Kilmarnock suffered the cruellest of European defeats in the Danish capital as they went down to 2-0 to FC Copenhagen.
Killie frustrated their hosts for much of the first leg of their UEFA Conference League play-off but fell to a harsh VAR-assisted penalty and then a set-piece goal just as five minutes of stoppage-time elapsed.
Kilmarnock goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara, again deputising for the injured Robby McCrorie, had been largely untroubled before Kevin Diks’ penalty was just out of his reach in the 77th minute.
Italian referee Fabio Maresca had stopped play out of the blue before going to the monitor and penalising David Watson for catching Mohamed Elyounoussi on the calf as the pair challenged for a bouncing ball at a corner.
The former Celtic winger had already played the ball with the corner coming to nothing and the incident was far from clear or obvious, as well as being inconsequential, immediately at any rate.
Worse was to come for Killie when Rasmus Falk volleyed home from a half-cleared corner to leave the visitors with an uphill task to reach the group stage and access what manager Derek McInnes had described as “unimaginable” financial benefits of about £4m.
McInnes handed full-back Jack Burroughs a debut following his loan and started with both Kyle Vassell and Marley Watkins for the first time this season.
Copenhagen beat Manchester United and Galatasaray at the Parken Stadium last season on their way to the last 16 of the Champions League but Killie gave them a scare when Watson sent Vassell through one-on-one with Denis Vavro.
Vassell beat the centre-back before being hacked to the ground but Maresca decided Diks was just about to cover and brandished a yellow card.
Rasmus Falk doubled the lead
Killie had a series of set-pieces before O’Hara pulled off his only first-half save of note to safely parry Vavro’s bouncing 30-yard strike behind for a corner.
Liam Donnelly and Lewis Mayo made some crucial challenges in the Killie box and the former saw a shot deflected wide after Watkins got in behind towards the end of a satisfactory first half for the visitors.
The Danes stepped up a gear just after the break with Giorgi Gocholeishvili heading wide from a good chance before O’Hara saved from Elyounoussi.
Stuart Findlay made some good interventions and Diks fired wide as Killie continued to look solid despite being pushed back.
The Italian match officials had other ideas though and Elyounoussi fired over from six yards after Killie were caught out moments after the opener.
With striker Vassell off with a knock, the Ayrshire side looked to be settling for a narrow defeat until Falk’s volley flew past O’Hara seconds after the five minutes of time added on were up.
McInnes: Horrendous decision to award penalty
Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes speaking to BBC Scotland’s Sportsound:
“We spoke at half-time about how we had limited them to shots from distance and a few crosses. They hadn’t really done much to trouble us, they didn’t really disrupt our shape. The game played out exactly as I was hoping to be honest.
“We carried a threat and had some good moments in that first half, to give the players some encouragement we could get something from the game.
“Their manager made a few changes, they tried to move the ball a bit quicker and I thought they started the second half a bit better. But by and large we felt okay until the referee gets involved with the penalty kick.
“For me, it’s a horrendous decision. I think it’s extremely harsh. I don’t think it’s a clear and obvious error and it surprised everybody when he was asked to go over.
“Elyounoussi had got the first touch on it but I don’t think it impacts on him having a shot. It was just a coming together and I don’t think it’s a penalty kick.
“If he gives the penalty at the time I’d be really disappointed but maybe could understand it a wee bit more. But I just don’t think it’s a clear and obvious error.
“For the effort, work and organisation and everything we did in the game, to lose a goal like that is extremely harsh.”
