Linfield 0 - 0 B36 Torshavn

Linfield failed to break down a determined B36 Torshavn side at a rain swept Windsor Park on Tuesday night and must now get a result in the Faroe Islands in the return leg on July 10^th.

The visitors have their goalkeeper, Meinhardt Joensen, to thank for saving Peter Thompson’s powerfully struck penalty as the first half drew to a close, and then denying Mark McAllister with an equally good stop as full-time approached.

B36, who have played 15 matches in their domestic league, took the match to the Irish League champions from the opening whistle with Suni Olsen prominent as he stung Ross Glendinning’s hands with an early free-kick.

Linfield have only played two friendlies since returning from their summer break, and it showed as there was a lack of intensity in their play that the visitors took advantage of without really troubling the goalkeeper.

David Jeffrey urged his side to up their performance from the side line but too often good approach play was let down by a careless final ball. Most of the pressure was being exerted down the flanks but the crosses, when they came, were easily dealt with by the visitors defence, even if the goalkeeper’s insistence on punching the ball gave his defenders cause for concern on occasion.

The team from the Faroe Islanders were using every trick in the book to waste time as they angered the home support by going down easily and dallying over their kick-outs. They did look dangerous on the break and Jakup Borg did well to get his cross in on 23 minutes but Lukasz Cieslewicz couldn’t quite get over the ball and his header flew harmlessly wide.

The Blues dominated the rest of the half with Daryl Fordyce forcing Joensen to save his rising shot, and you felt it was only a matter of time before the deadlock would be broken.

On the 40^th minute that looked a certainty as Jonas Flindt Rasmussen upended Jamie Mulgrew in the box and the referee pointed to the spot without, it must be said, a lot of complaints by the big defender.

Thompson attempted to blast the ball but the goalkeeper guessed right and got down to make the save and keep his team in the game.

The second half saw Linfield redouble their efforts as they sought to justify their favourites tag coming into the game with Mark McAllister looking mostly likely to get the goal to ease the frustration that was noticeable among the home support. First he dragged a shot just wide and then failed to prod home Robert Garrett’s header back across goal from a Jamie Mulgrew cross.

Linfield probed and pressed as the half wore on but all they had to show for their troubles was a succession of corners that failed to find their target in the crowded penalty area.

It did look like they had secured the breakthrough on 77 minutes when Mark McAllister rose to head home another Mulgrew cross but the referee ruled it out for a foul on the goalkeeper.

Things nearly got worse for the Blues moments later after Lukasz Cieslewicz struck the post for B36 after creating space for the shot with a jinking run.

Another chance went begging for the home side when Fordyce failed to get on the end of a decent ball from the right and when Joensen denied McAllister with a terrific save you began to suspect it was not going to be Linfield’s night.

B36 hung on in the closing minutes but when the final whistle blew it was hard not to feel that their performance warranted a point.

Linfield will have another weeks training in by the time they travel to the Faroes and would still be considered overwhelming favourites to advance but David Jeffrey would prefer his side had made the job a little easier on their home turf.

Linfield: Ross Glendenning; Damien Curran, Steven Douglas, Albert Watson (David Armsrong 46), Jim Ervin; Daryl Fordyce, Robert Garrett, Jamie Mulgrew, Brian McCaul (Michael Carvill 65); Peter Thompson (Matthew Tipton 75), Mark McAllister.

Subs not used: BJ Burns, Nathan Hanley, Ross Clarke, Niall Quinn

B36 Torshavn: MeinHardt Joensen; Simun Joensen, Jonas Flindt Rassmussen, Odmar Faero, Hogni Eyesturoy; Suni Olsen, Bardur Olsen (Heini Skorini 84), Atli Danielsen, Roaldur Jakobsen: Jakup Borg (Rasmus Sorensen 67), Lukasz Cieslewicz (Klaemint Matras 92).

Subs not used: Emil Magnus Poulsen, Simin Hansen, Hordur Askham, Roi Danjal Olsen

Referee: Wim Smet (Belgium)

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Meinhardt Joensen (B36 Torshavn)