In a night of high drama at Easter Road, Hibernian FC's European adventure came to a bittersweet end as they fell 3-2 to Partizan Belgrade, losing 4-3 on aggregate in the Europa Conference League qualifiers.
Despite the defeat, the Edinburgh side can hold their heads high after a performance that would have made their musical inspiration, the late David Bowie, proud. The club had dedicated their European campaign to the iconic artist, who famously mentioned Hibs in his song 'Life on Mars?'
A Night of Twists and Turns
The match began with Partizan showing their continental experience, taking an early lead through Ricardo Gomes in the 12th minute. However, Hibs responded in typical fashion, with Martin Boyle levelling the score just before halftime.
The second half saw the hosts take the lead through Christian Doidge, sending the Easter Road faithful into raptures. But the Serbian giants showed their quality with two late goals from Bibras Natcho and Gomes again, breaking Scottish hearts in the process.
European Dreams Dashed
While the result means Hibs' European journey ends at the playoff stage, manager Lee Johnson praised his team's effort: 'The lads gave everything tonight. We played with passion and creativity - exactly what this club represents. The fans were magnificent, and we'll come back stronger.'
The match marked the end of an emotional European campaign for Hibs, who had adopted Bowie's 'Rebel Rebel' as their anthem throughout the qualifiers. Though they couldn't quite reach the group stages, their performances have reignited the European dream at Easter Road.
