Highlights: Linfield v Vikingur

Stephen Alexander
BBC Sport NI contributor

Linfield set up a European rematch with Shelbourne after overcoming Vikingur 3-2 on aggregate in their Uefa Conference League third qualifying round tie at Windsor Park.

A spectacular Kieran Offord strike and an Ari Olsen own goal were enough for the Irish Premiership champions to overturn their 2-1 defeat in the Faroe Islands seven days ago.

The Blues will now meet Shelbourne for the second time in quick succession after the Dubliners eliminated David Healy's side from the Champions League in their first meeting last month.

The winners of that two-legged clash will advance to the league phase of the Conference League, with Linfield aiming to emulate Larne's feat of reaching that stage of the competition last season.

Offord on song again

Kieran Offord celebratesPacemaker Press

Offord scored a stunning goal to help Linfield beat Vikingur

Linfield had an early sight of goal when full-back Ingi Armgrimasson lost his footing on the slippery surface, leaving Matthew Fitzpatrick bearing down on goal, but his fierce angled shot was beaten away by goalkeeper Bardur Reynatreo.

At the other end, Jakup Johansen chased a seemingly lost cause as Vikingur pumped a long ball forward but the striker held off Ben Hall and forced his way into the penalty area where his shot was comfortably saved by Chris Johns.

The same player was again a threat as Vikingur broke with purpose and he ran on to a through ball before trundling an effort not far wide of Johns' far post.

The home side broke the deadlock in some style on 22 minutes with a stunning goal from in-form Offord.

The Scottish striker, who hit a hat-trick in Linfield's league opener at the weekend, collected the ball some distance from goal and cleverly worked his way past two defenders before unleashing a fierce strike from outside the penalty area which left Reynatreo grasping at air.

Linfield then hit the woodwork twice in the space of a couple of minutes as firstly Charlie Allen's deflected shot came back off the base of the post and then seconds later, another Offord piledriver struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced clear just in front of the goalline.

The home side went ahead in the tie for the first time on 38 minutes when Offord, clean through on goal, saw his dinked effort saved but the loose ball was inadvertently guided into his own net by the unfortunate Olsen.

Linfield survived a late first-half double scare when firstly Johns had to block from Johansen at the back post and then when the move was kept alive, Poul Kallsberg rattled the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

Vikingur threatened in the second half when Arnbjarn Svensson got on the end of a free-kick and forced Johns into a full-length save which led to the goalkeeper receiving a blow to the head that required him to be withdrawn and replaced by David Walsh.

Despite that setback, Linfield were able to hold on to reach the play-off round for the first time since 2022, when they agonisingly lost of penalties to Latvian side RFS.