Europa League Qualifier Match Result: Shelbourne triumphs over Rijeka in the third qualifying round's first leg
In a thrilling encounter, Irish side Shelbourne emerged victorious in the first leg of their Europa League qualifier against Rijeka, securing a 2-1 win. The match, played in Rijeka, Croatia, was a tense affair with the majority of the play taking place in Shelbourne's half.
The game started with Rijeka being awarded the first corner of the match, but Shelbourne managed to clear it. The deadlock was broken in the first half when Kerr McInroy played a short corner and passed back to James Norris. Norris crossed the ball to the line where Sam Bone got the final touch, scoring the opening goal for Shelbourne.
Shelbourne's goal seemed to invigorate Rijeka, who put on the pressure throughout the first half, but were unable to find the equaliser. Wessel Speel, the Shelbourne goalkeeper, made several impressive saves to keep the score level.
The second half began with Shelbourne struggling to find a way into Rijeka's half, with the Croatian side continuing to dominate possession. However, a moment of brilliance from Harry Wood saw him deliver an unbelievable cross to find Martin at the far post, who scored to put Shelbourne ahead.
Rijeka responded with a penalty, awarded due to Sam Bone playing a pass back to Speel and being put under pressure by Ndockyt, who went down. Jankovic converted the penalty to level the score, but Shelbourne refused to be deterred.
The match took a turn when Shelbourne was forced to make a substitution, with Sean Boyd leaving the game due to injury and John Martin coming on. Despite the setback, Shelbourne continued to push forward and were rewarded when Martin scored his second goal of the match, putting Shelbourne back in the lead.
The match ended 2-1 in favour of Shelbourne, with the second leg set to take place next week at Tolka Park. Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who was approached by the FAI to replace Stephen Kenny as the Republic of Ireland head coach in 2024, watched the match from the stands as a spectator. Heimir Hallgrimsson, who eventually accepted the role in July 2024 on an 18-month contract, was not present.
The victory marks a significant milestone for Shelbourne, who have been dealing with several injury worries throughout the season, with Harry Wood and Kameron Ledwidge being dispossessed and going down during the match. Rijeka's defender is still receiving treatment on the sideline but no substitution has been made yet.
As the match drew to a close, it was clear that Shelbourne had shown resilience and determination, earning themselves a valuable advantage heading into the second leg. The return leg at Tolka Park promises to be an exciting affair, with both teams eager to secure a place in the next round of the Europa League.
Football was the center of attention in the thrilling encounter between Shelbourne and Rijeka, as the former secured a 2-1 win in the first leg of their Europa League qualifier. In the second half, a moment of brilliance from Harry Wood set up Martin for a goal that put Shelbourne back in front, ultimately securing the victory that positions them favorably for the second leg.
