Good afternoon, folks. Welcome along to our liveblog of what is a massive game for Dundalk Football Club, as they aim to advance in the Europa League at the expense of AEK Larnaca.
The tie is even after last week’s goalless draw at Oriel Park, so an away goal could be crucial for Stephen Kenny’s side today at the AEK Arena in Cyprus, where kick-off is at 4.30pm Irish time.
Stick with us throughout the game and we’ll keep you up to date as these two sides bid to set up a clash with Austrian outfit Strum Graz in the third qualifying round.
The team news is in.
Dundalk will field the same side that started Sunday’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division win against Bohemians, which means that Dean Jarvis replaces Dane Massey at left-back in the only change from the first leg against AEK. Injured right-back Sean Gannon misses out again but he has been deemed fit enough to be included among the substitutes.
The Cypriot Cup winners have also made one change, with Spanish winger Tete coming in for compatriot Joan Tomas.
Dundalk
Gary Rogers; Sean Hoare, Brian Gartland, Daniel Cleary, Dean Jarvis; Chris Shields, Robbie Benson; Dylan Connolly, Jamie McGrath, Michael Duffy; Patrick Hoban.
Subs: Gabriel Sava, Sean Gannon, John Mountney, Karolis Chvedukas, Dane Massey, Ronan Murray, Patrick McEleney.
AEK Larnaca
Tono Ramirez; Igor Silva, Joan Truyols, Mikel Gonzalez, Thomas Ioannou; Larena Jorge, Hector Hevel; Acorán, Ivan Trickovski, Tete; Apostolos Giannou.
Subs: Andreas Christodoulou, Joan Tomas, Nacho Cases, Rafael Anastasiou, Ioannis Panayides, Konstantinos Konstantinou, Onisiforos Roushias.
It’s two years to the day since Dundalk recorded a famous 3-0 win over BATE Borisov which triggered a brilliant run in Europe, helped by a couple of goals from this man…
Good luck to @DundalkFC tonight, hopefully another big European performance!
— David McMillan (@DMcM88) August 2, 2018
The Lilywhites will be hoping for another memorable result against European opposition tonight.
Playing their third game in eight days — and in 33-degree heat — the Dundalk players will be pushed to their limits in this one.
Larnaca is ready for the Lilywhites! ⚫⚪
— Dundalk FC (@DundalkFC) August 2, 2018
What are your score predictions for #AEKDUN? pic.twitter.com/QqYTaIwiX1
This was the closest we came to a breakthrough in the first leg, in–form Dundalk winger Michael Duffy curling an effort off the outside of the post…
09: Chance!
— eir Sport (@eirSport) July 26, 2018
Almost the perfect start for Dundalk, but Duffy's effort clips the outside of the post.
LIVE now on eir sport 1. #LOIinEurope pic.twitter.com/AzKISDrgCx
Here come the teams.
Even the locals in the stands seem to be struggling in the heat, as is Caoimhín Reilly, who’ll bring us a match report from Larnaca after the final whistle.
There'll be water breaks in Larnaca tonight. 30th and 75th minutes. It's boiling, lads!
— Caoimhín Reilly (@CaoimhinReilly) August 2, 2018
The game is underway.
Good interchange of passes between McGrath and Duffy allows Jarvis to send in a cross, but it’s cleared by Igor Silva.
Silva is released down the right but Cleary does well to intervene. Corner to AEK.
Shields clears but Connolly is robbed of possession by Tete as AEK begin to find their rhythm.
Nervous moment for Dundalk as Larena plays Giannou through. Gartland cuts it out but it falls to Trickovski, whose shot deflects away for a corner, which comes to nothing.
Free-kick on the right for AEK is squared but Shields does well to block the shot. Moments later the ball is drilled across the face of Dundalk’s goal.
Stephen Kenny’s side under pressure.
Dundalk counter through Duffy, who plays in Hohan, but his centred pass is cleared.
GOAL! AEK Larnaca 1 Dundalk 0 (Trickovski, 13)
There’s the opening goal of the tie.
Acoran plays through Trickovski and the Macedonian international hits a brilliant first-time shot from the edge of the box to give AEK the lead.
Disappointing setback for Stephen Kenny’s side but, at the same time, one goal will still put them in the ascendancy here.
Big fan of Sean Hoare but he’s got to anticipate that through ball & run far quicker!!
— Alan Cawley (@alancaw) August 2, 2018
Another attempt on goal from Trickovski but Rogers saves relatively comfortably.
Duffy gets space to send in a cross from the left but it’s easily collected by goalkeeper Ramirez.
GOAL! AEK Larnaca 2 Dundalk 0 (Tete, 21)
Disaster for Dundalk as AEK double their lead. Sean Hoare is caught out by a diagonal ball, Tete gets in behind and applies a lovely finish to beat Rogers.
Now the Lilywhites are really up against it.
The players now being afforded a water break in the sweltering conditions.
Perhaps an opportunity for Stephen Kenny to rally his players.
Dundalk break through Benson but he’s unable to pick out a team-mate with his pass.
Free-kick on the right to Dundalk, Duffy swings it in but he fails to beat the first defender.
McGrath then has a shot from distance but it’s straight at Ramirez.
Silva bursts through on the right for AEK but Gartland’s tackle is perfectly-timed.
Here's the goal from Tete that has put AEK 2-0 up against Dundalk.
— eir Sport (@eirSport) August 2, 2018
LIVE now on eir sport 1! #LOIinEurope pic.twitter.com/t7TSQNgwgQ
Acoran is booked for a foul on Shields in midfield, giving Dundalk an opportunity to send the ball into the box.
Penalty shout for Dundalk as McGrath goes down but the referee says no. AEK perhaps fortunate there.
Hoare sends in a cross but AEK clear the danger.
Much better overall from Dundalk since the water break.
Penalty or not?
— eir Sport (@eirSport) August 2, 2018
Should Dundalk have been awarded a penalty for this challenge?
Live now on eir sport 1! #LOIinEurope pic.twitter.com/DBXaKOsnrN
GOAL! AEK Larnaca 3 Dundalk 0 (Trickovski, 38)
That’ll surely be enough now for AEK.
Tete sends in a cross from the left, Trickovski’s header is spilled by Rogers but the captain fires home the rebound to make it 3-0 to the hosts.
Very, very disappointing for Dundalk, who haven’t looked themselves at all so far.
Hoare crosses to the back post for Dundalk but it’s hooked away by Silva.
The intensity has really dipped since that third goal.
Two minutes of additional time to be played at the end of the first half.
Half-time: AEK Larnaca 3 Dundalk 0
Dundalk have a mountain to climb in the second half. We’ll be back shortly to see if they can manage it.
Dundalk are making two half-time changes: Sean Gannon and Patrick McEleney replace Dan Cleary and Dylan Connolly.
Gannon will go to right-back, with Sean Hoare reverting to the centre.
The game has resumed.
An early attack for Dundalk through Duffy. His cut-back only finds Larena.
Shields fouled in midfield by Hevel, giving Dundalk a free-kick in a good position.
Duffy takes it. Again the danger is cleared by AEK without any hassle.
Acoran gets in on the right for AEK. His cross is collected by Rogers.
McEleney with a speculative long-range shot which goes well over.
Close! Tete shoots from the edge of the box for AEK but it hits the post, after Giannou muscled Hoare off the ball out on the right.
Moments later Acoran cuts in and has a shot which is saved by Rogers.
Free-kick on the left taken by Benson is punched clear by Ramirez.
Close! Jarvis crosses and finds Hoban, whose header goes narrowly wide. Dundalk’s best chance so far.
Another sniff of a chance for Dundalk as Benson and McEleney link up to play in Duffy, who’s unable to get the ball under control in the box.
Shields fouls Acoran just outside the box and it’s a free-kick for AEK.
Hevel takes it but he curls his shot just over.
Hoare appears to have picked up a knock so Dundalk will have to make a change.
Dane Massey comes on for Hoare.
Good move in the box between McEleney and Jarvis. AEK get it clear, though.
Duffy cuts in from the left and fires a shot at goal but it drifts narrowly wide.
Dundalk seeing plenty of possession at the moment. Chances scarce, however, with AEK disciplined in defence.
Chance for Dundalk as the ball suddenly finds its way to Massey in the box but he fails to direct his header on target. Difficult one, to be fair, with the ball coming to him rather unexpectedly.
Nacho Cases replaces Jorge Larena for AEK.
Another water break happening now.
Benson crosses for Hoban and his header is saved. However, the referee had blown for a free-kick for a foul by Hoban on Truyols.
Close! Corner for AEK, Trickovski heads it goalbound and Duffy clears it off the line.
Jarvis fouls Acoran to give AEK a free-kick in a good position, but Hevel’s delivery is too heavy.
Ten minutes remain until AEK are confirmed as the opponents for Sturm Graz in the third qualifying round.
Good work by Gannon down the right but his cut-back for Hoban is blocked.
Close! Silva’s cross finds the head of Trickovski. Rogers produces a brilliant save.
Joan Tomas replaces Acoran for AEK.
GOAL! AEK Larnaca 4 Dundalk 0 (Joan Tomas, 87)
Just seconds after entering the field, Joan Tomas caps off a comfortable win for AEK with his first touch of the game, finishing from close range after the ball was squared to him by Giannou.
Three minutes to be added on.
Full-time: AEK Larnaca 4 Dundalk 0
An extremely disappointing night for Dundalk, as they crash out with their heaviest defeat in Europe since losing 6-0 away to Levski Sofia in 2010.
Thanks for following our coverage. Match report to come from Caoimhín Reilly in Larnaca.
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