Linfield were seconds away from winning before their European dream was crushed in gut-wrenching fashion as they lost 4-2 on penalties to RFS on a hugely dramatic night at Windsor Park.
Matthew Clarke and Ethan Devine missed the spot-kicks for the Blues after their Europa Conference League play-off finished 3-3 on aggregate.
A Jimmy Callacher own goal in the last minute of extra time gave the Latvians a 1-1 second-leg draw after a Kyle McClean goal on 104 minutes looked like it would give the hosts a deserved win.
In the end David Healy’s men were left to rue missing a host of good chances in the closing stages of the 90 minutes as they missed out on becoming the first Irish League club to reach the group stage of a European competition.
The south Belfast club, who have won the Irish Premiership title for four consecutive seasons, were on course for making their group stage debut and earning the £2.4m (2.9m euros) windfall which that delivers.
It was the 120th minute of the game when a low cross came in from the left and experienced defender Callacher, a half-time substitute on his return from injury, miskicked his clearance and sliced the ball on to the underside of the crossbar and just over the line.
McClean’s goal came 16 minutes earlier when he controlled a right-wing cross from the excellent Kirk Millar before drilling a well-controlled drive just inside the post in front of the vocal home support in The Kop.
More to follow.
