Crusaders produced dream perfomance to grab a 2-2 draw with Norwegian side Rosenborg, in the first leg, second round of qualification in the UEFA Europa Conference League at Seaview. Midfield Maestro Philip Lowry got the first, before the visitors hit back with two goals before half-time. Crusaders applied the pressure in the second-half and were rightfully rewarded with a Billy Joe Burns equaliser. They could have won the game late on but had to settle for the draw. They now have a real shot at going through in next Thursday’s tie in Trondheim.
The home side remained unchanged from last week, with captain Burns recovering from a rib injury. They started the better of the two sides, imposing an attacking style rather than looking to play on the counter. Five minutes in Crusaders had the first effort. Ross Clarke with the ball over the defence and Ben Kennedy drilling a low-effort on target but it was well saved by Andre Hansen in goal. After 11 minutes the Crues made the breakthrough. Striker Adam Lecky with the flick on from a long ball and Lowry smashed home from 10 yards to send the home crowd delirious. On 16 minutes, Stephen Baxter’s men were unlucky not to double their lead. Jordan Forsythe with a delightful through-ball down the left which was collected by Paul Heatley who shot from eight yards out, however, Hansen managed to bundle the ball onto the near post and clear the danger. As the half wore on, Rosenborg began to stamp their authority with some patient build-up, and they made their possession pay on 30 minutes. Influential attacker Carlo Holse smartly dummied Philip Lowry before unleashing a swerving low effort from the edge of the area which appeared to catch Crues’ keeper Jonny Tuffey out to make it 1-1. Things went from bad to worse 12 minutes later for the home side. Defender Daniel Larmour guilty of a handball inside the box, and up stepped striker Ole Saeter to calmly stroke the ball down the middle of the goal to make it 2-1 at the break.
Crusaders began the second period lively, with Forsythe going close with a header, just over, on 55 minutes. Despite this, the Rosenborg threat on the counter-attack remained and they had two excellent chances within 60 seconds just after the hour mark. Firstly, Holse, then Saeter missed the target when they should have scored. With home support continuing to make as much noise as possible, the north Belfast side got a deserved equaliser against the run of play. Lowry stumbled on the ball which rolled back into the path of captain marvel Burns, who unleashed a thunderbolt from 25 yards. Defender Erlend Reitan got in the way but only diverted the ball into the net leaving his goalkeeper with no chance. The roof was well and truly lifted off Seaview. In the dying moments it was the Crues who finished stronger and could have won it with a Burns shot out wide which was magnificently saved and a goal-mouth scramble that somehow stayed out. Crusaders can stand tall knowing they delivered on the night
Crusaders: J.Tuffey, BJ.Burns, P.Lowry, B.Kennedy (J.Owens 73’), A.Lecky (J.Winchester 65’), J.Forsythe, J.O’Rourke, D.Larmour, P.Heatley, R.McKeown, R.Clarke (L.Anderson 73’)
Rosenborg: A.Hansen, E.Reitan, T.Borkeeiet (P.Skjelbred 65’), O.Saeter (A.Sadiku 65’), C.Holse, J.Nelson (H.Rosten 90’), S.Rogers, M.Bjorlo, A.Pereira, E.Tagseth, U.Jenssen