A GRIMM FINALE TO EURO DREAM
Hibs’ Europa League fairy tale is at an end after penalties despite heroics in Copenhagen
HIBERNIAN were heroic in the city that gave the world Hans Christian Andersen but there was no fairy-tale ending as they succumbed to a Europa League exit which was downright Grimm.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg at Easter Road, the Edinburgh outfit were aware they were arriving in Copenhagen with an uphill task.
However, manager Neil Lennon watched with pride as his side turned in a disciplined, energetic and tactically perfect performance against one of the traditional powerhouses of Scandinavian football.
David Gray, the man who scored the winning goal and captained Hibs to their first Scottish Cup triumph since 1902, evidently has a penchant for the big occasion and he turned in the goal which gave Hibs a one-goal win on the night.
Goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw was a surprise selection between the sticks but he excelled on his debut for the club.
However, Hibs endured heartbreak from the penalty spot with John McGinn, magnificent throughout the match, missing his kick as Brondby scored every one of their efforts to progress 5-3.
Brondby handed a start to former Celtic striker Teemu Pukki as they sought to drive home their 1-0 advantage from the first leg, attained thanks to Kamil Wilczek’s strike following an error from Otso Virtanen.
Queried over his faith in the Finland Under-21 international during his pre-match Press conference, Lennon made all the right noises, attempting to support the inexperienced stopper and professing faith in his abilities. When it came to naming his side, however, the Hibs boss was ruthless, replacing one rookie at this level of the game with another.
Laidlaw, a summer arrival from Raith Rovers, was handed a baptism of fire at the home of one of the giants of Scandinavian football, having not played a minute of senior football for more than a year.
As a consequence, Laidlaw’s last competitive outing came in the colours of Elgin City, during a loan spell from Raith, in April 2015, and he was on the wrong end of a 5-4 defeat. To say it was ‘a big call’ from Lennon in just his second match in charge would be understating the matter.
The Northern Irishman was confined to the stands following his dismissal at Easter Road and, cutting the figure of a frustrated spectator, he saw his side weather an early storm.
A Polish international of some promise, Wilczek was again proving a threat and took just 10 minutes to cause palpitations in the Hibs back line, heading narrowly over the bar following a Johan Larsson cross.
Brondby captain Larsson, with his cultured right-foot, was a menace throughout and curled a free-kick inches over the bar shortly after.
While many Hibs players are novices at Europa League level, Scotland international McGinn was looking the part during the opening exchanges, recovering possession, displaying good physicality and making neat passes. Only a fine block by Brondby defender Benedikt Rocker stopped the Hibs midfielder from getting a shot away from inside the box following a heartening move by the visitors.
Rocker was similarly effective going forward and delivered a stunning 50-yard cross on to the head of Andrew Hjulsager, who could only direct his header wide of Laidlaw’s post. Lebogang Phiri, who missed the first leg in Edinburgh when he failed to receive a visa, was next to threaten with a drive from 25 yards which cleared the bar.
Brondby, for all their possession and hopeful digs from distance, had yet to test the quality and nerve of Laidlaw — until Christian Norgaard intervened. The Danish youngster drove forward and smashed the ball towards goal from 30 yards, forcing Laidlaw to superbly tip over the bar.
As the second half began, Hibs knew they were charged with making history. Pioneers as Britain’s firstever European competitors when they entered the European Cup in 1955/56, in the intervening 60 years they had never overturned a first-leg deficit following a home defeat.
Indeed, of Scottish clubs, only Motherwell and Celtic, both in 2009, have achieved that feat.
Nevertheless, the side from Leith were determined to give it a go and, within three minutes of the restart, McGinn found Gray with a whipped cross. However, the club skipper nodded over the bar.
Gray would not be denied just after the hour mark. A Dylan McGeouch corner was woefully defended by the hosts, allowing Darren McGregor to help the ball towards goal, where the skipper was waiting to turn on a sixpence and prod over the line.
With Hibs’ defensive resolve holding firm, the contest erupted into controversy in the closing stages.
Pukki was sent scampering through on goal by Larsson, only to be sprawled to the turf under a challenge by McGregor. The home fans howled for a red card, Romanian referee Marius Avram produced a yellow.
Laidlaw then excelled in injurytime, plunging to make a stunning fingertip save, pushing an effort by Larsson inches wide of the post. It was turning into a hell of a night for the young stopper.
A nervous period of extra-time passed, with only Hjulsager coming close, ensuring the encounter would be decided from the penalty spot.
Brondby were peerless from 12 yards and dispatched every single kick was composure and accuracy, whereas McGinn saw a tame effort saved by Frederik Ronnow. Frederik Holst scored the decisive effort as Hibs bowed out with their heads held high.