HIBS got their season underway tonight as they travelled to Andorra to take on Inter d’Escaldes in the Uefa Conference League.
It looked to be a sure thing for Lee Johnson’s men as they went into the tie as heavy favourites but their trip ended in heartache as they fell short in a 2-1 defeat.
Dylan Levitt made his competitive debut following his switch from Dundee United – but it was the man in goals who has grabbed the headlines.
Hibs stopper and former Scotland international David Marshall was at fault for the Andorran side’s second goal and fans have been left furious with the goalkeeper at full-time.
The veteran was tested with a fairly straightforward shot from close range as Ander El Haddadi Arrillaga pounced on Lewis Stevenson’s mistake to get an effort away.
Marshall failed to get much on the strike though and dropped it before fumbling for the ball in the six yard box.
It left Jean Luc Assoubre with an empty net to score into and he did just that to give his team a sensational two-goal lead over the Capital club.
The match still had 20 minutes remaining after the second goal and it could have been more at full-time as Inter d’Escaldes took confidence and started growing into the game even more.
Joe Newell stepped up with a free-kick to claw a goal back to save the tie in the dying minutes and gave Marshall and manager Johnson some breathing room.
But it will still go down as one of the club’s worst defeats and will add to the long list of Scottish football upsets in Europe.
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Fans were left fizzing over Marshall’s howler and took to social media to vent their fury at full-time.
One supporter said: “David Marshall has had a nightmare there.”
Another wrote: “I can’t believe that, what is Marshall doing?!”
A third said: “That’s the season done. Thanks Marshall.”
Hibs are still the favourites to progress to the third qualifying round of the Conference League and will hope to turn the tie around in the second leg.
Johnson’s men host the Andorran outfit at Easter Road next week.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
