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Eu Reds: Haugesund

Our mini-series of European anniversaries takes us back just 12 months to Cliftonville’s most recent outing on the continental stage.

For it was on this day last year that the Reds exited the Europa League at the hands of Haugesund on a soaking wet evening in Norway.

Trailing 1-0 from the home leg of this First Qualifying Round tie, Cliftonville’s task was heightened when Kristoffer Velde doubled the hosts’ aggregate lead with a stunning strike after just five minutes.

Hopes of a shock upset were, however, ignited soon later when Conor McMenamin’s fine finish put the seal on a slick move that lifted the Reds right back into contention, only for the Eliteserien outfit to take a firm grip on things courtesy of goals from Nicklas Sandberg and Ibrahima Kone before half-time.

By now 4-1 up overall, Haugesund added to their tally after the interval through Bruno Leite and Velde’s second howitzer to book a showdown with Sturm Graz in the next phase.

Cliftonville: Brush, McDermott, Ives, Breen, C Curran, R Donnelly, Bagnall, Doherty, Gormley, McMenamin, Gorman.
Subs: Dunne, Harney, Harkin, R Curran (for Bagnall), Foster, Wilson (for Doherty), Maguire (for Gormley).