Ipswich pay for Marshall's late error

Slovan Liberec 1 Ipswich Town 0 After extra time; 1-1 on agg, Liberec win 4-2 on penalties

Ipswich were knocked out of the Uefa Cup in the cruellest of fashions after a gruelling contest. Jermaine Wright and Finidi George missed in the penalty shoot-out after Joe Royle's side came within touching distance of reaching the third round of this competition for the second season in succession.

Baffour Gyan's 88th-minute header somehow found its way past their goalkeeper, Andy Marshall, to dash a stout display from a side languishing in 20th place in the First Division.

Ipswich had had an early reminder of how just slight their 1-0 lead from the first leg in Suffolk was when, in the 11th minute, Darren Ambrose was robbed in midfield and, following a swift break, Gyan fired narrowly wide of Marshall's left-hand post.

The visitors' defensive resolve was rarely tested in the first half but Liberec displayed more urgency after the break. Martin Zboncak was off-target with a fierce strike from distance before Marshall was forced into his first save in the 47th minute, helping Petr Johana's looping volley over the bar. Then, when Johana got forward again, his deflected cross was directed the wrong side of the post by Gyan's forehead.

All Liberec's most threatening attacks were via the right flank and, when Johana's cross took a deflection, McGreal reacted brilliantly under pressure to nod the ball out for a corner from under the angle.

However just when it appeared that Ipswich had held out, they were dealt a cruel blow. With two minutes remaining, Petr Lukas looped a header, from a corner, back across goal, Gyan headed down through a crowd of bodies and the ball squirmed through Marshall's grasp and over the line.

Ipswich had to attack and were inches away from regaining the lead in the tie two minutes into the first extra period with a copy of the move which led to Darren Bent's first-leg goal. This time the 18-year-old striker latched on to Holland's chip over the Liberec back-line but his volley was partially stopped by the goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, who recovered to hold the ball as it trickled towards the line.

Slovan Liberec (4-4-2): Kinsky; M Holenak, Johana, Lukas, Janu; M Zboncak (Ancic, 63), Hodur, Polak (Blaha, 80), Papousek; Gyan, Nezmar (Slovak, 56). Substitutes not used: Hauzr (gk), Capek, Zapotocny, Pilny.

Ipswich Town (5-3-2): Marshall; Wilnis, Hreidarsson, Makin, McGreal, Gaardsoe; Ambrose (Holland, 61), Wright, Clapham; Armstrong (George, 63), Couñago (D Bent, 50). Substitutes not used: Pullen (gk), Brown, Richards, Westlake.

Referee: E Trivkovic (Croatia).