I know there was some backing up to do after their European matches last week, but jeez that's a crap result. UCD with only one win all season up until last night.
Much for Sligo to work on for their next round of European Conference League qualifiers against Motherwell.
I know there was some backing up to do after their European matches last week, but jeez that's a crap result. UCD with only one win all season up until last night.
Much for Sligo to work on for their next round of European Conference League qualifiers against Motherwell.
Even against Bala Town on Friday morning they were comfortably second-best. That was at home with a capacity crowd against a part-time Welsh side (UCD might also be part-time, I’m not sure) that were knocked out 3-1 on aggregate by a Sammarinese side a couple of years ago. Only their ‘keeper Ed McGinty (and the woodwork tbf) kept them in Europe, he made several big saves to keep it to just a one goal deficit, and then saved twice in the shootout. The trouble is, it looks like he’s leaving to Oxford Utd and he didn’t play the UCD game.
Motherwell look like they’ll be too big an ask unfortunately, but upsets can happen. It’s only the third ever time Sligo have progressed in a European tie, with the others being a 3-2agg win over Maltese side Floriana in 94/95 and 4-0agg over Lithuanian Banga Gargzdai in 14/15, so there’s little precedent. Last year, for example, they lost both legs against Faroese side FH, going out 3-1 on aggregate. Derry City (interestingly from Northern Ireland but playing in the Republic), the other LoI side in the UECL First Qualifying Round, lost their first round tie 4-0 to Latvian side Riga FC, while Shamrock Rovers beat Hibernians of Malta 3-0 in the UCL First Qualifying Round.
Also in the UECL Second Qualifying Round is Joe Bell’s Brøndby against Pogon Szczecin, as well as Viking against Sparta Prague.
Unfortunately Sligo concede in 113rd min to lose 1-2.
So a few nights after beating a SPL team in Europe, they lose a home cup tie to a 2nd tier Irish team. Football.
Next a trip to Viking and Gianni Stensness midweek in Norway. Viking are currently 6th in the Eliteserienat just over the half way mark.
Stensness though hasn't played since returning from the Socceroos playoff games (he was on the bench verus UAE) back in early June.
Viking will be a step up from Motherwell, but Sligo looked very solid against Motherwell and have really no pressure on them to succeed, given they've already created history in just getting to this round. The last time Viking were in Europe they went out to another side from the British Isles, losing a one-off match 2-0 at home to Aberdeen, so maybe there's something for Sligo to take motivation from there.
It's also not really the same Viking side that medaled last year in Eliteserien, due to the inevitable departures that accompany overachieving. To Brøndby alone they have lost three key players: Norway U21 centre-back Henrik Heggheim in September last year for €1.5m, Joe Bell in January for €1.1m and Norway U21 right-back Sebastian Sebulonsen for €1.2m in mid July. All three in fact played the full 90 minutes today against Silkeborg.
On top of that, Viking have lost their two top scorers for this season, without replacing them yet, Sebulonsen one of them with four goals, and the other being Veton Berisha on eight goals (and five assists) in 12 games, who left to Hammarby for €2m. Berisha is quite literally irreplaceable for Viking, in the last three seasons he has 61 goals/assists in 68 Eliteserien games and it speaks volumes that he was the only (outfield) non-Bødo/Glimt local player in the national team.
Viking are also in a little bit of a local slump. They were right up setting the pace beside Lillestrøm earlier in the year, and were even top in May. But they have dropped down a bit, sitting in fifth, though all the teams around them have a game in hand. Since May, they have only three wins out of ten, against dead-last Kristiansund who have two points all season, against a relegation-playoff-spot Haugesund, and against (then) top-of-the-table Lillestrøm.
Viking will definitely back themselves to be comfortable, especially after beating Sparta Prague, but hopefully Sligo will be able to continue their run, and also allow Mata and Pijnaker to get one over their ex-U20 World Cup teammate.
See that Viking had the weekend off, so will be rested. Though Sligo may have rested a few starters themselves today.
Certainly neither Mata or Pijnaker stated either match verus Motherwell. Apparently return Viking game in Sligo already sold out. So locals loving their little novelty Euro adventure.
Edit - both Kiwis bought into the game very early. Mata at 7 mins & Pjinaker at 22 mins. Presumably as injury replacements, but Sligo had also made a terrible start down 2 nil after only 8 mins!
Concede three more in the 2nd half to go on to lose 5-1 (get a late consolation pen). So 2nd leg in front of a full house back in Sligo, could have a bit of a damp squid feel about it.
Edit - both Kiwis bought into the game very early. Mata at 7 mins & Pjinaker at 22 mins. Presumably as injury replacements, but Sligo had also made a terrible start down 2 nil after only 8 mins!
Concede three more in the 2nd half to go on to lose 5-1 (get a late consolation pen). So 2nd leg in front of a full house back in Sligo, could have a bit of a damp squid feel about it.
Pijanker with a yellow.
I only caught the second half, but it was not the best arbeidsdag in Norway for either Pijnaker or Mata. Mata looked very isolated up top, really struggled to even get a touch on the ball to hold it up, and was beaten in the air a lot. Pijnaker was probably guilty of ball-watching and not tracking the man for the third goal, and had his 'ankles broken' by a chop inside for the fourth. His yellow came after he stepped into the Viking half, missed his header and had to drag his man back to prevent the counter.
1-0 win on the night for Sligo, but, of course, not enough to overcome the 1-5 first leg deficit. Sligo were probably the side with more of the play, and had a penalty saved in the second half, but the entire game felt like one of those games where its 5-0 at halftime and the second half is non-event. The game never really felt out of Viking's hands, understandably playing in first gear as the constant Thursday-Sunday-Thursday fixture list adds up. They go to Bucharest next week to play FCSB. Pijnaker played a full 90, Mata played 80 minutes, and Stensness remains injured.
This defeat, alongside Brøndby's shootout defeat in Basel, means Marko Stamenic at København will be the only New Zealander playing European football this season. They play the home leg against Turkish champions Trabzonspor next week, with the winner going to the Champions League group stage, and the loser to the Europa League. David Browne's HJK are also now guaranteed European football for the second year in a row after beating Slovenian side Maribor in UEL qualifying this morning; they'll also play a playoff round next with at least a place in the UECL group stage guaranteed .
Match highlights here. Nado hoofs ball forward with his right foot, re his assit. However prior that a terrible defensive error, should have given Shelbourne a goal. Ball tangled his his feet.
Chuck another one on the mantelpiece, Max Mata capping a fine year with a sneaky award. Young player of the year for the club. Both he and Nando Pijnaker were also nominated for overall Player of the Year although no surprises that Aidan Keena won that one.
