The second qualifying round, first leg match of the Europa Conference League ended with St Patrick’s Athletic beating FC Vaduz 3-1. While the Dublin team relied on their regular stars to score against the top team from Liechtenstein, they still need to secure their journey to the next round of the tournament. In the opening half, Jake Mulraney shone exceptionally, bagging a memorable free-kick and a second goal within the initial 17 minutes. However, an impressive goal from Danilo De Toro necessitated a swift response and led to a combined effort from Chris Forrester and Joe Redmond, adding the crucial third goal to their tally.
Despite the potential for a wider margin of victory had Aaron Bulger and Jamie Lennon converted additional opportunities, the final score stood at 3-1 when Forrester’s expertly placed free-kick was headed into the net by Redmond, leaving 13 minutes on the clock.
The match highlighted the stark realities of Irish football – the fervour and dedication – coupled with the lack of adequate facilities. The dated Inchicore stadium could only accommodate 2,388 spectators due to restrictions enforced by UEFA, which also saw the closure of the Camac river terrace and the standing area behind a goal, denying entry to a further 2,600.
Despite limited seating, each goal from Mulraney caused such an uproar in the main stand and temporary seating area that it felt like a crowd of 10,000 was present in Dublin 8. Looking forward, the team will be playing European matches in the Tallaght Stadium, which can house up to 10,000 spectators.
There’s still the second leg to be played next Thursday at Rheinpark Stadium, next to the Switzerland border, where Vaduz usually play. Intriguingly, even Liechtenstein has upgraded their stadiums – modernising their national arena in 2006 to accommodate 7,500 spectators.
This particular game so far was not without its share of disappointments. Vaduz came back with a goal 20 minutes into the second half when De Toro’s successful shot went through Lennon’s legs and hit Tom Grivosti’s foot, avoiding Joseph Anang’s grasp. There was a collective blame shared between Denis Simani, who had a free header from the corner, and Mason Melia who did not manage to clear the ball before the Italian winger acted decisively.
The St Pat’s team, under the leadership of Kenny, had only managed to secure three victories and suffered from five losses before a hopeful start came to the scene. The team was predominately made of Swiss-born professionals, who seemed to have underestimated the old venue, believing that their mere presence would be enough.
However, within just a minute into the game, Lennon assertively made his mark with a rough tackle on Lorik Emini, the Kosovo international, who responded with a similar aggression, receiving a yellow card for his challenge on Mulraney. Thanks to Mulraney’s impressive performance, St Pat’s were asserting their dominance.
Having clearly studied Mulraney’s brilliant free-kick technique, Vaduz saw Buchel position himself near his left post, preparing for Romal Palmer’s halted dribble, courtesy of Simani. Exploiting this, Mulraney strategically fired his shot to the right, swiftly fleeing to rejoice under the awestruck gaze of a delirious crowd of St Pat’s followers.
Palmer, an experienced English midfielder fresh from his stint with a Turkish team, Göztepe, was showcasing his talents effectively, assisting with the creation of Mulraney’s second goal. But Emini, who inadvertently passed the ball to Lennon, and then Palmer, who skilfully evaded frantic attempts from Emini and Mats Hammerich, must bear the responsibility. Mulraney subsequently outsmarted Buchel at his nearest post.
Subsequently, Lennon saw a headed goal of his own being averted at the Vaduz goal line, which could have easily closed the game inside the first half.
For young Melia, that game was another enlightening yet harsh experience. Despite a fierce tussle with older and larger centre halves, the 16-year-old forward, with 12 previous League of Ireland starts under his belt, was prepared for the fight. A foul play by Lirdon Berisha required a pause in the game to seek medical attention for the youngster.
Providing St Pat’s can successfully tackle the second-leg next Thursday, a €900,000 reward from Uefa will be ensured.
St Patrick’s Athletic team comprised Anang, Sjoberg, Redmond, Breslin, Forrester (substituted by Nolan 87), Lennon, Mulraney (substituted by McClelland 76), Palmer (substituted by Bolger 76), Elbouzedi (substituted by Leavy 70), and Melia (substituted by Kavanagh 87).
In the game featuring FC Vaduz, the player line-up was as follows: Buchel stood in goal, with Beeli, SImani, Berisha, and Krauchi on the field. Krauchi was later replaced by Stober in the 86th minute. Meanwhile, Hasler, Hammerich, and Emini were in the centre; however, Emini was substituted by Eberhard in the 46th minute. The forwards, Del Toro and Cavegn, were joined by Schwizer. Cavegn was later swapped out for Navarro in the 70th minute. The match’s official was a Welshman by the name of Tom Owen.