ROBBIE KEANE’S first game as manager with his new club ended in a 2-0 defeat in the Europa League tonight.
The Dublin-born coach’s Ferencvaros travelled to face an Eintracht Frankfurt side that are third in the Bundesliga.
Teenage midfielder Can Uzun opened the scoring for the hosts four minutes after the break while French striker Hugo Ekitike doubled their advantage just before the hour mark.
The result leaves the Hungarians 22nd in the Europa League table and in danger of missing out on progress to the knockout stages, while the German club are well-placed for a top-eight finish in second and assured of at least a place in the playoffs.
Keane’s men face AZ in their final match of the league phase, with Troy Parrott scoring a crucial winner for the Dutch side against Roma tonight to ensure their place in the playoffs.
The ex-Ireland international was appointed as manager of Hungarian side Ferencvaros earlier this month, having previously spent a year in charge of Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv in addition to a short spell as manager of Indian club ATK.
Europa League results, the penultimate round of pool matches:
AZ Alkmaar (NED) 1 (Parrott 80) Roma (ITA) 0
Bodo/Glimt (NOR) 3 (Hogh 39, 65-pen, Evjen 62) Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR) 1 (Peretz 12)
Porto (POR) 0 Olympiakos (GRE) 1 (El Kaabi 79)
Fenerbahce (TUR) 0 Lyon (FRA) 0
Hoffenheim (GER) 2 (Stach 68, Mokwa 88) Tottenham (ENG) 3 (Maddison 3, Son Heung-min 22, 77)
Malmo (SWE) 2 (Berg Johnsen 32, Christiansen 79) Twente (NED) 3 (Steijn 28-pen, Van Wolfswinkel 61-pen, Lagerbielke 64)
Viktoria Plzen (CZE) 2 (Cerv 3, Adu 45) Anderlecht (BEL) 0
Qarabag (AZE) 2 (Andrade 1, Axundzadə 41) FCSB (ROM) 3 (Sut 7, 73, Miculescu 45+4)
Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) 2 (Uzun 49, Ekitike 59) Ferencvaros (HUN) 0
Elfsborg (SWE) 1 (Henriksson 62) Nice (FRA) 0
Lazio (ITA) 3 (Gila 5, Zaccagni 32, Castellanos 34) Real Sociedad (ESP) 1 (Barrenetxea 82)
Ludogorets (BUL) 0 Midtjylland (DEN) 2 (Osorio 18, Byskov 90+5)
Man Utd (ENG) 2 (Butland 52-og, Fernandes 90+2) Rangers (SCO) 1 (Dessers 88)
PAOK (GRE) 2 (Schwab 26-pen, Konstantelias 56) Slavia Prague (CZE) 0
RFS (LAT) 1 (Markhiev 78) Ajax (NED) 0
Union Saint-Gilloise (BEL) 2 (Ivanovic 50, 74) Braga (POR) 1 (El Ouazzani 16)
Played Wednesday
Besiktas (TUR) 4 (Rashica 17, 60, R. Silva 77, Mario 90+2-pen) Athletic Bilbao (ESP) 1 (Gomez 45)
Played Tuesday
Galatasaray (TUR) 3 (Sanchez 6, Bardakci 21, Osimhen 53-pen) Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) 3 (Vanat 44, Yarmolenko 68, 81)
Well done Eintracht! Free Palestine
Bit harsh the the headline and the theme.. he was a good servant for Ireland but it was top 3 from Bundesliga vs something in Hungarian league.. Robbie was always a good lad
@Brian Dwyer: Agree with that
@Brian Dwyer: Some of the stories from his early days with Ireland are what gave him a bad rep. I’m sure he matured and copped on but it’s hard to shake a reputation. Can’t knock his desire to play for us and his goal scoring record but Robbie’s legacy is always going to be mixed.
It has always been his childhood dream to make a disappointing start at a new club
@Jacob: the childhood dream thing isn’t funny anymore.
The dublin born coach lol he is an irish soccer legend feels funny saying dublin born coach
@Seanie: ridiculous isn’t it..hatred for that man is unbelievable people go on about him staying on the books of fai but he signed the contract wasn’t him broke it in fact Kenny could of doing with him in hindsight..he’s a football man and our record goalscorer always turned up no matter what as he made it clear he’s no time for the politics..I wish him well and hope he’s a success wherever he goes..
@Paully kells: well said now back to bed for me haha
@Seanie: haha take care with the storm.
Have a feeling he’ll be sacked in a few months.
@robert kelly: And I’ve a feeling that you’re a Langer.
@Der Calnan: why’s is that now… I honestly think he’ll be gone ferencvaros are top dogs in Hungary they win silverware almost every year if the league, cup or both are not won every season the fans turn. He won’t have long to get it right there a few losses in a row and he’ll be gone. So stick your feeling up your hole Dessie