Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LIEPAJA 2 CRUSADERS 0
Seaview men crash out of the Europa League on away goals:
CRUSADERS suffered heartbreak in Latvia last night when a stoppage time goal knocked them out of the Europa League. Entering the 94th minute, it appeared the Crues would book a second qualifying round tie with Lithuanian outfit Suduva only for Arturs Karasausks to step up and find the net to win the match 2-0 for Liepaja and claim the tie on away goals. Stephen Baxter’s men had led 3-1 from the first leg at Seaview and fancied their chances of finishing the job but left the pitch in despair. A sickener for Baxter, the Crusaders players and the fans who made the journey. “It was a very cruel end to the game. It was heart-wrenching to lose in that manner on away goals in the last 40 seconds,” said Baxter. “It’s incredibly disappointing but our players were immense. Their work-rate and hunger was excellent against a very good side. I’m very proud of my players.” Liepaja dominated the first-half, yet were just a goal ahead at the break with Giorgi Eristavi netting a 33rd minute penalty after Karasausks had been brought down by defender Howard Beverland. Try as they might in the second period the Latvians could find no way through a resolute Crusaders defence and goalkeeper Brian Jensen. Karasausks was the villain for the home side, missing chances to double Liepaja’s advantage. Eventually he would become the hero firing in from close range four minutes into injury time. It was a tough defeat to take for the north Belfast men who had battled so gamely throughout and had played superbly last week on their own patch. They were 3-0 in front then but that man Karasausks smashed home a spectacular 62nd minute strike at Seaview to give the Latvians hope. Baxter, who will now focus on winning the Irish League title back from Linfield, added: “It was a tough first-half for us and they went ahead through the penalty but we improved a lot in the second-half and were desperately unlucky at the end. “We felt that Paul Heatley was fouled just before they played a long ball forward and got the late goal but that’s football.”