Shields hits the mark as Dundalk overtakes the Sheriff to advance

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Dundalk are 90 minutes out of the Europa League group stage after overcoming a harrowing penalty shoot-out 5-4 against Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova.

Chris Shields scored the decisive penalty as Filippo Giovagnoli’s side advanced to the play-offs. They will now face KÍ Klaksvik from the Faroe Islands next Thursday.

Things started badly for Dundalk when they found themselves behind with a goal from Veaceslav Posmac after just eight minutes. However, the Lilywhites were the better team after that and deservedly tied just before halftime through Sean Murray.

There were few notable chances after that, but despite tiring in extra time, the reigning SSE Airtricity League champions held their ground on penalties with veteran goalkeeper Gary Rogers, who turns 39 tomorrow, making the crucial save. to deny Faith Obilor of the Mancha.

Louth’s men got off to a bad start after falling behind after just eight minutes. After Benedik Mioč’s effort turned Gary Rogers’ post around, Sheriff’s Captain Veaceslav Posmac stepped ahead of Brian Gartland to send a bullet header into the net from Andriy Bliznichenko’s corner.

The visitors grew slowly in the game and had their first effort at the half hour mark when Michael Duffy cut from the left only to be blocked by Ousmane N’Diaye.

Four minutes later, Murray’s corner picked Daniel Cleary, but he could only direct his header in the direction of the receiver with his shirt pulled tightly.

The pressure from the SSE Airtricity League champions continued with Chris Shields firing a deflected shot before the tie came in the first minute of injury time.

Michael Duffy found room on the left to cross with Murray stealing to look past Zvonimir Mikulić on his first goal since March 2019 to make it 1-1 at the break.

Then Duffy and Murray almost combined for the lead goal in the 53rd minute when a cross from the former caught the run of the midfielder who tried to back up and throw it into goal, but his effort was unfortunately blocked by Faith Obilor.

John Mountney, who replaced the injured Sean Gannon in the 13th minute, fired a shot from the box in the 65th minute after Mikulić cleared Murray’s free kick, but the shot went straight to the goalkeeper.

Dundalk briefly thought it had taken 71 minutes when Patrick Hoban threw a cross from Duffy for Greg Sloggett to head home at the back post, but Hoban was fouled for an apparent foul on the keeper.

Dundalk’s Gary Rogers saves a Faith Friday Obilor penalty

Both teams had the opportunity to avoid extra time. First, Faith Obilor shone in the 89th minute after a clear header from Gartland landed her in the area.

Then Daniel Kelly bit into Mikulić’s palms before crossing over to Duffy, whose downward header was cleared down the line by Obilor.

In the last action of normal time, Gartland headed wide from Duffy’s corner, but was given a free out as overtime was required.

Kelly almost became supplier again 30 seconds after the restart when he broke right to cross Sloggett, but couldn’t get enough grip on the center under pressure from Posmac as the ball dribbled into the arms of a grateful Mikulić.

Then there were two scares for Dundalk in quick succession with five minutes to go when Dabney Dos Santos had a blocked shot from close range before Charles Petro fired inches wide.

On the penalty shoot-out Stefan Colovic and Rifet Kapić opened the scoring for their respective teams, but after Hoban made it 2-1 at Dundalk, Obilor was parried by a brilliant save to his left from Rogers.

Sean Hoare and Patrick McEleney scored only for Max Veloso and William Parra to respond, but, just as he did in the EA Sports Cup final last September, Captain Shields stepped up to score the decisive kick and seal the game. victory for your team.

Sheriff Tiraspol: Zvonimir Mikulic; Ousmane N’Diaye, Faith Obilor, Veaceslav Posmac, Cristiano; Andrei Peteleu (Charles Petro 64), Benedik Mioč (Max Veloso 99), William Parra; Andriy Bliznichenko (Rifet Kapić HT), Frank Castañeda, Dimitris Kolovos (Dabney Dos Santos 88). Unused Subs: Dumitru Celeadnic, Sebastian Dahlström, Richard Gadze.

Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Hoare, Brian Gartland, Daniel Cleary, Darragh Leahy; Chris Shields, Greg Sloggett; Sean Gannon (John Mountney 13) (Daniel Kelly 88), Sean Murray (Patrick McEleney 72), Michael Duffy (Stefan Colovic 102); Patrick Hoban. Unused Subs: Aaron McCarey, Will Patching, David McMillan.

Referee: Aleksandar Stavrev (Macedonia).



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