Yahoo Sports Blues, Crues and Derry all lose 2-0 in Europe
Linfield, Crusaders and Derry City all suffered 2-0 defeats in the away first legs of their Uefa Conference League First Qualifying Round ties.
Emi Atlason put Icelandic side Stjarnan 1-0 up after 22 minutes against Linfield and after Chris Shields wasted a glorious chance to equalise before half-time as his penalty hit the crossbar, Atlason doubled the home side's lead with a deflected effort on the hour mark.
Crusaders were beaten by European debutants, Welsh club Caernarfon Town as Morgan Owen and Zack Clarke hit first-half goals.
Derry, meanwhile, were defeated in Gibraltar as second-half goals from Ash Taylor Francisco Zuniga earned the Magpies victory.
Following a quiet opening in Reykjavik, home side Stjarnan took the lead as Atlason curled home a beauty of a free-kick after Linfield defender Scot Whiteside was cautioned for a foul just outside the penalty area.
The Blues spurned a glorious chance to equalise on 27 minutes when they were awarded a penalty after Kyle McClean was brought down by Kjartansson inside the area.
Shields fired his spot kick straight up the middle but it crashed back off the underside of the crossbar before being cleared.
The home side doubled their lead on the hour mark, again from a free kick, this time inside the ‘D’ of the penalty area.
Atlason’s initial effort was blocked by the wall but his left-footed follow-up shot deflected off a Linfield player to totally wrong-foot Chris Johns and nestle in the net.
Linfield came close to pulling a goal back when, following a short corner, Kirk Millar’s in-swinging cross-shot was headed off the line by the alert Orvar Eggertsson.
Despite the two-goal deficit, Linfield will feel they still have an opportunity to turn the tie around in next week’s second leg at Windsor Park.
Crues lose in Wales
Caernarfon Town made a dream start to their first European tie by taking the lead after just four minutes against Crusaders when the unmarked Owen’s strike from outside the box curled over an outstretched Jonny Tuffey and into the top of the net.
Crusaders struggled to test home keeper Stephen McMullan with Daniel Larmour’s header making the ex-Warrenpoint custodian produce his only save of the first half.
Caernarfon doubled their lead on the 37th minute when Darren Thomas’s accurate pass fell to Clarke, who outpaced his marker and fired past the advancing Tuffey.
The away side enjoyed more of the possession in the second half with Gruff John having to make a huge clearance off the line to stop Philip Lowry’s header from halving the Cymru Premier side’s advantage before also clearing the rebound
In the 85th minute Crusaders were awarded a free-kick just outside the box, but substitute Stewart Nixon couldn’t steer his resulting effort on target.
Former boss Stephen Baxter was officially in charge of the Crues due to Declan Caddell not holding the required licence but the new boss was in effective control in the dugout for last season's Irish Premiership European play-off winners.
Derry disappoint in Gibraltar
In Gibraltar, Derry started the brighter of the two sides and showed their intentions after only five minutes when Adam O'Reilly unloaded a rocket from 25-yards that crashed off the Magpies crossbar.
Magpies' first effort came on 15 minutes, by way of Jack Storer. The midfielder drove from forward before unloading a thunderous low effort that had Derry keeper Brian Maher scrambling to his right. But luckily for him, the shot whizzed just wide.
Daniel Kelly almost had an early contender for goal of the season after beating three defenders on his way to the box, but his shot was blocked by Magpies keeper Dayle Coleing and that's the way it stayed at the interval.
Just four minutes after the restart fans were treated to the opening goal and it went the way of the hosts. A corner from Jean Garcia was met at the back post by Taylor, who crashed a header into the roof of the net from eight yards.
Just as Derry pushed for an equaliser, they conceded a second on 82 minutes. Garcia again delivered an excellent cross and Zuniga rose unopposed at the back post to head into the bottom-right hand corner to dash City's hopes.
That's the way it finished and Derry have it all to do in the return leg at the Brandywell in seven days time.
