St Joseph's narrowly defeated 10-man Cliftonville 3-2 after extra time in the second leg of their UEFA Conference League first qualifying round at Solitude.
Following a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Gibraltar, Pablo Rodriguez scored within the opening minute, giving St Joseph's an early lead on the night and in the tie.
Cliftonville responded strongly, with Michael Glynn equalizing before halftime, and Joe Gormley putting them ahead after Odhran Casey was dismissed following two yellow cards.
St Joseph's capitalized on their numerical advantage as Juanma's precise shot leveled the score for the visitors, and substitute Hugo Jesslen netted the extra-time winner, securing a 5-4 aggregate victory for the Gibraltar side.
St Joseph's will now face Shamrock Rovers from the League of Ireland in the next round.
Reds React to St Joseph's Early Goal
Cliftonville faced a challenging start, falling behind in the first minute. Rodriguez expertly controlled a pass from Facundo Alvarez, outmaneuvered Shaun Leppard, and finished low past Lewis Ridd.
The Reds responded positively and nearly equalized five minutes in when Casey's header from Rory Hale's corner struck the crossbar.
Gormley had a low shot saved by Bradley Banda, and another effort narrowly missed the target.
Persistence paid off in the 32nd minute as Glynn drilled the ball into the far corner, leveling the score. Hale's powerful shot from outside the box was deflected behind by Banda, leaving the teams tied at halftime.
Reds Fall Short After Casey's Sending Off
In the second half, Cliftonville maintained their dominance, with Banda making crucial saves from long-range attempts by Jonny Addis and Casey.
However, their momentum was halted just before the hour mark when, echoing the first leg, they were reduced to 10 men after Casey received a second yellow card for a foul on Alvaro Rey.
Despite being a player down, Cliftonville rallied and took the lead five minutes later. Hale's acrobatic effort kept Luke Conlan's cross in play, allowing Gormley to execute an overhead kick from close range.
Their advantage was short-lived as St Joseph's captain Juanma rifled in an equalizer from the edge of the box just three minutes later.
Substitute Conor Falls nearly won it for Cliftonville in injury time, but his effort was deflected onto the post by Banda. At the other end, Javi Forjan's late goal was disallowed for offside.
St Joseph's struck early in extra time, with Jesslen's crucial touch redirecting a cross from the left past Ridd, ensuring their progression in the competition.
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