FH Hafnarfjordur 1-0 Sligo Rovers
Sligo will be without red-carded skipper Greg Bolger as they chase their Icelandic opponents' lead at the Showgrounds next Thursday.
The Bit O'Red were on course for a deserved draw at the Kaplakriki sports complex in Hafnarfjordur until Steven Lennon headed home in the 85th minute for the hosts.
The ex-Rangers - and, briefly, Dundalk - striker was the 2020 Icelandic player of the season and, having hit the post with a header in the first half, made no mistake when Vok Dimitrjevic crossed.
Bolger's 77th minute dismissal was a decisive moment. The Wexford man had shown his experience and ability in an impressive display before picking up a second booking for diving on the edge of Hafnarfjordur's box.
Liam Buckley's side had to negotiate the remainder of the contest with 10 men but Luke McNicholas, who did well in place of the injured Ed McGinty in goal, was eventually beaten.
Sligo will be kicking themselves as Jordan Gibson let a gilt-edged chance slip just before half-time, while later his goal-bound effort struck team-mate Romeo Parkes and went wide.
But Buckley will feel that Sligo can turn the tie around, especially if Johnny Kenny and John Mahon return after they missed the trip due to Covid issues.
The visitors got off to a decent start in a scrappy enough opening - the tempo increased around the half hour mark, with Maltese ref Ishmael Barbara reaching for his yellow card three times.
A Parkes lay-off to Bolger sat up nicely just outside the penalty area in the 35th minute, but his shot was straight at Gunnar Nielsen, FH's Faroes international keeper.
The hosts retaliated by going closest to scoring in the opening period.
Gudmann Thorisson's 38th minute cross was on the money for Lennon, and his glancing header beat McNicholas but struck the far upright.
Moments later, the unmarked Thorir Helgason blazed over.
Encouraged, FH poured forward and, after Sligo failed to clear their lines, Jonsson's snapshot was off-target.
There was time for Sligo to manufacture another good opening when Parkes' clever chip found Gibson, who did well to control the ball only to lose his composure at the vital moment.
Bolger's experience twice got Sligo out of trouble early in the second half as Hafnarfjordur countered, and he picked up a booking for the second foul just before the hour mark.
The visitors somehow failed to score 10 minutes later, when Gibson latched onto a Lewis Bank cross only for his effort to strike Parkes.
Seconds later, Banks would have scored with a free header, but the ball was just flicked out of his path - and Bolger's dismissal turned the last period into a rearguard action.
