Steaua Bucharest have all but ended Motherwell's hopes of reaching the Europa League proper as they ran out 3-0 winners.
Scots face the music in Romania
Steaua Bucharest have all but ended Motherwell's hopes of reaching the Europa League main draw after cruising to a 3-0 win in Romania.
The third qualifying round first-leg was a one-sided affair as Jim Gannon's young Well side struggled to handle Steau's seasoned European campaigners.
An own goal from defender Stephen Craigan sowed the seeds of the defeat as further Steaua strikes from Banel Nicolita and Bogdan Stancu gave Motherwell the proverbial mountain to climb in the return leg. It could have been even worse had John Ruddy not marked his Well debut with a penalty save.
Bogdan Stancu forced Ruddy to make an early save, and Romeo Surdu also went close from long range for the home side.
A goal was coming and it arrived after 31 minutes when Craigan found the back of his own net following Nicolita's corner.
It should have been 2-0 two minutes later when Steaua were awarded a penalty after Ross Forbes fouled Romeo Surdu, however Ruddy saved Dorin Goian's spot kick.
Gannon made a change before half-time, as Steven Hammell took over from Ross Forbes, but the Steaua pressure continued.
Just as it looked as though Motherwell would survive at 1-0 down until the break, they conceded in the 45th minute.
Key strike
Nicolita provided the low finish past Ruddy after Rafal Grzelak's pass.
Jim O'Brien came off the bench early in the second half, in place of Chris Humphrey, and the substitute created a chance almost instantly when his cross
was headed wide by striker John Sutton.
Motherwell were looking to build on that effort, which represented progress, but 1986 European Cup winners Steaua had other ideas and went 3-0 clear in the 61st minute when Grzelak's cross from the left was headed in by Stancu.
Stancu should have had another goal but fluffed his shot, before Sutton again threatened at the opposite end.
Busy debut
This time his header demanded a save from Cristian Tatarusanu but from the rebound Giles Coke blazed his shot over.
Ruddy, experiencing a busy debut, saved from Krum Bibishkov prior to Mihai Onicas hitting the post with a header.
The 22-year-old former Cambridge goalkeeper made another late save when he tipped Razvan Ochirosii's shot over the bar, on a miserable night for the Scots.
