Blues earn 1-1 Uefa Cup draw

Linfield have given themselves every chance of making this year’s third round of the UEFA Cup following a superb 1-1 away draw against full-time Swedish side Halmstads BK on Thursday.

Goalkeeper Alan Mannus and midfielder Oran Kearney were the heroes for the Blues thanks to some fine saves from the international-capped shot stopper and a 72 minute equaliser from new signing Kearney.

The Blues could have taken an early lead if it was not for the woodwork and some unlucky finishing, however it was the home side that went ahead on 32 minutes through striker Andreas Johansson, who rifled his shot into the roof of the net.

For the remainder of the half the Belfast side was kept in the game by some fine saves by Mannus in front of the small 1,100 crowd.

In the second-half Halmstad kept the pressure on their part-time visitors and could have made it 2-0 when Emil Jenson broke clear but he again found Mannus in superb form.

The Linfield goalkeeper again came to the rescue when he made a tremendous reaction save to tip over a Thorvaldsson pile-driver on 54 minutes.

But it was former international striker Glenn Ferguson who could have equalised for the visitors only to see his 65 minute shot hit the post.

Linfield’s just rewards came just seven minutes later however when Ferguson combined with fellow striker Peter Thompson to thread through a pin point pass to on-rushing Kearney who slotted the ball neatly over the goalkeeper to make it 1-1.

From then on in it was a superb ‘backs to the wall’ performance by the Blues which was again typified by Mannus who made yet another magnificent save on 77 minutes to deny Patrik Ingleston.

The Blues will now face their full time opponents at Windsor Park in two weeks time knowing a clean sheet will be enough to progress further in this year’s competition and the possibility of a luxury third round tie against more illustrious opponents.

(MB/SP)