Dundalk rue missed chances as KA Akureyri take two goal lead into second leg

Europa Conference League Qualifier

KA Akureyri 3 Dundalk 1

Dundalk face a massive task to keep their record of always advancing past Icelandic opposition in Europe after being found out defensively by KA Akureyri in Reykjavik on Thursday night.

Despite having lost to FRAM in 1981 and drawn with FH in 2016, the Lilywhites advanced over both legs but that trend looks to be on the line after a humbling against Hallgrímur Jónasson’s men.

Stephen O’Donnell’s side conceded with all three shots on target against them in the first half as Bjarni Adalsteinsson’s opener was added to by a Sveinn Margeir Hauksson double before the break after Daniel Kelly had briefly equalised.

Dundalk had rode their luck at times in the first qualifying round against Bruno’s Magpies but were punished for their poor defending by the hosts.

With Rodri hitting the bar on the quarter hour mark, KA took the lead on 28 minutes with Adalsteinsson capitalising on a slip by Andy Boyle to fire right-footed past Nathan Shepperd.

The home side’s lead would last less than four minutes as Kelly reacted quickest to Davies’ cross from the right not being cleared to hook a brilliant shot past Jajalo.

The 27-year-old then had two big chances within 30 seconds of each other to put his side in front but his first effort was blocked by Brkovic at full stretch before being denied by the legs of Jajalo in a follow up attack.

Those misses were to prove crucial as KA restored their lead on 37 minutes with Daniel Hafsteinsson slipping Hauksson in behind Robbie McCourt on the right for him to fire across Shepperd to the left hand corner.

Things then went from bad to worse for Dundalk on the stroke of half-time when Ásgeir Sigurgeirsson sprung the offside trap to break on