CRUSADERS' European dream came to an end in Trondheim as they lost out in heroic fashion to Norwegian heavyweights Rosenborg.
Winger Jayden Nelson opened the scoring for the home side, but Philip Lowry grabbed an equaliser on the half-time whistle.
With no goals in the second half, extra-time was required
Isak Thorvaldsson restored Rosenborg’s lead only for Paul Heatley to equalise but then get sent off for time wasting.
Leo Cornic scored the winner in an exasperating finish and Rosenborg now face Hearts in the third round of qualifying.
Stephen Baxter’s men started better, causing an attacking threat that Rosenborg would certainly not have expected, Ben Kennedy going close with a header on five minutes.
Billy Joe Burns was then unlucky with a header at the back post, but the hosts slowly grew into the game and on 33 minutes grabbed an opener.
Sverre Halseth Nypan played a lovely through ball inside Burns down the left channel and Canadian international Nelson coolly slotted past an advancing Jonny Tuffey.
Both sides created chances after this and if there was any doubt in how the visitors could get back into the game, these were dismissed on the stroke of half-time when Philip Lowry tapped in from six yards out.
After a sprightly start to the second period by the visitors, the Norwegian side began to gain more dominance as the hour mark approached and only a fantastic triple-save within a minute from Tuffey kept the score all-square.
Both sides created chances, but on 96 minutes the hosts must have thought they had won it when an unmarked Thorvaldsson headed a cross back across Tuffey’s goal, only for the ex-Northern Ireland International to pulled off a wonder save at full stretch.
Thorvaldsson did get a measure of revenge when he headed past Tuffey on 102 minutes, but Crusaders only needed two minutes to strike back through Heatley, a strike into the bottom left after some tidy work out right by Kennedy and then Lecky.
It wasn’t to finish as the dream night Heatley hoped for, though, as he was sent off for a second yellow card soon after.
Three minutes into the second period of extra-time Rosenborg scored a third on the night.
Magnus Holte had a shot that was superbly saved by Tuffey, but the rebound fell to Cornic who smashed home via the crossbar.
