Kilmarnock suffered the cruellest of European defeats within the Danish capital as they went all the way down to 2-0 to FC Copenhagen.
Killie pissed off their hosts for a lot of the primary leg of their UEFA Convention League play-off however fell to a harsh VAR-assisted penalty after which a set-piece purpose simply as 5 minutes of stoppage-time elapsed.
Kilmarnock goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara, once more deputising for the injured Robby McCrorie, had been largely untroubled earlier than Kevin Diks’ penalty was simply out of his attain within the 77th minute.
Italian referee Fabio Maresca had stopped play out of the blue earlier than going to the monitor and penalising David Watson for catching Mohamed Elyounoussi on the calf because the pair challenged for a bouncing ball at a nook.
The previous Celtic winger had already performed the ball with the nook coming to nothing and the incident was removed from clear or apparent, in addition to being inconsequential, instantly at any fee.
Worse was to return for Killie when Rasmus Falk volleyed dwelling from a half-cleared nook to depart the guests with an uphill process to succeed in the group stage and entry what supervisor Derek McInnes had described as “unimaginable” monetary advantages of about £4m.
McInnes handed full-back Jack Burroughs a debut following his mortgage and began with each Kyle Vassell and Marley Watkins for the primary time this season.
Copenhagen beat Manchester United and Galatasaray on the Parken Stadium final season on their technique to the final 16 of the Champions League however Killie gave them a scare when Watson despatched Vassell by way of one-on-one with Denis Vavro.
Vassell beat the centre-back earlier than being hacked to the bottom however Maresca determined Diks was nearly to cowl and brandished a yellow card.
Rasmus Falk doubled the lead
Killie had a collection of set-pieces earlier than O’Hara pulled off his solely first-half save of notice to securely parry Vavro’s bouncing 30-yard strike behind for a nook.
Liam Donnelly and Lewis Mayo made some essential challenges within the Killie field and the previous noticed a shot deflected broad after Watkins received in behind in direction of the top of a passable first half for the guests.
The Danes stepped up a gear simply after the break with Giorgi Gocholeishvili heading broad from probability earlier than O’Hara saved from Elyounoussi.
Stuart Findlay made some good interventions and Diks fired broad as Killie continued to look stable regardless of being pushed again.
The Italian match officers had different concepts although and Elyounoussi fired over from six yards after Killie had been caught out moments after the opener.
With striker Vassell off with a knock, the Ayrshire aspect settling for a slim defeat till Falk’s volley flew previous O’Hara seconds after the 5 minutes of time added on had been up.
McInnes: Horrendous choice to award penalty
Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes chatting with BBC Scotland’s Sportsound:
“We spoke at half-time about how we had limited them to shots from distance and a few crosses. They hadn’t really done much to trouble us, they didn’t really disrupt our shape. The game played out exactly as I was hoping to be honest.
“We carried a risk and had some good moments in that first half, to offer the gamers some encouragement we might get one thing from the sport.
“Their manager made a few changes, they tried to move the ball a bit quicker and I thought they started the second half a bit better. But by and large we felt okay until the referee gets involved with the penalty kick.
“For me, it is a horrendous choice. I feel it is extraordinarily harsh. I do not suppose it is a clear and apparent error and it shocked everyone when he was requested to go over.
“Elyounoussi had got the first touch on it but I don’t think it impacts on him having a shot. It was just a coming together and I don’t think it’s a penalty kick.
“If he offers the penalty on the time I would be actually disillusioned however possibly might perceive it a wee bit extra. However I simply do not suppose it is a clear and apparent error.
“For the effort, work and organisation and everything we did in the game, to lose a goal like that is extremely harsh.”
