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Yannick Sagbo sent off as Hull go out to Lokeren on away goals Yannick Sagbo sent off as Hull go out to Lokeren on away goals
(about 2 hours later)
Hull will not have the bittersweet experience of a full Europa League campaign this season after an away-goals defeat by last season’s Belgian cup winners Lokeren. An evening that started with optimism concluded in despair as Yannick Sagbo was sent off and 10-man Hull could not find the priceless third goal that would have sent them through to the group stages. Hull will not have the bittersweet experience of a full Europa League campaign after their maiden adventure on the continent ended in an away-goals defeat by last season’s Belgian cup winners, Lokeren.
The Hull manager, Steve Bruce, emphasised the need for composure from his team during the buildup to this second leg. That they trailed halfway through the tie was down to an uncharacteristic error from their Scottish international goalkeeper Allan McGregor in Belgium a week ago. An evening that began with optimism concluded in despair as Hull’s 10 men – Yannick Sagbo was sent off midway through the second period – could not muster a precious third goal that would have sent them through to the group stages.
However, McGregor’s blunder – a wayward clearance that gifted Hans Vanaken the only goal – was matched by his opposite number Davino Verhulst only five minutes in at the KC Stadium. Progression would have provided an extra six matches before Christmas but, despite the strain that would have put on Steve Bruce’s resources and the primary objective of retaining Premier League status, no one could question Hull’s commitment.
The left-back Maynor Figueroa’s speculative scoop across the area was met with indecision by Verhulst who – having allowed the ball to travel all the way to the far post – was rendered helpless when it came to stopping Robbie Brady applying the finishing touch. Brady will have scored few less aesthetically pleasing goals but the scrambled effort off his midriff provided Hull with exactly the start they were looking for. Ultimately, it was an uncharacteristic error by their Scottish international goalkeeper, Allan McGregor, in Belgium a week earlier that denied them, although the fine margins between success and failure were emphasised when the substitute Tom Huddlestone’s fierce last-gasp drive was spectacularly cleared off the line by Denis Odoi.
Trouble after the first leg, albeit emanating from a group of banned Lokeren supporters away from the stadium, led to an increased police presence in East Yorkshire but there was an obvious bonhomie between the two sets of fans before kick-off as the atmosphere developed, most notably when a ‘NotoHulltigers’ banner was unfurled by the travelling band to raucous cheers. “That’s what playing in Europe is: disappointments, frustrations, the away-goal rule,” Bruce said. “We have won the match and gone out but if I am being honest we haven’t played to the level I expected.
This competition offers unexplored territory for Hull but they have certainly made use of the increased profile a first European campaign in their 110-year history has given them. Bruce welcomed the arrival of Michael Dawson, secured from Tottenham earlier this week, in his programme notes, reflecting that players of his calibre showed Hull’s squad was now “light years ahead” of where it was in the opening weeks of their promotion campaign two Augusts ago. “We made far too many mistakes, gave the ball away far too cheaply and four or five were below the level. It’s disappointing for everybody concerned because it’s the first time the club’s been in it.”
Things are set to go positively intergalactic in the next 24 hours, with the Uruguay striker Abel Hernández, who recently turned down Benfica’s advances, set to become Hull’s first £10m player in a move from Italian side Palermo. Hull have also reportedly shown an interest in Manchester United’s England midfielder Tom Cleverley. Hull were provided with the perfect start when Maynor Figueroa scooped the ball across the area for Robbie Brady to bundle in a crowd-pleasing, if not aesthetically pleasing, fifth-minute opener. At that stage their first European competition in 110 years of existence appeared to have legs.
Competing on the continent only helps as a magnet to potential transfer targets but Bruce’s team failed to ease themselves ahead on aggregate before the interval, although it took a redeeming stop from Verhulst, at full stretch to his left, to redirect a volley from David Meyler round the post. The mood was lifted further at half-time when their most recent acquisition, the former Tottenham central defender Michael Dawson, was paraded on the field. Bruce reflected in his programme notes that players of Dawson’s calibre showed Hull’s squad was now “light years ahead” of where it was two Augusts ago.
Equally, Hull were thankful to the positioning of Curtis Davies – one of three senior additions to the shadow side Bruce fielded seven nights earlier – to block a goalbound Hans Vanaken shot on the quarter-hour. Things may go positively intergalactic in the next 24 hours, with the Uruguay striker Abel Hernández, who recently turned down Benfica’s advances, likely to become Hull’s first £10m player in a move from the Italian side Palermo. With the fee and personal terms agreed, it is only a matter of securing a work permit for a man with seven goals in 14 international appearances
Alas there was no-one to get in the way four minutes into the second half as Lokeren levelled from a corner. McGregor had touched over visiting captain Killian Overmeire’s 30-yard thunderbolt of a free-kick but was unsighted as the resulting delivery landed at the feet of Jordan Remacle, who thrashed the ball into the top corner. However, the atmosphere around the KC Stadium became tetchy quickly as Lokeren scored a dramatic equaliser four minutes into the second half. Although Killian Overmeire’s 30-yard thunderbolt of a free-kick was tipped over by McGregor, failure to deal with the resulting corner led to Jordan Remacle arrowing his pinpoint shot into the angle of post and bar.
Parity lasted a matter of moments, however, as Hull were awarded a penalty after Ahmed Elmohamady’s cross was adjudged to have been handled by the Lokeren midfielder Koen Persoons. Parity lasted a matter of moments before Hull were awarded a penalty after Ahmed Elmohamady’s cross was adjudged to have been handled by the Lokeren midfielder Koen Persoons. Brady stepped up to send goalkeeper Davino Verhulst the wrong way but Hull were still one short.
Brady stepped up to send Verhulst the wrong way but the away goal meant Hull still required at least one more to progress. Bruce’s reaction was to throw on another forward midway through the second period but the introduced Nikica Jelavic soon lost his strike partner when Sagbo was sent off for a challenge on the midfielder Giorgios Galitsios.
Bruce reacted by throwing on another forward midway through the second period but the introduced Nikica Jelavic lost his strike partner when Sagbo was sent off for reacting to a challenge by Giorgios Galitsios. “It was very harsh, there is no way you would get sent off in the Premier League for that,” said Bruce. “He stays on his feet and doesn’t go over the ball at all.”
The Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan also felt the heat after scrubbing out an Alexander Scholz effort for pushing, a decision that led to Lokeren’s manager, Peter Maes, being sent to the stands in protest. Cruelly, for Hull, the Belgians also had the final word.