Nando Pijnaker (Auckland FC | A-Leagues)

Sligo win the tie on pens 4-3 to progress to play Motherwell next round.
Finished a 0-1 win Bala Town in NT, so 2-2 on aggregate over the 2 legs.

Mata was subbed off at 70 mins (score 0-1), so wasn't involved in the pen shootout.

Motherwell will be a big step up. Be interesting to see how (hopefully both) the Kiwis go against a side from the SPL.

Sligo travel to Motherwell, in 2nd Qualifying Round Europa Conference League playoffs.

Pijnaker & Mata both on the bench.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2022/07/21/europe/uefa-europa-conference-league/motherwell-fc/sligo-rovers-fc/3799465/

In an upset, Sligo win first leg 1-0 away in Scotland.
Mata was subbed on at 77 mins (score 1-0). Pijnaker an unused sub it seems.

2nd leg in Sligo next week.

@sligorovers 21m

A FAMOUS WIN!!!!! pic.twitter.com/xGHk6tjsvY

— Sligo Rovers (@sligorovers) July 21, 2022

Sligo host Motherwell, in 2nd Qualifying Round Europa Conference League playoffs. 2nd leg, with Sligo 1-0 up from their visit to Scotland.

Pijnaker & Mata both on the bench

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2022/07/28/europe/uefa-europa-conference-league/sligo-rovers-fc/motherwell-fc/3799756/

Edit - Sligo looking good 1-0 up (2-0 on agg) at HT.

What a cruisy performance for Sligo. Motherwell so poor. Nando and Max Mata both come on now to shore up the lead. 

lthomas20

What a cruisy performance for Sligo. Motherwell so poor. Nando and Max Mata both come on now to shore up the lead. 

Mata on at 69 mins (1-0) and scores in 91st min to make it 2-0 on the day (3-0 on agg).
https://twitter.com/sligorovers?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Pijnaker came on at 79 mins.

Sligo will play Joe Bell's old club Viking in the next Round. Ex NZ U20/Olywhites team mates Gianni Stensness & Pijnaker head to head. Tasty

First away leg in Norway next Thursday.

Big summer night in Sligo by the sounds & looks of it. Good fun occassion for the 2 Kiwis.

This is their first goal (not Mata), a cracking free kick.

Goal of the season contender ? #bitored #WellMudder https://t.co/i8WtqCacA0

— Kenny Conway (@Mr_OConbhui) July 28, 2022

https://www.skysports.com/football/sligo-rovers-vs-motherwell/report/464621

As the game entered added time, Mata, on for Morahan in the 69th minute, ran on to a Keena pass to slip the ball low past Kelly to seal a famous win as Sligo reached the third qualifying round of European qualification for the first time.

Match highlights from the win over Motherwell. Nice finish from Mata with his left foot to kill the tie off.
Greive's St Mirren host Motherwell in the SPL tomorrow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ80NcWGfqA

The Niche Cache @thenichecache

Also from the Max Mata files: a rare case of a substitute getting yellow carded prior to joining the match

Ball bounced in his lap while he was warming up on the sideline... so he threw it into the stands  #FlyingKiwis

Have to say, if Nando can’t start in the Irish league or in these early round Champions League games for an Irish club, he should be nowhere near the AWs.  I still think starting him against CR was the wrong call as history shows.

He really needs to get out of the Irish League and play somewhere else for his and our benefit.  He seems to have the potential but is hardly setting an average at best league alight.

Marto

Have to say, if Nando can’t start in the Irish league or in these early round Champions League games for an Irish club, he should be nowhere near the AWs.  I still think starting him against CR was the wrong call as history shows.

He really needs to get out of the Irish League and play somewhere else for his and our benefit.  He seems to have the potential but is hardly setting an average at best league alight.

He and Stanger both looked fantastic for U20s(?), they kept a certain Mr Erling Haaland in their pockets from memory, but neither seem to be impressing anyone at club level.

Marto

Have to say, if Nando can’t start in the Irish league or in these early round Champions League games for an Irish club, he should be nowhere near the AWs.  I still think starting him against CR was the wrong call as history shows.

He really needs to get out of the Irish League and play somewhere else for his and our benefit.  He seems to have the potential but is hardly setting an average at best league alight.

He’s still easily one of the best CBs in the league. Was out for a while with illness/injury and took a long time to recover, so Sligo are persevering with their interim partnership. Nothing much to worry about, though would be nice if he was starting of course - don’t read too much into whether someone starts or doesn’t

From an AWs perspective I thought he looked good coming on in the 2nd half verus Peru, linking well with Cacace & Garbett, leading to our best chances in that game.

That's likely why he started against CR in the playoff, ahead of Smith. He was at fault for Campbell's soft shock early goal, but so were a number of AWs.

Club level who knows what's going on. As MM says above he was injured for awhile. Prior that the fans were lauding him at Sligo. 

He does have a great left peg, and real ability to find a team mate with a raking switch pass. Perhaps it's the core defensive duties that remain real work ons. Making good defensive decisions, cutting out the howlers etc. Hopefully improvements come with more experience and game time. It's his first season, not just training, in a club environment for almost 2 years.

Sounds like for the Motherwell games, Sligo sat deep playing on the counter. Perhaps their other CBs better suit that setup compared to Pijnaker.

mrsmiis

Marto

Have to say, if Nando can’t start in the Irish league or in these early round Champions League games for an Irish club, he should be nowhere near the AWs.  I still think starting him against CR was the wrong call as history shows.

He really needs to get out of the Irish League and play somewhere else for his and our benefit.  He seems to have the potential but is hardly setting an average at best league alight.

He’s still easily one of the best CBs in the league. Was out for a while with illness/injury and took a long time to recover, so Sligo are persevering with their interim partnership. Nothing much to worry about, though would be nice if he was starting of course - don’t read too much into whether someone starts or doesn’t

I'm reading far more into the fact that he's playing in Ireland than into that he isn't starting.

Sligo (5th) host Bohemians (6th).

Pijnaker starting & Mata on the bench

Max with a 3 min brace to win it.

MetalLegNZ

Max with a 3 min brace to win it.

Yipe comes on at HT and both goals in a 2-1 win!

Full game Pijnaker

Just read that Sliglo got smashed by Bell's old team - Viking in Europa qualifying. It probably shows about where the two leagues sit. Ended 5-1

Sligo (5th) travel to St Patricks Athletic (4th).

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2022/08/14/ireland-republic/premier-league/st-patricks-athletic-fc/sligo-rovers-fc/3712581/

Full games both Mata and Pijnaker in a 1-0 loss

From Flying Kiwis.

At least Sligo Rovers knew that they were probably going out of Europe regardless after a 5-1 defeat to Viking of Norway in the away leg. Nothing to lose back at home. But they did have an injury toll to cope with  and the worst of them was captain Gary Buckley. Since that first leg it’d been confirmed that he’d torn an ACL and his season is thus over. Horrid news for him... at least this means that Nando Pijnaker is likely to start most games from here on out. 

Tomorrow, Sligo Rovers (5th) to host Dundalk (2nd).

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2022/08/29/ireland-republic/premier-league/sligo-rovers-fc/dundalk-football-club/3712542/

Full game Pijnaker and Mata on at 58 mins (1-0) in a 2-0 win

Dundalk we’re down to 10 men from 23 mins

Was a bit curious on how Pijnaker's viewed in Ireland, being that when he first signed there were calls of "best player in the league" and now I'm seeing some "first flight back to Portugal" rhetoric.

Checked out their forums, and consensus seems to be that he was incredible when he first signed, got sick and was out of the squad for a bit, then when he got back he was inexplicably benched for far longer than he should have been. This beat his confidence and from there, his form dropped. Thankfully Sligo fans seem to blame management for this, not Nando himself. Some of the harsher comments seem to be hyperbole as he still garners a lot of praise from fans. Had an awesome game vs. Dundalk

Mata should certainly be in national team conversations. One of, if not the best hold-up striker we have right now behind Wood, and seems to have leaned into that a lot at Sligo

From Flying Kiwis. MOTM on the weekend. Apparently earnt pen for Sligo's 2nd goal.

Solid at the back 🙌

Nando Pijnaker is your Revive Active Man of The Match for tonight.

Well played, Nando. #bitored pic.twitter.com/RylAp9mlGc

— Sligo Rovers (@sligorovers) September 3, 2022

Sligo (5th) travel to Derry City (2nd).

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2022/09/13/ireland-republic/premier-league/derry-city-football-club/sligo-rovers-fc/3712569/

Full game in a 1-0 loss.

Mata subbed on at 63 mins (1-0)

Michael Holding (or is it Ian Bishop) pops up as comments man, when Pijanker scores on the weekend.

Nando Pijnaker, go on fella #FlyingKiwis pic.twitter.com/mU0BMhFIak

— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) October 3, 2022

Sligo (5th) host Derry City (2nd)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2022/10/24/ireland-republic/premier-league/sligo-rovers-fc/derry-city-football-club/3712612/

A 0-0 draw. Pijnaker full game & Mata on at 57 mins

Both Pijnaker and Mata are included in Sligo's six-man vote for Player of the Year!

You can cast your vote here: https://vote.easypolls.net/635168127e59a7005ff08cbd

Last game of the season & Sligo (5th) travel to Bohemians (6th). Both teams can't change their ladder positions.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2022/11/06/ireland-republic/premier-league/bohemian-football-club/sligo-rovers-fc/3712623/

2 more Kiwis finish their football season.

Sligo lose 3-1 at Bohemians. Mata with the assist for Sligo's goal. 

Full game both him & Pijinaker.
Mata, 27 games, 16 starts, 7 goals
Pijanker 31 games, 28 starts, 1 goals.

Pijinaker's Rio Ave deals finishes soon? Where next? Sligo likely to table an offer?

Mata & Pijnaker both started in a 2-2 draw verus 2nd tier Galway United.

Adam Thomas was loaned by Shelbourne to Galway last year. No idea where he is now.

Game was a 1-1 draw.

For any interested AWs fans. https://t.co/KkRpow0KNU

— Jacob Spoonley (@JacobSpoonley) February 19, 2023

Another Euro club with 2 Kiwis, Sligo travel to University College Dublin (UCD)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/02/24/ireland-republic/premier-league/university-college-dublin-football-club/sligo-rovers-fc/4000606/

Unchanged starting XI for today's match. 

Here it is 👇

No changes for John Russell as he names the same starting XI that drew our season opener

Niall Morahan returns from injury and is named among the subs

Kick off at 7:45pm in UCD

Come on Rovers #bitored pic.twitter.com/H5RNiUDEsw

— Sligo Rovers (@sligorovers) February 24, 2023

Mata scores!

Oops wrong thread.

Sligo (5th) host St Patricks Athletic (7th).

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/03/06/ireland-republic/premier-league/sligo-rovers-fc/st-patricks-athletic-fc/4000614/

Both Kiwis start. Pijnaker has his CB partner sent off at 20 mins (0-0)

Currently 1-1 after an hour.