Champions League second qualifying round, first leg: Ararat-Armenia 2 [Lima 51, Banjaqui 80] Shamrock Rovers 0The Republican Stadium in Yerevan continues to be a miserable hunting ground for Irish teams as goals from Sandro Lima and Zidane Banjaqui might prove enough to send Shamrock Rovers into the Europa League. The Republic of Ireland, under both Stephen Kenny and Heimir Hallgrímsson, have suffered similar defeats in the Armenian capital in the 2020s. Rovers must hit top form on their return to Tallaght next Tuesday if Stephen Bradley’s side are to avoid being rerouted to Europa League third qualifying round to face the losers of the Champions League tie between KG Egnatia of Albania and NK Celje of Slovenia, who Rovers lost 2-0 at home against during last season’s Conference League. The curse of Yerevan seemed like it would pass over Rovers as the European specialists were coasting to a 0-0 result until an error by Lee Grace six minutes into the second half. Lima’s gamble paid off as the Brazilian striker intercepted Grace’s back pass before turning Pico Lopes, riding a hand trip by Rovers goalkeeper Ed McGinty and rolling the ball into an empty net. It was a rare lapse in concentration from a Rovers defence that avoided disaster during Lopes’s six weeks at the World Cup with Cape Verde. Rovers manager Stephen Bradley gave his European veterans 15 minutes to retrieve the situation before making three substitutions. Aaron Greene was a half-yard shy of scoring the equaliser after the 36-year-old was beaten to a dangerous low cross from Adam Brennan by Ararat defender Junior Bueno. From the resulting corner Grace should have made amends for his earlier mistake only to head Jack Byrne’s ball straight at Ararat goalkeeper João Bravim. That all too brief period of Rovers dominance prompted Bradley to send in Luke O’Regan, Jake Mulraney and former Bohemians centre forward Jon Afolabi as Greene, Brennan and Grace made way. Afolabi offered Byrne with a target to pepper Ararat’s box with looping crosses. It came to nothing in stifling conditions as the multicultural Armenian outfit broke free in the final 10 minutes as Lima took Lopes down the right before squaring for Banjaqui. With Rovers defenders in reverse, the Guinea-Bissau international steadied himself before letting fly from the edge of the box. ARARAT: Bravim; Hovhannisyan (Felipe, 75), Wilson, Bueno, Pereira (Carlier, 60); Tera (Banjaqui, 65), Muradyan, Oliveira; Serobyan (Ayongo, 75), Lima, Shaghoyan (Franca, 65). SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Grace (O’Regan, 67), Lopes, O’Sullivan; Sobowale, Byrne (Razi, 90), Healy, Watts, Brennan (Mulraney, 67); Burke; Greene (Afolabi, 67). Referee: David Dickinson (Sco).