Shamrock Rovers gave by far the strongest away performance of their Europa Conference League campaign but ultimately fell to a 1-0 defeat against table toppers Djurgardens in Sweden this evening.
Former Sweden international Magnus Eriksson scored the game's only goal just inside the 20th minute mark, completing a beautiful, flowing move but, unlike in Belgium or Norway, the League of Ireland champions remained competitive throughout, Rory Gaffney and Neil Farrugia having chances to equalise, with Jack Byrne a consistently enterprising presence in the second half.
Two months ago, Rovers had earned an opening round point against the highly rated Swedish outfit - currently in second spot in the Allsvenskan table, where they are guaranteed to finish after the weekend's action - even spurning opportunities in the second half to take all three points.
Since then, Djurgardens, the exact spelling of whose name has been a source of some dispute in this part of the world, have emerged as the strongest team in the group, winning four from four, making sure of top spot before tonight's game.
Stephen Bradley's side, meanwhile, had floundered badly in their two away games in the group, shipping 3-0 losses in both Gent and Molde, the Rovers manager indicating that he was inclined to prioritise the league, with Derry City cranking up the pressure at home.
With the Premier Division trophy now safely resting in Tallaght for another year, the Hoops were freer to have a cut off this away fixture and delivered their most impressive performance on the road in the group.
The 40-year-old Alan Mannus, who recently won his fifth league title with the club, was rested, with German Leon Pohls being granted his first European start.
The visitors survived a scare in the opening minute, Andy Lyons being caught by a bouncing crossfield ball, Joel Asoro, cutting inside from the right, nipped in to head the ball onwards, tearing off towards goal. As he was set to pull the trigger on the edge of the box, Lopes dived in with a timely block, the shot ballooning over the bar.
The Swedes took the lead on 19 minutes after a beautifully assured passing move, which begun from the keeper.
Magnus Eriksson, the eventual goalscorer, was prominent in the build-up, collecting a through ball from Rasmus Schuller in midfield, slipping a pass left to Gustav Wikheim. He fed Elias Andersson, steaming past on the overlap. The full-back's cut-back found Kalle Holmberg, who eschewed the shot, coolly teeing the ball up for the arriving Eriksson, who side-footed past Pohls.
Dan Cleary was booked soon after for a despairing tug-back on Wikheim, after the winger had spun past him down the left flank. Lopes, dominant in the air as usual, headed clear the resultant free-kick. Bradley subsequently whipped off Cleary at half-time, Sean Gannon, proud owner of nine league titles, introduced in his place.
In the first half hour, the visitors enjoyed reasonably lengthy spells in possession, albeit without mustering many chances. The lively Neil Farrugia did create an opening on 36 minutes, driving down the right flank, before cutting inside purposefully. While he couldn't work enough space to swing a proper shot, the ball ran into Byrne's path, he helped it onto towards Richie Towell, on the shoulder of the last defender.
Towell shot first-time on the spin, the keeper Widell Zetterstrom saving with his shoulder. The offside flag shot up, though replays indicate it was a very marginal call.
Two minutes before half-time, Rovers worked a nice move, switching the play from wing to wing, Byrne, Towell and Gaffney all heavily involved. The latter eventually dinked in a cross, far too close to Zetterstrom. Lyons lunged in vain, taking down the home keeper in the process.
Deep in first half injury-time, Rovers had their best chance of the game. After a Byrne corner was cleared, Gary O'Neill picked up the second ball, spraying a perfect pass onto the toe of his midfield partner. Byrne whipped in a beauty of a cross, Lopes helped it with a glancing header. The ball arrived to Gaffney at the back post, however the striker snatched at the opportunity, lashing it high into the side-netting from close range.
Rovers started the second half in lively mood, Byrne in particular stamping his personality on the game. He sent Farrugia clear down the right wing, with a curled crossfield ball. The ex-UCD man raced into the box, cut inside, hesitated rather than taking the shot, at one point refusing the possibility of going down when he appeared to be clipped.
He duly ran into traffic as the covering Djurgardens defenders hurried back to close off the angles. The visitors did maintain possession, Sean Hoare ultimately firing a well-struck but speculative volley down the throat of Zetterstrom.
Moments later, Byrne again, raided forward, riding a tackle in midfield and driving into the final third, slipping a pass to the unmarked Towell, whose fizzing shot from distance was initially juggled by the keeper, but then gathered at the second attempt.
This early burst of attacking activity abated as Djurgardens re-asserted their authority, Eriksson pulling the strings.
Lopes dealt expertly with a two-on-one situation after a deft flick from Wikheim, sent Holmberg clear, with Rovers caught short at the back. However, the Cape Verde international cut out Holmberg's swerved pass seeking out the unmarked Asoro on the right wing.
Wikheim continued to torment Rovers down the left side, leaving Gannon for dead on 69 minutes, he cut inside menacingly towards goal, eventually reaching the edge of the box. As he unfurled a shot, however, Lee Grace dived to execute a vital block.
With 20 remaining, Byrne was harshly booked for impeding Wikheim down the left sideline, the ref taking little account of the midfielder's clear to pull out of the tackle. An irate Stephen Bradley, standing close to the incident, followed his midfielder into the book for his protests.
The hosts had a glorious opportunity to put the match to bed with 15 minutes left, Lopes' failed interception attempt leaving at the gap at the heat of the defence, Emmanuel Banda and Holmberg's swift one-two sending the former through on goal. As Gannon raced across to pressure the shot, Banda tried a tame side-foot, easily stopped by Pohls.
Pressing for a second, the hosts introduced top scorer Victor Edvardsen but Rovers remained highly dangerous. Again, Byrne, so impressive after the break, almost worked an opening, curling a through ball for Farrugia who almost stole behind the defence, the diving full-back doing just enough to impede him.
A minute later, Schuller was booked for a foul just outside the penalty area on the right hand side. Byrne's free was headed away but only to the left edge of the penalty area, the recently introduced Viktor Serdeniuk fired a volley across goal, Lopes was completely unmarked at the back post but couldn't react in time to connect with his in-step and the chance was lost.
With Rovers leaving gaps at the back, the hosts had a golden chance to seal it early in injury-time, Pohls charging way out of his area to prevent a one-on-one for Edvardsen, his header clear was ineffectual and the ball was swiftly knocked behind him for the striker. With the goal gaping, Edvardsen was too cute, opting to slip a pass for Banda, which was cut out by the retreating Lopes, a tower of strength all night.
Though the Swedes never found the second, their work was done and they saw it out, topping the group with 16 points, with Gent progressing alongside them after a dominant 4-0 home win against Molde in the other game.
While Rovers' Conference League showing overall might be deemed a disappointment, their campaign finished tonight on a heartening note, from which they can build heading into 2023.
Djugardens: Zetterstrom, Johansson, Danielson, Ekdal, Andersson, Finndell, Schuller, Eriksson (Banda, 66), Asoro (Radetinac, 66), Holmberg (Edvardsen, 80), Wikheim (Ademi, 80).
Shamrock Rovers: Pohls, Cleary (Gannon, 45), Lopes, Grace, Byrne, Towell (Power, 64), Hoare (Finn, 86), O'Neill (Serdeniuk, 86), Lyons, Gaffney (Greene, 77), Farrugia.
