Lincoln Red Imps dramatic comeback to qualify for league phase of Conference League

Larne 0-2 Lincoln Red Imps ( 0-3 AET)
(Lincoln win 3-2 on aggregate)

Lincoln Red Imps travelled to Belfast with a two-goal deficit and an almighty task ahead of them if they wished to continue in the UEFA Conference League this season.

Facing Northern Irish side Larne, the Gibraltar league champions departed Gibraltar having, as Graeme Torrilla put it, taken the “cobwebs away” from their first-leg defeat by winning the Pepe Reyes Cup against rivals St Joseph at the weekend.

As Torrilla pointed out, the weekend match had provided the team with some confidence in what they could achieve after coming back from an early goal to win 3-1.

This was, however, a very different scenario, with Larne fully focused on the task ahead and facing the Imps in front of their home crowd. Passage beyond the play-offs would guarantee the winners a significant economic boost as they headed into the league phase of the competition.

Both sides had come through the Champions Path into the play-offs, making it a significant moment for both clubs. In other matches at the same stage, the likes of Brighton, Motherwell, Hibernian, Hearts, Ajax, Braga, Rangers, Monaco and Getafe were also playing to remain in European club competition.

Motherwell and Rangers were among the sides dropping out of European competition at this stage, highlighting how simply reaching the play-offs was an achievement in itself for clubs such as Lincoln Red Imps, although the Gibraltar club was no newcomer to this stage of the competition.

Lincoln were to see Torrilla line up among the starting eleven, having played in the weekend’s cup final. This was good news for the Gibraltar national team coach, who was now seeing one of his players return to fitness. Also among the starting eleven were Kike and Toledano, with Nano also featuring.

The Imps tested Larne early on, although the hosts were also to test Lincoln’s defence during the opening 15 minutes.

Played at Inver Park on a cloudy evening, with temperatures considerably lower than those experienced in Gibraltar, it was a tightly contested opening half-hour, with chances at both ends.

For Larne, the longer they could keep the visitors at bay, the more the tie remained in their favour. The two-goal lead secured in Gibraltar had made them firm favourites to progress.

The first half finished scoreless, although Lincoln had not been without their chances to break the deadlock.

A tense second half was to see at least three yellow cards shown during the final quarter of an hour, with Lincoln increasingly threatening to break the deadlock.

Larne were to receive a major scare in the 82nd minute as Kike struck through an assist from Esterling, leaving the door open for the Imps to search for the second goal that would take the tie into extra time.

Mounting the pressure on the hosts, Lincoln struck another deep blow just three minutes later. Toledano scored Lincoln’s second goal, equalising the tie on aggregate. Once again, Nano was involved in creating the opportunity as the Imps started to see the team gel together at precisely the right time.

What had looked like a near-impossible task had suddenly become a dramatic, last-ditch comeback, with the tie level.

If Lincoln had suffered an early blow in the first leg through a sending-off, the reverse fixture was to see the same happen at the other end of the tie. Gibson, having received a second yellow card, was sent off for Larne, leaving the hosts with ten men as they faced a final battle to save the tie.

As the match entered injury time, Gallagher was also shown a yellow card as Larne’s evening began to unravel. Having been favourites to progress, they now found themselves fighting to win a tie they had appeared to have already secured.

The yellow cards continued, with newcomer Pinto receiving one for Lincoln.

The referee eventually blew for full-time with the aggregate score level at 2-2. Lincoln Red Imps had cancelled out Larne’s first-leg advantage with an away victory of their own.

The first half of extra time began with Larne down to ten men and needing to recover from having been forced into an additional 30 minutes after appearing to have secured victory with less than ten minutes remaining.

With the likes of Rangers, Shamrock Rovers, PAOK, Qarabag, Motherwell, Drita, Austria Wien, Hibernian and Partizan already confirmed as having been knocked out, Lincoln Red Imps continued their search for the dream of reaching the league stage of the Conference League for a third time, against all the odds.

The first half of extra time saw Toledano miss the target, with Bent also missing for Larne immediately afterwards.

Pinto responded with a chance of his own, but his effort also went wide for Lincoln.

Larne made a change, throwing on a forward for a midfielder despite being down to ten men. The Northern Irish side were hoping to find a winner rather than face the gamble of a penalty shoot-out.

Toledano came close to scoring for the Imps moments before the first half of extra time came to an end.

Pavon brought on Joe for Torrilla during the second half of extra time, with Joe having an attempt on goal within two minutes of stepping onto the field.

Just as they entered the final minute, Larne brought on another forward. However, it was the Gibraltar Football League’s top goalscorer, Toledano, who was to deliver the decisive blow, scoring the final goal from a last-minute penalty.

Pavon immediately brought on additional defenders and a midfielder as he looked to protect the slender lead.

Lincoln Red Imps, in a dramatic comeback, had secured victory in extra time, guaranteeing their place in the league stage of the Conference League for a third time.