Not a good night for Hibs, but it could have been much, much worse.
David Gray's men at least managed to score late in their 2-1 Conference League playoff first leg defeat to Legia Warsaw.
Overturning things in the Polish capital will be a big ask, but at one stage it looked like being a damage limitation mission.
The hosts started well as Josh Mulligan and Kieron Bowie missed chances.
But when Legia woke up, they made the Hibees pay.
Rocky Bushir's block (not his first of the night) looked legit but a VAR check and subsequent images showed him use an arm to block a shot that was heading in.
Jean-Pierre Nsame tucked home the spot kick in style.
Right on half-time, it was 2-0. Pawel Mszolek ghosted in at the back post to volley home Nsame's cross and leave Hibs with a mountain to climb.
The Poles thought it was 3-0 after the break when Bartosz Kapustka finished off a fine team move.
However, a VAR check for an offside in the build up meant it was ruled out.
Vahan Bichakhchyan missed an absolute sitter from close range, and Hibs took advantage when Mulligan shot low to offer a sliver of hope for next week.
5 talking points
Bowie released his greatest hit at Easter Road seven days earlier.
Unfortunately there was little stardust in Leith last night as the striker misfired and Hibs now find themselves seriously Under Pressure to keep their Euro hopes alive.
The Heroes were mostly in Legia shirts after a controversial Jean-Pierre Nsame penalty was followed-up by Paweł Wszołek’s strike to put Warsaw in Pole position.
However Josh Mulligan’s 87th minute strike to half the deficit has at least given David Gray’s side hope that their Europa Conference League campaign might not yet be in Ashes.
FT!
2-1 it finishes and while not ideal, Hibs will take it given how the game went.
Legia thought they were home and hosed at 3-0, only to have their third chalked off after a VAR check for offside.
They mised good chances after that, although so did the Hibees befoe Josh Mulligan gave them a lifeline to take to the Polish capital next week.
GOAL!
A lifeline for Hibs!
Hoilett sends a thumping header towards goal and it's well saved by Tobaisz.
But the rebound falls for Josh Mulligan and shoots low ointo the corner to get hibs back into. agame they really should be well out of.
Wide!
Huge chance for Klidje.
He has a free header from Nicjy Cadden's cross but the record signing glance it wide with no-one near him.
Miss
Huge let off for Hibs.
A cross is laid off for Vahan Bichakhchya who takes a touch and has the goal at his mercy just a few yards out.
BUt he inexplicably blazes over with only Sith to beat, and is promptly subbed.
GOAL!
3-0 Legia and that looks like that.
The Poles knock the ball about nicely and a cross from the by line is only cleared as far as Bartosz Kaputska.
He takes a touch and clamly bends a finish past Smith into the corner.
Chance
Nicky Cadden with the nutmeg before flashing a great deliver across the six yard box.
The keeper flaps and Boyle sliding in at the back post just can't make contact.
Sub
Tripe change for the Hibees.
Iredale, Campbell and Levitt off.
Chaiwa, McGrath and Nicky Cadden on.
Over!
Bushiri should score.
He meets an inswinging Obita corner from the right and is unmarked.
He can't get over the ball and heads over the bar.
Hibs could really have done with that to lift the crowd.
HT!
The boos ring out for the ref but after a good start, Hibs have been second best.
On second look, Bushiri's arm does appear to be further out from his body that it appeared it real speed and with the shot looking like it was going in, you can see why the penalty was given.
That second goal just before the break was a real gut punch, however.
Hibs had been warned though, and gave up possession again allowing Legia to break on them and they;ve looked dangerous whenever they have.
The hosts were punished and the fear is they;re caught again as they go chasing a goal to get themselves back into the tie.
GOAL!
Oh dear, Hibs look in trouble now.
They loses possession and Nsame is allowed to take his time, look up and send a clever ball to the back post.
Pawel Wszolek arrives right on cue and sends a crisp volley back across Smith and into the far corner.
GOAL!
Nsame steps up and fires into the top corner.
Snith had no chance.
It's a harsh decision to award the spot kick as Bushiri's arm looked to be infront of his body.
Now Hibs have to come from behind.
Penalty!
After a long, long VAR check, the ref goes to the screen and decides Bushiri used his arm.
Penalty to Legia...
What a block!
Bushiri again.
Smith beats the ball straight back out into the box from the initial effort.
Nsame hits the follow up and it's in al the way until Bushiri throws himself in front of it.
There is a VAR check for a potential handball, however...
What's at stake
£925,000 at least is up for grabs for the winner of this tie in terms of prize money.
That will rize depending on how many league phase points are won and of course, that sweet, sweet TV revenue.
Wide!
Bowie must do better.
Chris cadden does really well down the right and pulls the ball back for Bowie.
He opens his body and tries to place a finish inside the near post, but sends it wide.
It's beena. right open start to this game and both sides will feel they should have scored. Hibs causing problems for the Poles but they look very quick on the counter attack.
Blocked
Lightning break from Legia almost cuts Hibs open.
They race down the right and the ball is pulled back for Nsame.
he pulls the trigger from close range but Rocky bushiri throws his body in the way.
Wide
Obita's corner finds Josh Campbell completely unmarked in the box.
He plants a header towards goal but sends it wide and should have really done a lot better there.
Big chance
Almost an opener for the Hibees inside two minutes.
The Poles look awfy nervous and Hibs nearly take advantage.
Mulligantries to round Tobaisz after Boyle slicks the ball to him in the box but the Legia keeper and one of his defender just manage to scramble the ball away.
Bowie then has another go from the angle at close range but Tobiasz pushes it away.
KICK-OFF!
After a false start, we're off at Easter Road!
Hins in the usual green and white, Legia is all red.
Escort service
The Legia fans cross the infamous "Bridge of Doom" (Crawford Bridge to most) on the wait way to Easter Road, accompanied by the cops.
Game must be in doubt
Given there's a tornado at Easter Road!
Josh Taylor is in the house and he'll be hoping it's Hibs who land any knock out blows.
Legia Warsaw team news
Legia Warsaw: Tobiasz, Jedrzejczyk, Ziolkowski, Kapuadi, Vinagre, Wszolek, Augustyniak, Elitim, Bichakhchyan, Nsame, Kapustka.
Subs: Kobylak, Banasik, Burch, Alfarela, Reca, Zewlakow, Kun, Morishita, Rajovic, Stojanovic, Szymanski, Urbanksi.
Hibs team news
Hibs: Smith, O'Hora, Levitt, Bowie, Boyle, C Cadden, Iredale, Mulligan, Obita, Campbell, Bushiri.
Subs: Sallinger, Hanley, Youan, Alasana, Chaiwa, McGrath, Klidje, N Cadden, Hoilett, Megwa, MacIntyre, Molotkinov.
McGinn is Mulligan's role model
Josh Mulligan is delighted to be compared to John McGinn - but what the midfielder would love most is to join the former Hibs hero in the Scotland squad.
Mulligan has hit the ground running at Easter Road since making his summer switch from Dundee.
And the 22-year-old is hoping to create history with Hibs as they look to see off Legia Warsaw and reach the £5million Conference League proper.
David Gray's side host the Poles in the playoff first leg tonight and Mulligan is desperate to build on his rich vein of form that has seen him likened to Scotland talisman and Aston Villa skipper McGinn.
Shkurin not in Scotland
Legia Warsaw have been hit with a major blow after their £1.5 million striker Ilya Shkurin failed to get a visa in time to play Hibs.
Hibs face the Polish side in a play-off in the Europa Conference League as they attempt to play group stage European football for the first time.
They face a Legia side who have had a traumatic build-up to the tie after crashing out of the Europa League to AEK Larnaca, losing to newly-promoted side Wisla Plock at the weekend and their manager Edi Iordanescu being linked with a move to the UAE.
And their problems deepened when Belarus striker Shkurin stayed at home in Poland after Legia failed to secure a UK visa for him.
Legia stated: "Ilya Shkurin has not travelled to Scotland due to his inability to obtain a visa to the UK for Belarusian citizens at such short notice."
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the UK government put in place a set of sanctions against Belarus and its citizens and securing a visa for entry, even for sports, can take several weeks.
Legia splashed out £1.5 million from fellow Polish club Stal Mielec to land 26-year-old Shkurin in February and he's played in five Europa League ties already this season.
Warsaw boss chaos
Legia Warsaw faced the prospect of boss Edi Iordanescu walking away for a big-money move to Abu Dhabi before facing Hibs.
The Scottish Premiership side entertain the Polish giants for a place in the group stage of the Europa Conference League with the first leg in Edinburgh on Thursday.
Legia have endured a nightmare build-up to the tie after being dumped out of the Europa League by AEK Larnaca and then losing to Polish League new boys Wisla Plock at the weekend.
Ambitious moneybags club Al Jazira axed manager Hussein Ammouta just one game into the new season in the UAE.
They spent millions in the summer to sign Willyan Rocha from Russia's CSKA Moscow and Igor Serrote from Gremio in Brazil, but their 3-2 to Khor Fakkan cost the former Jordan manager his job.
