Narrow first-leg defeat for Cliftonville

It was always going to be a tough test for Paddy McLaughlin's men in Slovakia, but they showed great courage to bounce back from Szantho's opener for the hosts as Ronan Hale levelled things up two minutes later on what was his competitive debut for the club.

It was nip and tuck for large parts of the game but DAC, who were reduced to ten men late on after Moumou was sent off, take a one-goal advantage into the return leg at Solitude thanks to Krstovic's second half strike.

The home side made all the early running with Fynn Talley forced to push a Szantho free kick away for a corner with Dimun glancing the resulting set-piece wide of the target.

DAC went close from another Szantho corner on 16 minutes this time Kruzliak flashed a header off target.

Davis had a looping header pushed away by Talley before danger man Szantho broke the deadlock on 25 minutes as he cut inside and curled home into the bottom corner.

The Reds did not let that affect them though and levelled things up three minutes later as summer signing Hale finished well after McDonagh's cross had been deflected into his path.

Szantho was still causing problems and it took a good block from Luke Turner on 37 minutes to deny him a second.

Hale thought was looking dangerous at the other end and almost scored a fantastic solo goal four minutes before the break, but he fired wide after a great surging run.

The home side ramped up the pressure at the start of the second half with Turner, Johnny Addis and Levi Ives all called into action to keep the scores level.

The pressure finally told in the 65 minutes as Krstovic fired DAC back in front from Veselovsky's low cross.

Hale tried to tie things up again as he let fly with a long-range strike but Veszelinov was equal to his effort in the home goal.

The Reds were given a big boost with eight minutes to go after Moumou was dismissed following a lunge on substitute Chris Curran.

A dipping volley by Hale on 85 minutes almost caught out Veszelinov.

Six minutes were added on at the end with Hale and Ives both going close to an equaliser, but in the end the Reds suffered a narrow defeat.