Junior Brumado stuns Easter Road with wonder goal
Hibernian's European dreams were shattered in dramatic fashion as Junior Brumado's spectacular overhead kick in extra-time secured Midtjylland's victory in the Europa League qualifiers. The Brazilian's moment of brilliance silenced the 19,536-strong crowd at Easter Road just as the match seemed headed for penalties.
Match Highlights
The tightly contested second-round tie stood at 1-1 after the first leg. The deadlock was finally broken in Edinburgh when Dario Osorio fired an impressive long-range strike four minutes into extra time.
Rocky Bushiri equalized for Hibs, sending the home fans into raptures, but Brumado had the final word with his magical finish. The defeat means Hibernian will now compete in Conference League qualifying against Partizan Belgrade next week.
"It's taken three wonder strikes across the 210 minutes to beat us," lamented Hibs boss David Gray. "The players gave us everything. When Partizan comes round it's going to be a real tough test but it's the reward for playing in Europe."
Key Moments
- Kieron Bowie's early goal was disallowed for offside
- Franculino Dju's second-half strike was ruled out after VAR review
- Martin Boyle scored another offside goal late in regulation
- Osorio's stunning opener in extra time
- Bushiri's equalizer before Brumado's winner
Performance Analysis
Hibs showed significant improvement from their struggles in the Premiership last season. Despite creating better chances throughout the match, fatigue became evident in extra time, allowing Midtjylland to capitalize.
Rocky Bushiri emerged as a standout performer, not only for his crucial goal but also for his defensive contributions throughout the match.
Looking Ahead
Hibernian faces a quick turnaround with important matches on the horizon:
- August 3: Premiership opener at Dundee (15:00 BST)
- August 7: Conference League qualifier first leg at Partizan Belgrade
- August 14: Return leg at Easter Road