Champions League qualifier first leg: BK Hacken 3-1 New Saints - Conor Roberts keeps visitors in tie
- Published
Connor Roberts pulled off a series of saves to limit the loss at Hacken
The New Saints were made to pay for a terrible start in Sweden after losing 3-1 to BK Hacken in their Champions League qualifier.
Saints recovered from conceding two goals inside the opening 12 minutes of this first leg in Gothenburg.
Striker Declan McManus salvaged a goal only for the Swedish champions to strike a third before half-time.
However a series of Connor Roberts saves offered Saints a glimmer of hope ahead of the return match next Tuesday.
Manager Craig Harrison knew his team had been handed a "really, really tough" draw having admitted his surprise that the Swedish league winner were unseeded for the Champions League.
Other than an injury to Adam Wilson, TNS were at full strength for this first leg at Hisingen Arena in Sweden's second city.
Hosts Hacken, third in Sweden's top-flight Allsvenskan, were without Benie Traore who had been allowed to travel to hold talks with Premier League-bound Sheffield United.
However the loss of their star striker did not blunt Hacken's attack with two early goals.
Ibrahim Sadiq was allowed too much space by Chris Marriott. His first effort was blocked but the Ghana Under-20 international volleyed in the rebound from a tight angle on seven minutes.
Danish midfielder Mikkel Rygaard doubled the lead five minutes later when he casually directed his volley past goalkeeper Conor Roberts and the omens looked worrying for TNS.
Hacken continued to dominate possession but were twice denied by Roberts before TNS finally found a foothold.
Daniel Redmond had the goalkeeper stretching with a long range effort before McManus headed in on 32 minutes.
Marriott released Jordan Williams down the left flank and his cross was perfectly met by last season's top-scorer.
However Hacken almost immediately restored their two-goal advantage, though in controversial style.
Declan McManus' goal has given TNS hope for the second leg next week
Rygaard's indirect free-kick looked have sailed directly into the corner of the Saints' net but VAR ruled centre-back Even Hovland was both onside and had made contact.
It was a tough break for the visitors who almost cut the lead again only for McManus to fire wide on the stroke of half-time.
However a vastly improved, if scrappy, second half display kept Saints in contention.
Josh Daniels was left bloodied, Rory Holdon went close with a rare chance and Roberts pulled off two more outstanding saves in injury time set up a an intriguing tie at Park Hall on 18 July.
The winners will progress to the second qualifying round against either Ki Klaksvík of the Faroe Islands or Hungarian side Ferencvaros.
The losers of the tie will go into the Europa Conference League second qualifying round and will face Slovakia's Slovan Bratislava or Swift Hesper of Luxembourg.
Saints, who won the Cymru Premier title for the 15th time last season, have made no secret of their ambition to become the first Welsh club to reach the group stages of a European club competition.
The club has set its sights on emulating the likes of Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers and Gibraltar's Lincoln Red Imps in reaching the group stage of the Europa Conference League within the next five years.
Saints manager Craig Harrison told BBC Radio Shropshire:
"Hacken are full of quality and international players and were every bit as good as we thought they would be," he said.
"But our boys deserve a lot of credit. They could have crumbled after the early goals but we're work on becoming resilient. They put their bodies on the line, finished strong and Connor has made some great saves.
"As crazy as it sounds, we're still in this. At 4-1 it may have been a bridge too far. But if we get the first goal next week, it's all on."