Scottish teams have a well earned reputation for Glorious Failure but it is doubtful if anyone has ever managed to do a Linfield.
Back in the eighties St Mirren enjoyed a 3-3 draw away to Hammerby, scored late in the match at Love Street but then lost two goals in stoppage time to crash out of the UEFA Cup.
Compared to Linfield’s exit to Riga in the UEFA Conference that night in Paisley was fairly routine.
Already this season the Belfast club have been skelped out of the Champions League and Europa League to Bodo Glimt and Zurich, as a safety net they were drawn against Riga of Latvia.
David Healy’s side looked to be in cruse control as they led 2-0 in the 87th minute of the first leg in Latvia, Riga thought otherwise however with goals in the 88th minute and fifth minute of stoppage time keeping the tie alive.
Expectation was high at Windsor Park with the prospect of six European matches before mid November on offer. After 90 minutes the match was goal-less, with away goals a thing of the past the match went to extra-time with Kyle McClean scoring for the home side in the 104th minute.
With 120 minutes on the clock Linfield broke up the park with a three on one chance to finally kill the tie off. Then this happened.
— Tam sellic son (@TamsellicsonIII) August 25, 2022
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— Chris ¹? (@Rio17gfc) August 25, 2022
Following Jimmy Callacher’s own goal the tie went to penalties with the Latvians winning 4-2 on penalties. Linfield can now concentrate their energies on going for a world record 57th league title.
Linfield are the first team to be knocked out of three UEFA competitions before the end of August.
Lovely, could not happen yo a better deserved bunch
LOL x infinity.