a near miss that would ultimately prove costly. However, a failure to defend a corner in the dying moments proved decisive, handing Shkendija the win.
The decisive moment arrived when Sebastian Spahiu’s delivery wasn’t cleared, allowing Ronaldo Webster to gain possession inside the area. His subsequent low cross was inadvertently turned into his own net by off-balance central defender Paddy Barrett.The result leaves Shelbourne in a challenging position in the 36-team table, following a previous draw against Swedish side hacken.
Shelbourne’s Positive Start Undermined by Late Setback
Despite the disappointing finish, Shelbourne began the match with intent, echoing the positive approach demanded by head coach Joey O’Brien. Kerr McInroy had an early shot cleared, and the visitors quickly established a foothold in the game. Milan Mbeng proved a constant threat down the right flank, troubling Shkendija’s defense.
Unfortunately for Shelbourne, that was to be their last critically important opportunity. An injury to Sean Boyd forced them to play the final six minutes with 10 men, leaving them vulnerable to Shkendija’s late surge.
Team Lineups and Match Details
Shkendija: Baboucarr Gaye; Aleksander Trumci, Imran fetai, Klisman Cake, ronaldo Webster; Arbin Zejnullai ( Reshat Ramadani h-t), Adamu Alhassan ( Kamer Qaka 70); Fabrice Tamba ( Vane Krstevski 77), Endrit Krasniqi ( Fiton Ademi 88), Liridon Latifi ( Sebastjan Spahiu h-t); Bejart Ibraimi.
Shelbourne: Wessel Speel; Milan Mbeng, Mark Coyle, Paddy Barrett, Kameron Ledwidge, James Norris ( Daniel Kelly 74); JJ Lunney, Kerr McInroy ( Ali Coote 82); Harry Wood ( John Martin 60), Jack Henry-Francis ( Evan Caffrey 82); Mipo Odubeko ( Sean Boyd 60).
Referee: Stefan Ebner (Austria).
The defeat leaves Shelbourne facing challenging upcoming fixtures against Crystal Palace, AZ alkmaar, and Celje as they continue their European journey.
