Hibernian suffered European heartache as Junior Brumado’s sensational extra-time overhead kick for Midtjylland knocked them out of Europa League qualifying.
A bumper crowd of 19,536 inside Easter Road were silenced by the piece of brilliance from the Brazilian, whose winner came as the game looked destined for a penalty shootout.
The second-round tie was finely poised at 1-1 after the first leg, and it took until four minutes into extra-time in Edinburgh before Dario Osorio’s impressive strike from distance opened the scoring in the second.
Rocky Bushiri responded to draw Hibs level as bedlam ensued in the stands, but Junior Brumado would have the final say with a magical finish.
Hibernian now drop into Conference League qualifying where they will face Partizan Belgrade next week.
“It’s taken three wonder strikes across the 210 minutes to beat us,” Hibs boss David Gray told BBC Scotland.
“The players gave us everything, the atmosphere, everything around it, was fantastic.
“One thing I’ll never do is accept losing games of football but I can’t ask the players for any more than what they’ve given me tonight.
“We’ve got a tough tie in the Conference League but it’s still an opportunity for us and we need to remember that.
“When Partizan comes round it’s going to be a real tough test but it’s the reward for playing in Europe.”
Hibs’ Kieron Bowie thought he’d opened the scoring with just 15 minutes on the clock at Easter Road when he smashed into the roof of the net from Jordan Obita’s cross, but the flag was raised for offside.
Franculino Dju, like Bowie in the first half, also had the ball in the net when he slotted past Jordan Smith in the early stages of the second period. Despite no initial flag, the goal was disallowed after VAR deemed the Midtjylland forward to be in an offside position.
Both sides tried to clinch it in the latter stages. Osorio smashed the Hibs wall with a free-kick from just over 25 yards out before Martin Boyle scored the hosts’ second offside goal of the evening.
Once in extra time, it took just four minutes for the visitors to break the deadlock when Osorio smashed an impressive strike into the top corner from outside the box.
Bushiri’s leveller lit up an Easter Road which pulsed all night, only for Junior Brumado to spoil the party in the cruelest fashion.
What was the main talking point?
After a creditable draw over in Denmark last week, Hibs returned to Easter Road with a confidence that the tie was very much in their hands and, inside an electric Easter Road, they looked like a team full of belief.
A far cry from the team that were struggling at the bottom of the Premiership less than 12 months ago.
Boyle and Jamie McGrath had early chances which were just wide of the mark before Bowie’s goal was chopped off for an offside offence and, despite a couple of nervy moments, it was David Gray’s side who enjoyed the better opportunities.
After surviving an early scare in the second half, Hibs didn’t look rattled and still made attempts to challenge Jonas Lossl in the Midtjylland goal and kept their composure up the other end as the visitors grew into the game.
Hibs’ tired legs started to show in extra time and allowed time and space to the Midtjylland players which ultimately led to the visitors’ breakthrough but the Hibs heads did not go down.
Now they must respond again. Not only for their Conference League qualifier against Partizan Belgrade next week, but for their Premiership opener away to Dundee on Sunday 3 August (15:00 BST).
