Molde 1, Hibs 0: All to play for at Easter Road as Norwegians win first leg of Youth League clash
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Johan Bakke’s 67th-minute goal was enough to hand the Norwegians a slender advantage going into the second leg at Easter Road on October 5.
Both teams were reduced to ten men in the second half at a rainswept Aker Stadium with Leon-Robin Juberg-Hovland given his marching orders for the hosts and Jacob MacIntyre seeing red for Hibs.
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Hide AdThe game began evenly enough but Molde enjoyed the bulk of chances in the first period, with nine attempts on goal to Hibs’ one.
Nikolai Skuseth sent an effort over the bar from Bakke’s corner on 28 minutes and Murray Johnson had to be alert to keep Juberg-Hovland’s drive out eight minutes later.
The Hibs goalkeeper produced another fine save to deny Niklas Ødegård shortly before the midway point, with the teams going in level at the break.
The visitors started the second half strongly and Jacob Blaney was unlucky to see an effort from the edge of the area fly narrowly wide.
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Hide AdTen minutes into the second half Molde were reduced to ten men, Juberg-Hovland picking up two yellow cards in quick succession for a foul on Josh McCulloch and an off-the-ball incident with Kanayo Megwa.
Molde made a double change shortly after the hour mark, sending on Fredrik Aleksandar Nyheim and Gustav Kjolstad Nyheim for Martin Kjørsvik and Magnus Solheim, and took the lead minutes later as Bakke found the net with a low free kick from the edge of the area.
Hibs then introduced Josh Landers for McCulloch in a bid to get back into the game but lost Jacob MacIntyre to a straight red card with 15 minutes left to play.
Johnson then did well to again foil Ødegård and Adam Khan entered the fray in place of O’Connor for the final ten minutes.
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Hide AdMurray Aiken had a shot blocked and Robbie Hamilton’s effort was deflected wide as Hibs pushed for a late leveller but Molde held on.
In the other match of interest, Nantes defeated Pyunik 2-0 in France with the winners of that tie facing Hibs or Molde in the second round.
Hibs: M Johnson; Blaney, Megwa, Hastie; McCulloch (Landers 69), Aiken, J MacIntyre, Hamilton, O MacIntyre; Molotnikov, O’Connor (Khan 82). Subs not used: Owens, Waugh, McAllister, McKenzie, Holden.
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