As expected, Olimpija, who won two of their first three league-phase games in this competition (L1), started the stronger, with only Raul Florucz’s poor touch preventing the Austrian from having a good opportunity to put the hosts in front.
However, visiting goalkeeper Rohan Ferguson wasn’t seriously tested in the first half as Larne’s Slovenian opponents enjoyed the vast majority of possession, but on a terrible pitch at Stožice Stadium, they lacked precision in their passing in attacking areas and were devoid of runners in behind the visitors’ defence.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Olimpija head coach Víctor Sánchez made a double change at HT, bringing on Antonio Marin and Diogo Pinto for Thalisson and Manuel Pedreño.
And it was Pinto who soon created arguably the biggest chance of the game at that point, clipping in a cross which Marko Brest couldn’t nod beyond Ferguson from close range.
At the other end, Larne then enjoyed their first meaningful sight at goal when Mark Randall dispossessed Peter Agba, but Dylan Sloan’s effort from just outside the box drifted wide of Matevž Vidovžek’s right-hand post when he should have hit the target.
Sánchez’s opposite number Gary Haveron turned to his bench for the first time in the evening just before the hour mark, sending on Tomás Cosgrove for Jordan McEneff, while Olimpija seemed increasingly short of ideas as Brest was the next player to make way, with Ivan Durdov entering the field.
However, it was Durdov who broke the deadlock on 67 minutes, powering home Florucz’s corner.
Haveron responded to that setback with a triple substitution, but Larne weren’t able to turn the tide and were reduced to ten men late on when Sean Graham was given a second yellow for an apparent off-the-ball push on Jorge Silva.
Larne did have a decent late chance when Matthew Lusty tackled Ahmet Muhamedbegović, but the 21-year-old lacked composure and fired straight at an out-of-position Vidovžek, and the Northern Irish outfit will now look to get their domestic campaign back on track as new manager Nathan Rooney prepares to take charge of his first game at the club at home to Cliftonville on Sunday.
Olimpija meanwhile resume Slovenian top-flight action the same day, as they go into the weekend six points clear at the top.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ivan Durdov (Olimpija Ljubljana)
