Malmo 2-0 Hibernian: Hibs" Europa bid in doubt HIBERNIAN will have to overturn a two-goal deficit to progress past Swedish opponents Malmo in the Europa League second qualifying round after losing their first-leg tie 2-0. Scorers: Malmo - Hamad (10), Eriksson (12) First-half goals from skipper Jiloan Hamad and Magnus Eriksson, just two minutes apart, ensured the Easter Road team were forced to endure a long evening at Swedbank Stadion. The visitors face a tough return back in Edinburgh next Thursday against a team whose greater sharpness and fitness from being almost midway through their domestic season was clearly evident. As predicted 24 hours before by manager Pat Fenlon, Hibs were without Ryan McGivern because of a knee injury and with teenage winger Alex Harris restricted to a place on the bench due to a thigh problem. With Fraser Mullen, a summer signing from Hearts, deemed not fit enough to start and fellow right-back Tim Clancy out following a close-season groin operation, the Scots" rearguard took on a makeshift look for tonight's game. Left-sided midfielder Lewis Stevenson was called on to plug the right-back gap, with Paul Hanlon moving to the other side of the defence and teenager Jordon Forster, who filled in for captain James McPake in the Scottish Cup final in May, continuing his meteoric rise with a European outing. New signings Liam Craig, Owain Tudur Jones and Rowan Vine were all handed glamour debuts, with the re-signed Kevin Thomson charged with utilising European experience built up in the Champions League and UEFA Cup with Rangers. Hibs should have been ahead after just seven minutes when Tudur Jones rose unmarked to meet Craig's free-kick - but the summer recruit from Inverness Caledonian Thistle headed wastefully over. And within three minutes, the Scots were behind. Skipper James McPake was booked for an apparent tug on striker Tokelo Rantie as the South African international looked to race onto a through-ball and Hamad sent his 20-yard free-kick into the net via the underside of the crossbar. Within two minutes, the costly start was complete as Malmo doubled their lead. Emil Forsberg created space on the left side of the penalty box and his cutback was slotted home by Eriksson. Hibs plugged away and Vine watched as his deflected drive agonisingly rebounded off the post with goalkeeper Johan Dahlin helpless. However, the Scottish Premier League side had goalkeeper Ben Williams to thank for ensuring things did not get even worse when his outstretched boot diverted Eriksson's shot over for a corner, which saw defender Erik Johnsson head wide from. Williams saved from Rantie and from Miiko Albornoz and Hamad as there was little respite for Hibs at the start of the second period. And the visitors were fortunate to survive another sweeping attack as Simon Thern's shot screwed across goal off the inside of Williams" left-hand post. In the end, after repelling everything Malmo could throw at them in the second half, Hibs will have been delighted to get to the full-time whistle with just a two-goal deficit to chase next week back in Scotland.