Clinical HJK end Coleraine's European hopes

UEFA Conference League Coleraine 0 - 3 (8) HJK FT Coleraine were on the end of another night of clinical finishing by HJK Helsinki as Ruaidhri Higgins' side bowed out of the Conference League qualifiers in the second round after an 8-0 aggregate loss. After a tough night at the Bolt Arena in the first leg when the Bannsiders conceded five goals and lost defenders Mark Coyle and Aidan Wilson to injury, Coleraine had it all to do in the second leg. Despite making a brighter start at Inver Park, they were ultimately undone again by HJK's ruthlessness in front of goal. First half strikes by Tiovo Mero and Alfie Cicale were followed up by a third from Mouhamed Gueye after the break to seal an aggregate 8-0 win for the visitors. Ruthless HJK comfortably advance They may have been trailing by five goals going into the return fixture at Inver Park but Coleraine did not let that stop them from pushing early on in the game. Matthew Shevlin glanced a header wide of the far post before captain for the night, Joel Cooper, curled a shot over from the edge of the box as the hosts had HJK pinned back in their own half in the opening 10 minutes. However, their good work was undone seconds later as Cicale latched onto a loose pass firing across the face of goal for Mero to tap home from close range. The Bannsiders responded again with Cooper having an effort deflected narrowly wide at the near post before he let fly from outside the area with a powerful shot which whistled over the bar. Coleraine were the architects of their own downfall again on 33 minutes as Mero turned provider after picking up another loose pass and finding the unmarked Cicale, who coolly slotted home past Webb. Pukki almost grabbed his third goal of the tie just before the half-time whistle, but his first-time effort flew past the upright. A third goal for the visitors did arrive eight minutes into the second half, and it was an excellent finish from Gueye from outside the Coleraine penalty area. Pukki was denied a fourth on the hour mark as the tired hosts offered up possession on the edge of their box before the striker's curling effort was tipped past the post by Webb. Coleraine continued to push for a consolation goal with Ben Wylie's curling effort from the edge of the box tipped onto the post by Ost before rolling along the line for Ville Tikkanen to clear. In the closing stages, the home side rattled the crossbar as Lewis McGregor's long range effort beat Ost but not the woodwork to sum up Coleraine's frustrations.