Steven Lennon comes back to haunt Dundalk with key away goal

Dundalk 1 FH Hafnarfjordur 1

Steven Lennon returned to haunt his old club at Oriel Park, the Scottish striker bagging a priceless away goal for Icelandic champions FH Hafnarfjordur in their Champions League second qualifying round tie with Dundalk.

Sixty six minutes had elapsed when David McMillan, who missed a gilt-edged chance to put the hosts ahead on the stroke of half-time, showed remarkable composure to judge a Patrick McEleney cross before turning the ball past Gunnar Nielsen to send the home supporters crazy.

Those celebrations came to an end 10 minutes later, however, when Lennon, who failed to hit the net during his spell with the Lilywhites in 2010, rifled home with his left foot to give FH the upper hand ahead of the second leg in Iceland next week.

The League of Ireland champions played at a high tempo in the first half with McEleney and Ronan Finn dictating things in the centre of the park but FH goalkeeper Nielsen had a relatively comfortable half.

It was his opposite number, Gary Rogers, who made the save of the first period in the 27th minute, flinging himself to his left to claw away an Atli Gudnason effort that looked destined to give the visitors a lead against the run of play.

Dundalk centre back Brian Gartland failed to shake off a wrist injury sustained in the opening 15 minutes, limping off in the 43rd minute to be replaced by Paddy Barrett.

His departure came during a stoppage in play and Dundalk should have hit the front from the resumption. Daryl Horgan’s 30-yard free-kick was only parried back into the six-yard box by Nielsen but McMillan could only divert the rebound horribly over the top with his left foot.

McMillan put that setback behind him in the 66th minute. The goal was the result of a fantastic counter attack on the right. Seán Gannon intervened to set McEleney free and his superb cross was guided home in style by McMillan, his seventh goal in just 13 days.

Dundalk were undone 10 minutes later, though. Left back Bodvar Bodvarsson’s low cross was diverted into Lennon’s path by the unfortunate Barrett and the former Rangers player stunned the home crowd with a clinical left-foot finish.

The visitors, who have been regulars in European competition for the last 13 seasons, showed all their experience in the latter stages, taking the sting out of the game by slowing things down at every opportunity.

And they almost delivered a sucker punch in the 91st minute, Thorarinn Valdimarsson's drive across the face of goal almost deflecting past Rogers off the foot of Dundalk substitute Robbie Benson.

DUNDALK: Rogers; Gannon, Gartland (Barrett, 43 mins), Boyle, Massey; Finn, O'Donnell; Mountney (Benson, 81 mins), McEleney, Horgan; McMillan (Kilduff, 78 mins).

FH HAFNARFJORDUR: Nielsen; Hendrickx, Doumbia, Olafsson, Bodvarsson; D Vidarsson (P Vidarsson, 87 mins), Palsson, B Vidarsson; Valdimarsson, Lennon, Gudnason (Hewson, 80 mins).

Referee: Nikola Popov (Bulgaria).