DUNDALK HAVE ALREADY had some historic European nights this season and the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division champions will be hoping for another as they get their Europa League campaign underway.
Having progressed to the Champions League play-offs with that famous win over BATE Borisov, the Lilywhites lost out to Legia Warsaw and find themselves in continent’s secondary club competition — where tonight’s opponents AZ Almaar, Russian side Zenit St Petersburg and Maccabi Tel-Aviv of Israel make up Group D.
It is the first time since Shamrock Rovers enter the record books in 2011 that the League of Ireland will be represented in the group stages of the tournament.
Kick-off is 30 minutes away.
Here are the teams:
AZ Alkmaar: Rochet; Johansson, Van Eijden, Vlaar (c) Haps; Luckassen, Wuytens; Jahanbakhsh, Van Overeem, Souza, Friday.
Dundalk: Rogers; Gannon, Gartland, Boyle, Massey; Mountney, O’Donnell (c), Finn, Horgan; McEleney, McMillan.
Stephen O’Donnell, Ronan Finn and Brian Gartland all return to a strong, attacking starting line-up.
We’ve had loads of build-up to the game over the past couple of days, and here’s some pre-match reading for you:
- Dundalk no longer an unknown quantity as they embark on Europa League adventure - A preview of the game featuring quotes from Stephen Kenny’s pre-match press conference
- ‘I suppose you feel like a proper footballer on these sort of occasions’ - An interview with Dundalk captain Stephen O’Donnell
- Ron Vlaar, recent departures and LvG: Who are Dundalk’s Europa League opponents AZ Alkmaar? - We profile tonight’s opponents
- Dundalk’s team bus rescues stranded fans on the way to Europa League tie - A great little yarn about an incident that took place on the way to the airport yesterday
- ‘Some of those Dundalk players wouldn’t look out of depth within the Irish squad’ - Former Ireland skipper Kenny Cunningham assesses this current Dundalk team
Stephen Kenny has just been speaking to Des Curran and Brian Kerr on eir Sport 1, who are showing the game live.
The Dundalk boss is extremely positive ahead of the game and says they will be after a win or a draw as you get nothing for coming away with a narrow defeat.
AZ Alkmaar are 2/7 to take three points and you can get Dundalk at 9/1, while the draw is 9/2. How do you see it going then?
Poll Results:
Here come the two teams…
KICK-OFF – We’re up and running.
POST! AZ are inches away from opening the scoring in the second minute as Jahanbakhsh strikes the upright.
Postive play from Dundalk. Gartland starts a move from defence and the ball makes it way to Horgan, who runs at a couple of opponents before laying off to McMillan.
The striker doesn’t catch the ball well at all, however, and scoops high and wide.
CHANCE – Dundalk’s top scorer McMillan chases down Gannon’s pass into the channel and turns inside Vlaar but scuff the shot straight at Rochet with his weaker left foot.
GOOD BLOCK – Boyle gets his body in front of another Jahanbakhsh strike to deflect it away.
It’s been a promising start from Dundalk, who are stringing some nice passes together in possession.
Massey has a shot at goal after coming forward from left full-back but it sails over.
Dundalk captain O’Donnell is down receiving treatment after getting caught late by AZ striker Fred Friday.
However, he’s up on his feet and looks okay to continue.
SAVE! Rochet keeps out Horgan after a smashing forward run from the winer.
Down the other end, Van Overeem wins a corner off Gannon, then glances a header over after the resulting corner is recycled.
Another effort from the visitors, this time it’s McEleney who has a pop at goal. Rochet punches away.
GOAL RULED OUT! AZ have the ball in the back of the net through Friday after the ball falls fortunately into his path, but the referee’s assistant raises his flag to signal offside.
Let-off for Dundalk.
Half-time: AZ Alkmaar 0-0 Dundalk
That’s a great first half from the Lilywhites. “Get your hands off me, right!” barks Stephen Kenny. Both managers exchange heated words as the players head down the tunnel.
SECOND HALF – The game has restarted with no half-time substitutions on either side.
AZ skipper Vlaar, formerly of Aston Villa, gets forward and blasts a strike off-target.
GOAL-LINE CLEARANCE! Luckassen loses his marker at the back post to latch onto an inswinging free-kick and put the ball across Dundalk’s goalmouth. Gannon gets back to snuff out the danger with Friday lurking.
SUBSTITUTION – AZ bring on 24-year-old Dutch striker Wout Weghorst for Friday.
GOAL! AZ Alkmaar 1-0 Dundalk (Stijn Wuytens)
Dundalk are behind! Gary Rogers comes out to collect a cross but misses it completely and clashes with Wuytens, who still manages to score with a header.
This doesn’t look good at all. Wuytens stays down after the collision with Rogers, and the AZ players look visibly distraught as he receives treatment.
After a lengthy stoppage, the midfielder leaves the pitch on a stretcher. Let’s hope it’s not serious.
SUBSTITUTION – Ben Rienstra has taken Wuytens’ place on the field.
That’s a relief…
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RED CARD! Dundalk are down to ten men. O’Donnell makes a late challenge on Haps and is shown a second yellow card. That’s a real blow for the away side.
ANOTHER CHANGE – McMillan makes way for Chris Shields as Kenny reshuffles the pack.
DOUBLE SAVE! Rogers can only palm a long-range effort straight in front of him, and then has to make a second stop from Souza.
SUBSTITUTION – Ciaran Kilduff is introduced with McEleney heading off.
OFF THE LINE! – Boyle gets an important foot to the ball after Luckassen had directed an effort goalward.
GOAL! AZ Alkmaar 1-1 Dundalk (Ciaran Kilduff)
INCREDIBLE! The substitute turns home a header from the free-kick.
Absolute scenes!
NINE MINUTES of additional time to be played! Plenty of time for either side to nick a winner, but you’d think Dundalk would be delighted to hold onto a draw now.
Full-time: AZ Alkmaar 1-1 Dundalk
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