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LEFT TO RUE a combination of missed chances and some sloppy defending, Bohemians succumbed to defeat on a frustrating night in their Conference League third qualifying round first leg at Tallaght Stadium.

Though Midtjylland enjoyed more of the ball and showed at times why they finished third in the league phase of the Europa League last season, Bohemians caused them problems, if lacking a cutting edge in the final third. A VAR penalty check going against them scarcely helped.

Goals in each half from Dju Franculino and Valdemar Andreasen, from a fine free-kick, brought victory for the Danish side to put them very much in the driving seat to ease through to the play-off round ahead of next week’s second leg.

Runners-up in the Danish Superliga last season, Midtjylland started five senior internationals, including midfielder Denil Castillo, who was in the Ecuador squad at the World Cup earlier this summer.

Alan Reynolds, the Bohemians head coach, had called on Gypsies fans to be the their 12th man, stressing their support would be crucial to their chances of getting a result.

That, the raucous Bohs following, in an almost full East Stand, duly provided from the off. But it was the visitors who started very much on the front foot, forcing an early corner before working Paul Walters between the Bohs posts for the first time on four minutes.

Guinea-Bissau international Franculino stretched the Bohs’ rearguard to find Andreasen in a pocket of space. Walters had to go full stretch to his left to push the shot round a post.

Defending four subsequent corners, and a couple of long throws into their area, Bohemians began to see more of the ball further up the pitch, wasting a real chance on 18 minutes.

A weak headed clearance by Mads Bech from Douglas James-Taylor’s cross dropped for Jordan Flores. His attempted shot found Ross Tierney whose snatched effort skied over the top.

Connor Parsons then cleverly spun pasted Midtjylland skipper Rasmus Kristensen onto Sam Todd’s long ball down the left to race in on goal. Iceland international goalkeeper Elias Olafsson produced a terrific one-handed save to deny the Bohs winger.

Their positive spell having brought no joy, Bohs found themselves behind on 28 minutes as negligent defending was clinically punished. Sofuf Johannesen’s low cross was merely back-heeled by Todd into the path of Franculino who calmly found the bottom corner with a sweeping left-foot finish.

If labouring at their end, Bohs were proving they could cause the Danish side issues at the other; James-Taylor planting a downward header straight at Olafsson from a Flores corner, a third big chance of the half going to waste.

Encouraged nonetheless, Bohs came out with added impetus for the second half and thought they had an avenue back into the game on 57 minutes.

The Romanian referee initially awarded a penalty after Castillo’s foot made contact with Tierney’s head from Flores’ ball into the area.

But following a two-minute VAR check, including a trip by the official to the touchline monitor, he gave an offside.

That dented Bohemians’ revival as Midtjylland regained the initiative, Cian Byrne needing to make a telling block to deny Kjell Watjen when Castillo got to the end line to cross.

An unfortunate handball on the edge of the area by substitute Dayle Rooney on 77 minutes then presented Midtjylland with the opportunity for their second goal.

Andreasen took it with aplomb, curling the direct free-kick up and round the Bohs wall to the top corner of Walters’ net.

Bohemians: Walters; Byrne, Hickey, Todd; Power, Devoy, Flores (McDonnell, 78), Mullen (Rooney, 72); Tierney (Vaughan, 78), James-Taylor (Whelan, 72), Parsons (Strods, 72).

Midtjylland: Olafsson; Kristensen, Bravo (Cho, h-t), Bech, Junior; Billing (Watjen, 56); Johannesen (Osorio, h-t), Castillo, Andreasen; Franculino (Iheanacho, 88), Etim (Gabriel, h-t).

Referee: Rares Vidicon (Romania).

Attendance: 6,085.

Written by Paul Buttner and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.

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