Shamrock Rovers 0-2 Odds BK
It appears to be a case of Rover and out for Pat Fenlon’s men as Odds BK beat Shamrock Rovers 2-0 in the Europa League qualifying second round after Olivier Occean netted a brace at Tallaght Stadium.
The Hoops, having unveiled Damien Duff during the week, lacked the attacking threat and composure in front of goal to challenge the Norwegian visitors.
Odds head into next Thursday’s second leg with a two-goal cushion thanks to an Occean second-half double, with one coming from the spot and the other the result of a bullet header.
Rovers, the SSE Airtricity League draw specialists, pitted themselves against a Norwegian side who have registered seven draws this season in their own domestic lead.
It was unsurprising that Pat Fenlon should go with just one outright forward in Michael Drennan, his opposite number Dag-Eilev Fagermo deploying a similar 4-5-1 formation.
However, the visitors were able to spring forward at pace, quickly moving to three in attack, with Craig Hyland getting his hands dirty after 11 minutes but right-back Espen Rudd’s left-footed cross-cum-shot was a weak one.
The Norwegians showed more confidence on the ball, while Rovers held firm in the incessant downpour in Dublin 24.
Odds slow build-up opened the door for the overlapping Rudd in the 22nd minute, but his pull- back cross was tidied up by a combination of Conor Kenna and Hyland.
Gary McCabe’s 30-yard drive in the 26th minute turned into a straightforward save for Sondre Lovseth Rossbach as Rovers registered their first effort on target.
Three minutes later Kieran Marty Waters went agonisingly close after Ardian Gashi had picked up a yellow card for a foul on David Webster.
Odds didn’t deal with the free-kick from just inside their half as Drennan flicked on Gavin Brennan’s return, with Waters drilling his close-range volley over the bar.
Chukwuma Akabeuze should have tested Hyland in the 35th minute but the Nigerian’s header floated well wide of goal.
Rovers came out of the blocks fast in the second half as Michael Drennan’s volley from just 10 yards out batted away by Lovseth Rossbach.
Shouts for a penalty where waved away by Swiss referee Bieri as Patrick Cragg’s follow-up volley was seen as ball-to-hand, rather than deliberate, by Nordkvelle.
Seven minutes later Odds grabbed their first precious away goal of the night from the penalty spot as Hoops skipper Kenna needlessly brought down Nordkvelle.
Occean calmly chipped the ball high to Craig Hyland’s right as the Canada international sent the keeper the wrong way.
Drennan nearly had Rovers on level terms in the 59th minute as his speculative 30-yard angled drive was spilled by Lovseth Rossbach, who just recovered to gather on the line.
The visitors grew in confidence and it was no surprise when they doubled their advantage in the 67th minute. Occean’s bullet header from Akabueze’s corner came off the underside of the bar and bounced the wrong side of the line for the Hoops.
Rovers should have found the net in the 73rd minute but Drennan’s overhead didn’t fully connect with Luke Byrne’s cross as Ryan Brennan then misfired his volley in front of goal.
Moments later substitute Brandon Miele and Drennan couldn’t turn in Madden’s teasing cross as Rovers stretched for a way back into the tie, but the goal wouldn’t come, leaving Fenlon’s men with a mountain to climb next Thursday.
Shamrock Rovers: Craig Hyland, Simon Madden, Conor Kenna, David Webster, Luke Byrne, Ryan Brennan (Cian Kavanagh 85), Gavin Brennan (Danny North 80), Patrick Cregg, Gary McCabe, Kieran Marty Waters (Brandon Miele 67), Michael Drennan.
Odds BK: Sondre Lovseth Rossbach, Espen Rudd, Lars Kristian Eriksen, Steffen Hagen, Emil Jonassen, Ole Jorgen Halvorsen, Jone Samuelsen, Ardian Gashi (Fredrik Oldrup Jensen HT), Fredrik Nordkvelle, Chukwuma Akabeuze ( Havard Storbaek 83), Oliver Occean (Vegard Bergan 85).
Referee: Alain Bieri (Switzerland).
