Hoops rue costly errors in heavy defeat in Gent

Shamrock Rovers were architects of their own downfall as individual errors cost them dearly in a heavy defeat away to Belgian side KAA Gent.

It was a familiar story on the road for the Hoops as they left themselves too much to do as they trailed 2-0 inside 18 minutes and were picked off as they pushed up to force a route back in.

Rovers can reflect on an improved second-half display but all the damage was done early on, just as it had been in the qualifying rounds away to Ludogorets and Ferencvaros.

Early goals from Hugo Cuypers and Vadis Odjidja left Stephen Bradley's side with it all to do and captain Odjidja capped off the win with a stunning second-half strike.

Bradley would have been frustrated by the manner of the concession of each of the goals, the first of which arrived after just nine minutes.

Striker Malick Fofana was allowed drift between two defenders to cushion a diagonal ball back to Cuypers and he checked back before rifling a low shot past a helpless Alan Mannus.

Nine minutes later, another defensive howler saw Dan Cleary caught in possession in his own box by Cuypers.

The Drimnagh man did well to stop the striker getting a shot away but the loose ball looped to Odjidja on the edge of the area and he sent a stunning scissor-kick into the top corner.

Rovers did begin to put their foot on the ball and find space in the Gent half, and it was Cuypers again, in his defensive third, who proved the bane of Cleary’s half.

A quick corner saw Jack Byrne and Dylan Watts exchange a one-two and the former clipped the ball to the back post, only for Cuypers to beat Cleary with a superb defensive header.

The visitors had plenty of ball but struggled with Gent’s tireless pressing and the Belgians went close again before half time