Cork City's Stephen Dooley outnumbered during last week's first leg against BK Hacken. Tommy Holl / INPHO Tommy Holl / INPHO / INPHO

THANKS TO A vital away goal in last week’s first leg in Gothenburg, Cork City are in pole position to progress from tonight’s European tie on Leeside.

John Caulfield’s side face BK Hacken at Turner’s Cross (7.45pm) in the second leg of their Europa League second round qualifier, with the contest poised at 1-1.

Hacken needed a late goal to respond to Sean Maguire’s opener for City from the penalty spot at the Bravida Arena, but the Swedish Cup holders seem adamant that they’ll display their superiority tonight in Cork to book a meeting with Genk (Belgium) or Budućnost (Montenegro) Podgorica in the third round.

Speaking to the club’s official YouTube channel after a training session at Turner’s Cross yesterday, Hacken midfielder Mohammed Abubakari said: “We want to play our game. We just want to win the battles, especially in the middle, and try to play the way we want to play.

“I think we will do that and we will definitely win the game.”

In a separate interview, Hacken’s Nigerian international striker John Owoeri — who scored for Hacken in the first leg —  said: “In the Europa League, you don’t really know the teams. Now we know Cork City so it’s more of an advantage for us now.

“It’s really good for us. Going to play the second game, we know who we’re playing now.”

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