Hibs survived an early scare before comprehensively securing a place in the second Europa League qualifying round with a 6-4 victory over NSI Runavic tonight at the Svangaskaro Stadium.
Hibs had to come from behind twice in an incredible and bizarre 90 minutes played in wind, rain and fog at the stadium where Scotland memorably drew 2-2 in 2002 under Bertie Vogts.
Neil Lennon made four changes to the starting XI that demolished NSI Runavik last week, with David Gray, Marvin Bartley, Ryan Porteous and John McGinn replacing Paul Hanlon, Darren McGregor, Martin Boyle and Vykintas Slivka.
Hibs took an estimated 300 supporters to the Faroe Islands and they were in good voice before Runavik opened the scoring after only 40 seconds when Efe Ambrose sliced an attempted clearance past Adam Bogdan.
Four minutes later the hosts doubled their advantage when Jannik Mathias Olsen finished off a great cross from Pol Johannus Justinussen.
McGinn pulled one back with a superb side footed volley from David Gray’s cross in the 10th minute then Lewis Stevenson made it 2-2 with a fine strike from the edge of the box six minutes later after a well-worked short corner between McGinn and Stevie Mallan.
It was all one way traffic and the travelling supporters expected Hibs to increase their lead but once again it was Runavik who took the lead again in controversial circumstances. Marvin Bartley was bundled over but the referee waved play on and Olsen made it 3-2.
Just before the break, Gray levelled the scoring with a header at the back post.
Four minutes after the restart, McGinn sent a superb free kick into the penalty box and Ambrose made up for his earlier mistake by firing a powerful volley high into the net from eight yards.
Runavik equalised moments later when Porteuos tried a back header toward his goalkeeper which was intercepted by Olsen who fired the ball past Bogdan to make it 4-4.
Mallan then showed the supporters why Lennon brought him to Easter Road when he curled a tremendous 25 yard free kick into the corner of the net, replicating his similar strike from last week.
Mallen then lobbed the keeper from 30 yards to make it 6-4 before Whittaker and Oli Shaw were replaced by Slivka and Danny Swanson as Hibs changed to a 4-4-2 formation.
Jamie Gullan then replaced Bartley with two minutes remaining as Hibs saw out the game and progress with a 12-5 aggregate.
Hibs now face Asteras Tripoli next week at Easter Road.
Remarkably Hibs have now scored 17 goals and conceded 10 in their last three competitive matches.
NSI Runavik: Joensen, Olsen, Joensen, Langgaard, Justinussen, Knudsen, Benjaminsen, Hansen, Hentze, Benjaminsen, Olsen. Subs: Davidsen, Dalbud, Frederiksberg, Mortensen, Hansen,
Hibs: Bogdan, Gray, Whittaker, Ambrose, Porteous, Stevenson, Bartley, Mallan, McGinn, Kamberi, Shaw. Subs: Laidlaw, Slivka, Swanson, McGregor, Martin, Mackie, Gullan
Referee Luis Miguel Teixeira
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
