KA Akureyri v Dundalk | UECL R2 L1 | Thursday 27 July 18:00 local time

[oldfogey]

The away leg will take place in Reykjavik this Thursday. Kickoff is 18.00 local time, 19.00 Irish time.

https://twitter.com/DundalkFC/status/16 ... HSrBg&s=19

[Richie87]

The 2 goals from KA in their home leg against Connah's Quay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=648ZkE2 ... d1ZQ%3D%3D

[mike]

KA are 4th last from 12 in their div and 16 points behind club who dumped Rovers out, but they have games in hand. They will settle into mid table, translated its mid table Iceland v 4th in Ireland, we should be slight favs to advance, get a result over there and we should be firm favs, away in first leg def an advantage, but this won't be easy, still there were worse draws.

SeanD, lets go for it - you must have some potentials for R3, we will almost certainly be unseeded if we make it, any ideas of who the potential clubs might be?

[Richie87]

Derry City scrapped past a team from Faroe Islands. Pat's knocked out by a team from Luxembourg. Dundalk were poor against the Magpies ,so an improvement will be needed. KA not going well in the League, but they did knock Breioablik out of the Icelandic Cup recently.

[tip on]

KA are 4th last from 12 in their div and 16 points behind club who dumped Rovers out, but they have games in hand. They will settle into mid table, translated its mid table Iceland v 4th in Ireland, we should be slight favs to advance, get a result over there and we should be firm favs, away in first leg def an advantage, but this won't be easy, still there were worse draws.

SeanD, lets go for it - you must have some potentials for R3, we will almost certainly be unseeded if we make it, any ideas of who the potential clubs might be?

Mike, check the Dundalk in Europe thread to see SeanD's list of potential opponents.

[mike]

I've seen them now lads, some big big clubs, as expected.

I still think we should be slight favs to advance, but need to do a job away first and get a result and you would think we prob need to score too.

[mike]

Derry City scrapped past a team from Faroe Islands. Pat's knocked out by a team from Luxembourg. Dundalk were poor against the Magpies ,so an improvement will be needed. KA not going well in the League, but they did knock Breioablik out of the Icelandic Cup recently.

That side who Pats played were no mugs, it was 50/50 who went through at the start I thought but looking at highlights, the Lux side looked far stronger.

[Richie87]

Derry City scrapped past a team from Faroe Islands. Pat's knocked out by a team from Luxembourg. Dundalk were poor against the Magpies ,so an improvement will be needed. KA not going well in the League, but they did knock Breioablik out of the Icelandic Cup recently.

That side who Pats played were no mugs, it was 50/50 who went through at the start I thought but looking at highlights, the Lux side looked far stronger.

They were in pre season. LOI moved to summer soccer to help the Clubs in Europe. Shamrock Rovers were knocked out by a part time team.

[mike]

Correct Lux club in Pre season but they are still a big club with big budget, and good results last 5 years.

Rovers yes, knocked out by part time but they are in season, bad luck for Rovers they hit poor form in their season just as Icelandic guys find their groove.

[Richie87]

Rovers form wasn't great all season. Derry City didn't capitalize on it. The Rovers Squad should have been refreshed last winter instead of letting it age.

The Coefficient has taken a hit. Ireland dropped to 36th place from 32nd.

[oldfogey]

I saw a comment in one of the match reports that Annesley missed the game because he was injured. Given that a number of regular starters were rested - and we had plenty of defenders - I would wonder about that. Not having Hoban on the bench did suprise me though, in case we were chasing the game. He did ship a couple of hefty knocks on Thursday which is a concern.

By the time we play Shelbourne on Sunday week it will have been 5 games in 18 days. The starters who played 85 mins or more yesterday - especially Davies, Boyle & Leahy - would be a concern. Would you go attack minded on Thursday, or play it safe and look to come away with a point?

[Louth4sam]

Would you go attack minded on Thursday, or play it safe and look to come away with a point?

Hard to know as they are a complete unknown quantity. Rovers results against their Icelandic opposition has me a little more worried about this game even though KA's domestic form isn't great. We have a few players coming in to form and hopefully Hoban will be back too. I'd be very tempted to stay with the same formation as we did against Rovers assuming McCourt is fit as it gives us good attacking and defensive options.

[TrevDaRev2]

I think you'd be daft going over there in the first leg and looking to play expansive football. Set-up same as yesterday and see how you're looking at HT and go from there. A draw or even a narrow defeat over there isnt end of the world you just want to be still in with a shout come the home leg

[niall_hearty2000]

Horror draw in next round .. Club Brugge or Aarhus of Denmark

[Richie87]

Horror draw in next round .. Club Brugge or Aarhus of Denmark

They are good teams but there was better opponents avoided. Fenerbache have Dusan Tadic, Edin Dzeko, Batshuayi,