Sligo Rovers produce massive upset in Europe

Rosenborg 1 Sligo Rovers 2

Alan Keane and Danny North grabbed the crucial goals on a famous night for Sligo Rovers in Europe yesterday.

Sligo shocked Rosenborg to claim a deserved 2-1 win in Norway – despite conceding a sloppy late own goal.

Rovers started with intent and inside the first 45 seconds Séamus Conneely and Danny North combined to release David Cawley into the box but the latter’s shot was blocked.

Former Blackburn star Morten Gamst Pedersen released Alexander Soderlund on 11 minutes but the striker pulled his shot across the goal.

The home side twice threatened Gary Rogers’ goal with strikes from Pal Andre Helland in the next ten minutes. The pacey Helland was a menace on the left, and after Daniel Ledwith went off with an early injury, his attacking play led to bookings for both Kalen Spillane and Gaynor before the break.

Pedersen was a threat from set-pieces, but he found Rogers in top form on a number of occasions.

Superb save

He also made a superb save on 27 minutes, diving low to his right to deny Mike Jensen. But Rovers held out to the break and they took the lead against the run of play on 54 minutes.

Keane broke down the right and saw his initial shot blocked by Alexander Hansen, but his second effort deflected past the helpless keeper. It was Keane’s second goal in two two European games.

Shellshocked by that, Rosenborg introduced Ole Selnaes immediately to try and respond, but they found Rogers in superb form in the visitors’ goal.

The ’keeper made a brilliant block low to his left to deny Pedersen from a header on the hour-mark, though he was grateful for the assistance of Evan McMillan shortly after.

Again Pedersen had the header at the back-post, but McMillan got back on the line to head clear. And Rovers silenced the home crowd with their second on 71 minutes.

A brilliant flowing move saw John Russell pick out Cawley on the right-hand side and his pinpoint cross was expertly finished at the back post by North.

Rosenborg pulled one back with ten minutes left, when Rogers failed to deal with a Pedersen corner, and the ball bounced off the unfortunate David Cawley and in. But Sligo held out for a famous away victory.

ROSENBORG: Hansen, Mikkelsen, Skjelvik, Reginiussen, Dorsin, Helland (Sorloth 81), Jensen (Diskerud 72), Berntsen (Selnaes 56), Riski, Pedersen, Soderlund.

SLIGO ROVERS: Rogers, Keane, McMillan, Spillane, Ledwith (O'Conor 25), Conneely, Cawley, Russell, Gaynor, Djilali (Maguire 84), North (Keating 81).

Referee: M Tykgaard (Denmark).