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Greyfriars Bobby · 06-27-2019, 12:52 PM

20 July 2016
European Champions Cup
Second Qualifying Phase

Galway United v. Ludogorets

Galway lineup: Darcy Bradford, Derek Kelly, Roy Murphy, Sean Flynn, Kenneth Díaz, Aaron O'Connor, Glen Scully, Barry Asher, Gareth Kearney, Pasquale Van Daele (c), Declan Coughlan.

Bench: Alexander van der Steen, John Lawless, Kieron Russell, Patrick Lynch, Anton Zonneveld, Aaron Sikumoya, Mark Malloy.

This was it. If we scrape out a win here, we are through. Almost 3200 people--the second largest crowd I can remember here, after the huge throng that turned out to congratulate last season's league winners--came out to Eamonn Deacy Park to see what would happen.

I picked the same XI I chose for the first leg. If it ain't broke, right? The bench looked a bit different. Patrick Lynch was available, and a few other players needed a rest. (The league programme continues while we're in Europe, of course; I'll write about it later.)

The teams' captains traded chances in the early minutes. Their best player, a Brazilian midfield magician called Pingoto, stung Darcy Bradford's hands. Barry Asher played in Pasquale Van Daele, but the Belgian fired over the bar.

Pingoto is a perfect example of the gap in quality between us and Ludogorets. He's won four caps for Brazil, one of five full internationals in their squad. Our pedigrees simply don't match up.

However, nobody bothered to tell our lads that. On the quarter hour, Kenneth Díaz played a ball from the left side, into the path of a charging Van Daele, whose low, hard shot was parried away by Aleksandar Yordanov...right into the feet of Glen Scully. He let it drop and struck it with his left foot. Yordanov could do nothing about it. 1-0 to the Tribesmen!

I thought about going to a more defensive tactic right then and there, but I decided not to. We're not used to playing that way, and I'm not sure we can handle it for 75 minutes.

Ludogorets were clearly reeling from the goal, like a boxer who's taken an unexpectedly hard punch and can't figure out where it came from. Several of their players' body language was very negative; they were frustrated, nervous, even disinterested.

Again, like boxers, we circled each other for the remainder of the half and into the second. On 55 minutes, the very active Scully jinked past Pingoto and slipped the ball in to Asher at the edge of the penalty area. He shot, and the ball caromed off defender Gísli Gunnarson for one of the most unfortunate own goals I've ever seen. Or, at least I'd think so if it hadn't put us up 2-0.

Asher prepares to shoot. Gunnarson (at top right) moves to defend (deflect?)

Three minutes later, Ludogorets nearly pulled one back, but Dobromir Hristov was (correctly) ruled offside. The Bulgarian side was scrambling, but with a big home crowd roaring and singing, our lads weren't letting them back in.

Now we played with the confidence of the champions we are, stringing together passes and making threats at the Ludogorets goal. Pasquale Van Daele, tired and suffering from a knock, waved to the crowd as they treated him to a wild ovation. I brought on Patrick Lynch, and moved Gareth Kearney to the left wing so Lynch could play on his preferred side.

Twelve minutes from full time, Kearney lifted in a cross from the left touchline that Gunnarson headed clear. Sean Glynn beat a somewhat lackadaisical Hristov to the ball. He nodded it down to Scully at the edge of the area. Meanwhile, Lynch had drifted, almost unnoticed, to the right, and Scully spotted him. Patrick hit it on the half volley with his left foot, and it beat Yordanov at his far post. I don't think anyone else in our team is capable of a goal like that one. He's only 17--will those moments come more and more often as he develops?

Lynch's wonder strike makes it 3-0

We saw the game out from there.

At the beginning of the tie, I didn't give us much chance. I let myself believe after we came home from Bulgaria without conceding. When I saw how our opponents seemed to wilt after we scored our first goal, I finally realized we could do it--and we did.

I won't write about every European night like this, but the first ones are extra special.

06-27-2019, 12:52 PM	#56
Greyfriars Bobby College Prospect Join Date: Sep 2013	20 July 2016 European Champions Cup Second Qualifying Phase Galway United v. Ludogorets Galway lineup: Darcy Bradford, Derek Kelly, Roy Murphy, Sean Flynn, Kenneth Díaz, Aaron O'Connor, Glen Scully, Barry Asher, Gareth Kearney, Pasquale Van Daele (c), Declan Coughlan. Bench: Alexander van der Steen, John Lawless, Kieron Russell, Patrick Lynch, Anton Zonneveld, Aaron Sikumoya, Mark Malloy. This was it. If we scrape out a win here, we are through. Almost 3200 people--the second largest crowd I can remember here, after the huge throng that turned out to congratulate last season's league winners--came out to Eamonn Deacy Park to see what would happen. I picked the same XI I chose for the first leg. If it ain't broke, right? The bench looked a bit different. Patrick Lynch was available, and a few other players needed a rest. (The league programme continues while we're in Europe, of course; I'll write about it later.) The teams' captains traded chances in the early minutes. Their best player, a Brazilian midfield magician called Pingoto, stung Darcy Bradford's hands. Barry Asher played in Pasquale Van Daele, but the Belgian fired over the bar. Pingoto is a perfect example of the gap in quality between us and Ludogorets. He's won four caps for Brazil, one of five full internationals in their squad. Our pedigrees simply don't match up. However, nobody bothered to tell our lads that. On the quarter hour, Kenneth Díaz played a ball from the left side, into the path of a charging Van Daele, whose low, hard shot was parried away by Aleksandar Yordanov...right into the feet of Glen Scully. He let it drop and struck it with his left foot. Yordanov could do nothing about it. 1-0 to the Tribesmen! I thought about going to a more defensive tactic right then and there, but I decided not to. We're not used to playing that way, and I'm not sure we can handle it for 75 minutes. Ludogorets were clearly reeling from the goal, like a boxer who's taken an unexpectedly hard punch and can't figure out where it came from. Several of their players' body language was very negative; they were frustrated, nervous, even disinterested. Again, like boxers, we circled each other for the remainder of the half and into the second. On 55 minutes, the very active Scully jinked past Pingoto and slipped the ball in to Asher at the edge of the penalty area. He shot, and the ball caromed off defender Gísli Gunnarson for one of the most unfortunate own goals I've ever seen. Or, at least I'd think so if it hadn't put us up 2-0. Asher prepares to shoot. Gunnarson (at top right) moves to defend (deflect?) Three minutes later, Ludogorets nearly pulled one back, but Dobromir Hristov was (correctly) ruled offside. The Bulgarian side was scrambling, but with a big home crowd roaring and singing, our lads weren't letting them back in. Now we played with the confidence of the champions we are, stringing together passes and making threats at the Ludogorets goal. Pasquale Van Daele, tired and suffering from a knock, waved to the crowd as they treated him to a wild ovation. I brought on Patrick Lynch, and moved Gareth Kearney to the left wing so Lynch could play on his preferred side. Twelve minutes from full time, Kearney lifted in a cross from the left touchline that Gunnarson headed clear. Sean Glynn beat a somewhat lackadaisical Hristov to the ball. He nodded it down to Scully at the edge of the area. Meanwhile, Lynch had drifted, almost unnoticed, to the right, and Scully spotted him. Patrick hit it on the half volley with his left foot, and it beat Yordanov at his far post. I don't think anyone else in our team is capable of a goal like that one. He's only 17--will those moments come more and more often as he develops? Lynch's wonder strike makes it 3-0 We saw the game out from there. At the beginning of the tie, I didn't give us much chance. I let myself believe after we came home from Bulgaria without conceding. When I saw how our opponents seemed to wilt after we scored our first goal, I finally realized we could do it--and we did. I won't write about every European night like this, but the first ones are extra special.