Josh Mulligan’s late goal gave a lifeline to battling Hibernian after they went down 2-1 to Legia Warsaw in the first leg of their Conference League play-off at Easter Road.
The visitors survived a few early scares before striker Jean-Pierre Nsame opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 34th minute following Rocky Bushiri’s handball, and Pawel Wszolek fired in a second from close range in the third minute of added time.
David Gray’s side came out for the second half fired up to make amends and they got their reward in the 85th minute with a Mulligan strike.
Hibs have no domestic game this weekend having taken the opportunity to postpone their league fixture in between the two legs of the play-off round.
Gray will prepare his side well for the second leg in the Polish capital next week and they can travel with hope.
Hibs, with goalkeeper Jordan Smith, Bushiri, Chris Cadden, Mulligan, Dylan Levitt and Kieron Bowie restored to the line-up, sprung out the traps at a packed Easter Road.
There was only a minute gone when midfielder Mulligan burst into the Legia box and took a Martin Boyle pass but did not get his shot away as he was thwarted by diving keeper Kacper Tobiasz, who pushed an angled drive from Bowie away from danger moments later.
Edward Iordanescu’s side could not get out their own half initially, but a swift break in the 12th minute ended with Nsame’s drive from close range blocked by Hibs defender Jack Iredale.
Bowie missed the target with another chance but on the half-hour mark, in another impressive Legia counter, Smith brilliantly saved a powerful drive from Rafal Augustyniak before Bushiri threw himself to block a second effort from Vahan Bichakhchyan.
However, there was a long VAR check for a penalty with the visitors claiming the ball had struck the Hibs defender’s arm.
Finnish referee Mohammad Al-Emara was eventually asked to check the pitchside monitor and then pointed to the spot and amid boos and jeers from the home fans, Nsame hammered his penalty high past Smith.
The Polish side had grown into the game and there was more trouble for the Leith side in first-half stoppage time when Nsame’s cross from the left was volleyed in by the unmarked Wszolek from a tight angle.
Hibs fans were looking for a reaction from their side after the break and they forced some early pressure, with Bushiri heading a Jordan Obita corner over the crossbar.
Gray made a triple substitution in the 53rd minute with Nicky Cadden, Jamie McGrath and Miguel Chaiwa on for Iredale, Josh Campbell and Levitt, which increased the tempo and had Legia scrambling to keep their clean sheet intact.
Another incisive Legia attack in the 61st minute ended with Bartosz Kapustka curling the ball past Smith from 16 yards, but VAR ruled Wszolek was offside in the build-up.
It was a relief for Hibs and their fans but they should have conceded again in the 72nd minute when Bichakhchyan found himself picked out only yards from goal, only to somehow slash over the bar.
The ball continued to fly around the Legia penalty area and in the 83rd minute substitute Thibault Klidje missed a great chance when he headed wide from eight yards out.
However, there would be late drama. After Tobiasz had made a terrific save from substitute Junior Hoilet’s diving header, Mulligan drove the ball into the net to re-energise the crowd and although the second goal would not come, Hibs still have a fighting chance.
