Hibs 1 Legia Warsaw 2

Legia Warsaw will take a slender lead into next week’s second leg of our UEFA Conference League Play-Off contest, following their 2-1 victory at Easter Road this evening.

On a night when we started very brightly, threatening to blow away our opponents, they weathered the early storm before taking a commanding lead. Jean-Pierre Nsame notched them ahead from the penalty spot before Paweł Wszołe doubled their lead in first half stoppage time.

Bartosz Kapustka thought he had killed off the contest with a third on 61 minutes only for his effort to be chalked off for offside following a VAR review.

We were wasteful at times this evening and passed up a host of opportunities – as did the visitors – before pulling one back through Josh Mulligan late on to give us hope.With only one goal separating the teams in the tie, it’s all still to play for next week in the return leg in Poland.

David Gray named the same starting XI that progressed in the competition against Partizan Belgrade last week. That meant restoring several players that were rested at the weekend as we defeated Livingston in the Premier Sports Cup. Jordan Smith returned in goal, Rocky Bushiri and Chris Cadden in defence, Mulligan and Dylan Levitt were in midfield and Kieron Bowie was restored to the attack. Josh Campbell kept his place in midfield meaning fit-again, Jamie McGrath, was amongst the substitutes.

We started the match quickly, taking the game to the Ekstraklasa outfit with Mulligan latching onto a Martin Boyle pass in the opening seconds, only to get the ball caught under his feet at the crucial moment.

Seconds later we had another big opportunity as Campbell stole possession inside the Legia box before laying it off to Bowie, who attempted a low curling effort that lacked the necessary power to test Kacper Tobiasz in goal.

We kept up the early pressure and from a corner kick Campbell headed wide at the back post. On 13 minutes Cadden did brilliantly to sucker Steve Kapuadi into making a challenge before nodding it past him and racing in behind on the right; he picked out Bowie with his cut-back and the Scotland striker fired just wide.

Legia got their first sight of goal on 29 minutes when Wszolek stung the palms of Smith and from the rebound Vahan Bichakhchyan’s shot was blocked by Rocky Bushiri. Unfortunately for us, the ball had struck Rocky’s arm and after a lengthy VAR check by Finnish official, Mohammad Al-Emara, a penalty kick was awarded.

Smith guessed correctly, however, he was unable to keep out Nsame’s finish - high to his right – that put Legia ahead.

In first half stoppage time we switched off at the back and the visitors doubled their advantage as Wszołe ghosted in at the back post to score from Nsame’s cross.

That left us with a mountain to climb whilst handing the Polish side a commanding lead. We had a big chance to pull one back early into the second half when Rocky rose highest to meet Jordan Obita’s corner kick, only to head over from close range.

The visitors then had a couple of promising breaks that came to nothing before a Juergen Elitim effort had Smith scrambling across his goal.

Boss Gray made a triple change on 53 minutes as Nicky Cadden, McGrath and Miguel Chaiwa replaced Jack Iredale, Campbell and Levitt respectively.

Chances to pull one back quickly followed with Bowie shooing just wide before Mulligan fired over moments later.

Just like in the first half we were well on top and creating chances as the streetwise Poles sought every opportunity to slow the game down and break any momentum we were gaining.

Whilst we were not clinical enough, the same could not be said of Legia, who thought they had claimed a third goal when Kapustka slotted low past Smith on 61 minutes only for VAR to chalk it off for offside. That was a huge let off for us and another would follow on 71 minutes when Vahan Bichakhchyan ballooned his shot high over the crossbar having been picked out unmarked at the back post and with the goal at his mercy.

We were struggling to make any real inroads on the Legia backline but did force a save from Tobiasz from a Boyle header.

Junior Hoilett replaced Chris Cadden for the final 15 minutes and he almost made an immediate impact when he flashed a delivery across the face of Legia goal that was begging to be turned in.

Thibault Klidje was introduced for the final ten minutes as we threw everything at getting back into the contest and he had a golden chance to reduce arrears when Nicky Cadden picked him out with a fine cross from the left, only for the striker to fail to glance his header wide.

With four minutes remaining we pulled one back as Mulligan slammed in at the second attempt after Hoilett’s header was brilliantly kept out by Tobiasz and then his first effort was blocked by a defender sliding in.

Five additional minutes were played and in the first of those Smith was called into action to save a rising shot from substitute Stojanović.

We tried to push forward in the final moments however Legia stood firm to claim a slender first leg advantage. 

Only time will tell whether Mulligan’s late goal will prove crucial, however, it’s all to play for in Poland next week.