EUROPA LEAGUE:RAFFAELE CRETARO gave Sligo Rovers a glimmer of hope ahead of their Europa League first qualifying round second leg trip to Albania next week with a cool late penalty at The Showgrounds.
Sligo were trailing 2-0 after Vllaznia goals in six second-half minutes from Dritan Smajlaj and an Alan Keane own goal, while Keane had also seen an 81st minute penalty hit the bar.
But after Vllaznia’s goalkeeper Armir Grimaj was sent off for a foul in the 88th minute Cretaro stepped up to make no mistake and give the unlucky Irishmen a potentially crucial breakthrough.
Rovers were on top for most of the first half but near misses and the agility of the visiting goalkeeper denied them.
Brian Cash’s header flew over after six minutes and Cretaro just failed to get a touch in front of goal seconds later.
Owen Morrisson’s free kick from the edge of the box – awarded after Ronald Boco was taken down – went over the Vllaznia bar in the eighth minute.
The visitors’ first chance came in the 17th minute, but Fetin Kasapi was off target following Sinani’s flick.
A long-range effort from Keane was well blocked by the Grinaj on 26 minutes and the Vllaznia goalkeeper brought off a superb save to deny Cretaro after 34 minutes as Sligo pressed forward.
A smart save by Richard Brush denied Norigin Shtjubina, before a Boco shot struck the woodwork three minutes from half-time as Sligo unhinged the visiting defence.
The visitors toyed with their opponents for a brief spell early in the second half and Smajlaj broke the deadlock in the 68th minute, firing past Brush following a defence-splitting run.
Another great run, this time by Shtjubina, caught the Sligo defence cold eight minutes later and the ball went past Brush after a slight deflection off Keane.
Sligo were awarded a penalty in the 81st minute after a hand ball but Keane’s shot was brilliantly saved by Grimaj.
However, the Vllanzia goalkeeper was sent off two minutes from time for an apparent raised elbow, and Cretaro’s penalty raised Sligo’s hopes.
SLIGO ROVERS:Brush, Keane, Holmes, Feeney, Ventre, O'Grady, Cash, Ryan, Boco, Cretaro, Morrison. Subs: Noctor for Feeney 64, Doherty for Cash 72.
VLLANZIA:Grinaj, Smijli, Mrvaljevac, Osga, Shtjubina, Bellsha, Sinani, Kasapi, Hallaji, Beqiri, Nallbani. Subs: Balaj for Sinani 85, Kasap for Kasapi 88.
Referee:Christof Virant (Belgium)
