St Pat's lose Intertoto first round tie
Rijeka 3, St Patrick’s Athletic 2
Two late goals from Rijeka striker Sandro Klic denied St Patrick’s Athletic an away win in the first leg of their Intertoto Cup first round tie.
The Croatian side started the brighter, with Mate Brajkovic putting a shot just wide of the post after only six minutes.
A minute before the break, and much against the run of play, Paul Osam beat defender Mladen Ivancic to a Martin Russell corner to put St Patrick’s in front.
Rijeka continued to press after the interval and were soon level as Goran Brajkovic’s cross was first mis-hit by Goran Vincetic, but finally slotted home by the lively Mate Brajkovic.
St Patrick’s restored their the lead in the 78th minute when Ger McCarthy drove forward from the midfield and hit a blistering 20-yard drive past Djoni Tafra.
But Rijeka never gave up the chase and, with a minute remaining, second-half substitute Klic equalised from a teasing cross by Vincetic.
Then, in stoppage time, Klic hit an unstoppable shot from outside the area that beat Seamus Kelly, and sealed a memorable victory for the home side.
