Haveron proud of Larne efforts despite Red Star defeat
Larne manager Gary Haveron said he was proud of his players after their 4-0 home defeat to Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League second qualifying round first leg.
Larne manager Gary Haveron expressed pride in his team's display despite a heavy 4-0 loss at home to Red Star Belgrade in the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round. The visitors led 1-0 at half-time after Bruno Duarte converted a controversial penalty, but added three more in the second half through Duarte, Vasilije Kostov, and Muhammed Cham.
Haveron praised his side's shape and discipline in the first half, saying they frustrated the Serbian champions. However, he admitted they got caught up in the occasion after the break and gave away too much space. 'When you give a quality team space, they can hurt you,' he said. 'They scored two goals in ten minutes and killed the tie.'
The Northern Irish champions travel to Belgrade for the second leg next Wednesday. While Haveron conceded the Champions League is 'a step too far,' he is hopeful for the Europa League or Conference League. 'Our ceiling wasn't the Champions League,' he stated. 'Winning the first qualifier against Tre Fiori gave us a chance in Europe. We made group stages before and can be competitive with a good draw.'
