HIBERNIANS 0
SHAKHTYOR SOLIGORSK 1
Tatarkov 64
Hibernians were eliminated from the UEFA Europa League after suffering another narrow defeat to Shakhtyor Soligorsk, of Belarus, in the second leg of the first qualifying round to bow out of the competition 2-0 on aggregate.
The Paolites need to win by a two-goal difference to reach the next stage and they did go out in search of goals.
They played better football during the first half and luck seemed to favour them after their opponents had a player sent off.
However they failed to break the deadlock and eventually, it was Shakhtyor who scored the goal which killed their hopes.
In fact, their feeble reaction failed to trouble the team from Belarus.
Hibs coach Stefano Sanderra maintained his faith with the same players who starred in the first leg.
Goalkeeper Marko Jovicic was guarding the posts, Timothy Tabone Desira, Andrei Agius, Marcio Silveira and Ferdinando Apap formed the back four with Dunstan Vella in front of defence. Captain Bjorn Kristensen, Jake Grech, Leonardo Nanni and Joseph Mbong were employed in midfield with the Italian mainly in support of lone striker Terence Groothusen.
Hibernians went in search of an early lead and after just 52 seconds, Bjorn Kristensen’s fierce shot from outside the area was turned into a corner by Klimovich.
Shakhtyor had a good opportunity on eight minutes. There was an inviting pass by Yuri Kovalev from the right but Elis Bakaj failed to connect from an ideal position.
In a swift counter-attack for Hibernians, Groothusen concluded a good run on 16 minutes with a cross from the left but there was no one to connect.
Four minutes later, Groothusen served Mbong on the left; the latter’s first attempt was partially saved by the goalkeeper and off the rebound, Mbong’s effort was turned into a corner.
From the resulting flag-kick, Dunstan Vella hit wide.
The visitors were reduced to ten men on 33 minutes after Selyava was given marching orders by referee Furkat Atazhanov after stepping on Kristensen.
Despite being a man down, Shakhtyor still threatened with consecutive shots from Bakaj and Kovalev which were both blocked by Jovicic on 39 minutes.
Eight minutes in the second Nanni had a fine rising shot just missing the target and just past the hour, Jake Grech sent Mbong through but the latter concluded high from the edge of the area.
Against the run of play, Shakhtyor Soligorsk took the lead on 64 minutes.
It was substitute Nikita Tatarkov, who had just replaced Max Ebong a few seconds earlier, whose cross-shot from the left saw the ball hitting the upright before apparently being saved by Jovicic.
However the referee indicated the centre spot meaning that the ball had crossed the goal line.
Chances of a Hibernians comeback received a major setback on 73 minutes as they also had a player sent off.
Apap received a second yellow card for a foul on Gromyko just outside the area, leaving his side in ten men for the remaining minutes.
A minute later, Elis Bakaj’s fine freekick from the right scraped past the post for Shakhtyor.
Hibs had a cross-shot from the right by Timothy Tabone Desira which was tipped into a corner by Klimovich on 75 minutes.
The Paolites’ final opportunity arrived in added time, when Nanni’s direct freekick from the right was blocked by the Shakhtyor goalkeeper.
Balzan bow out
Balzan’s European adventure came to an end last night when they lost to NK Domzale 1-0 in Slovenia to bow out 5-3 on aggregate.
It always looked a tough challenge for Jacques Scerri’s men to overturn the tie in their favour after they lost last week’s first leg at the Centenary Stadium 4-3.
Balzan did try to put some pressure on their opponents and created a number of scoring opportunities but could not find a way past Domzale goalkeeper Grega Sorcan.
But any hopes of an upset were extinguished by the hosts on 21 minutes as Slobodan Vuk netted the all-important goal that settle the tie in favour of Domzale.