Shankland's Birthday Brilliance Shines Through Despite Hearts' Loss to Rosenborg
Hearts face a close defeat against Rosenborg in the Europa Conference League first leg, but Lawrence Shankland's goal sparks optimism for the second leg; winner to face Hajduk Split or PAOK
On his birthday, Lawrence Shankland, the birthday boy, provided a boost for Hearts in the Europa Conference League match, as he scored a vital goal in the second half of their 2-1 loss against Rosenborg in Trondheim. The home team took the lead in the 14th minute through Emil Frederiksen, while Jayden Nelson, a 20-year-old Canadian international, extended their advantage to 2-0 just before halftime added time.
The Jambos were trailing behind, but they showed a positive response after half-time and managed to score a goal in the 78th minute through their captain on his 28th birthday. This could potentially shift the advantage towards the Gorgie side for the upcoming return game at Tynecastle next Thursday night. Frankie McAvoy, the head coach of Hearts, will surely be pleased with his team's resilience in fighting back after a difficult first half.
He made changes to his line-up following the comfortable 2-0 victory against St Johnstone in the Premiership on Saturday. Notably, Beni Baningime, who had been out for 17 months due to a torn knee ligament, started for the first time since March 2022. However, he had a difficult time and was substituted at halftime. Additionally, Rangers loanee and midfielder Alex Lowry made his first start, while left-back Alex Cochrane was also brought back into the team.
Svein Maalen's team, currently in eighth place in Norway's Eliteserien after 18 games, had their first shot on goal within the first two minutes. Carlo Holse's attempt to redirect a cross missed the target, followed by a long-range effort from 16-year-old Sverre Nypan that went over the bar.
Nevertheless, the home team took a deserved lead when Nypan dribbled past Baningime in the Hearts' penalty area and provided a cross for Frederiksen. From just a few yards away, Frederiksen managed to get in front of Cochrane and knock the ball into the net.
During the first half, Hearts had their first shot on goal, but goalkeeper Andre Hansen easily saved Alan Forrest's low drive.
Shortly after, Jambos goalkeeper Zander Clark made an impressive save as Nelson's curling shot threatened to find the back of the net, aiming for the inside of the far post.
At the half-hour mark, Rosenborg's Tobias Borkeeiet made an attempt with a powerful shot from a distance that narrowly missed Clark's left-hand post.
However, in the second minute of added time, Nypan swiftly outran Baningime, who was struggling, causing him to stop abruptly. Taking advantage of the disorganized Hearts defense, Nypan effortlessly passed the ball to Nelson, who finished from a short distance to defeat Clark.
Peter Haring replaced Baningime in the second half, resulting in the visitors appearing more comfortable. In the 52nd minute, Shankland failed to score with a header, which should have been on target.
During an attempt to connect with a Cochrane pass, Lowry was brought down by the Rosenborg keeper inside the box, leading to a penalty shout. However, the Romanian referee Andrei Chivulete remained unmoved.
With 12 minutes remaining, Rejuvenated Hearts finally obtained the deserved goal as Stephen Kingsley, the substitute, delivered a precise cross from the left for Scotland striker Shankland to skillfully head it past Hansen. Despite Rosenborg looking slightly unsettled while the Edinburgh side pressed for an equalizer, they managed to hold on for the win. However, Hearts will depart Norway with confidence in their ability to bounce back in the second leg and potentially secure a encounter with either Hajduk Split or PAOK.
