Cork City players celebrate after Garry Buckley's opening goal in the first leg against Levadia Tallinn. Mailiis Ollino / INPHO
Mailiis Ollino / INPHO / INPHO
ONE GOAL IN Thursday night’s meeting with Levadia Tallinn (7.45pm) will be enough to guarantee Cork City’s progression into second qualifying round of the Europa League.
That’s the view of City boss John Caulfield, whose side are in the ascendancy ahead of the visit of the Estonian outfit to Turner’s Cross for their second leg.
Following last Thursday’s first leg in Parnu, the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division leaders hold a 2-0 advantage thanks to goals from Garry Buckley and Steven Beattie.
The Leesiders hope to have Alan Bennett back in contention after the veteran defender missed the win in Estonia due to injury. New signing Kieran Sadlier won’t be eligible to make his European debut until the next round, should City advance.
“I suppose the way they feel about it is that they need to come here and score and open the game up,” Caulfield said of Levadia, who had defender Luc Tabi Manga sent off last week on the stroke of half-time. “The way we feel is that we need to manage the game properly, but I suppose we feel that if we could get a goal the tie is over.
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“But at the same time it’s always a tricky situation because people may think you’re already in the next round, but you’re not. You must make sure that you approach the game properly, give them the respect they deserve, but more importantly for us we have to make sure that we start the game very well. That’s the challenge.”
Cork City manager John Caulfield. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
If Cork City can finish the job against Levadia, they look set to face a much more formidable outfit in the second round. AEK Larnaca, who finished second in Cyprus last season, are 5-0 up from their first leg at home to Lincoln of Gibraltar.
Although Larnaca are a Cypriot club, there’s a strong Spanish flavour to the club. After taking over as manager last year, Spaniard Imanol Idiakez set about recruiting a substantial number of his compatriots.
There are now 12 Spanish players in their squad, six of whom started in last week’s demolition of Lincoln. There’s plenty of La Liga experience among the Spanish contingent too.
In April 2011, new signing Nacho Cases provided the assist for the goal which gave Sporting Gijon a 1-0 win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, which therefore ended Jose Mourinho’s run of nine years undefeated at home in the league, which lasted 150 games. Larnaca goalkeeper Juan Pablo Colinas was the man who kept a clean sheet in that game.
Elsewhere in the Larnaca squad, Joan Truyols and Joan Tomàs Campasol both had spells at Villarreal, captain David Catala previously lined out for Espanyol, Jorge Larena — a former Spanish U21 international — played nearly 100 games for Atletico Madrid, while Juan Manuel Ortiz also played for Atletico. Ander Murillo, who also represented Spain at U21 level, made over 150 appearances for Athletic Bilbao.
Left-back Javier Garrido, who spent three seasons at Manchester City and three more with Norwich City, has been rested for Larnaca’s tie against Lincoln.
Javier Garrido, now with AEK Larnaca, spent three years with Manchester City. PA Archive / PA Images
PA Archive / PA Images / PA Images
The calibre and experience at Larnaca’s disposal will make Cork City significant underdogs should they both progress. Despite there being just a seven-day gap from one round to the next, as well as having a Premier Division game against St Patrick’s Athletic to contend with on Sunday, Caulfield says he hasn’t been tempted to start his homework.
“I haven’t looked at them,” said the City boss, who’d be hoping for a repeat outcome of his club’s last meeting with Cypriot opposition in Europe. City eliminated Apollon Limassol from the Champions League qualifiers in 2006.
“A bit like last week when we played Derry [on the Friday], we knew we were playing in Estonia so we did all the work from Saturday onwards. We had plenty of time to do that. Likewise if we get through, we’ll have plenty of time to do work on the next opponents.
“Obviously they look like they’re going to get through and they look like a serious outfit, but we just need to get over Thursday first. We need to get over Pat’s then again on Sunday, but obviously in between I’ll certainly be doing a bit of work after Thursday if we get through.”
Caulfield not planning ahead with Cork on the verge of Spanish invasion
ONE GOAL IN Thursday night’s meeting with Levadia Tallinn (7.45pm) will be enough to guarantee Cork City’s progression into second qualifying round of the Europa League.
That’s the view of City boss John Caulfield, whose side are in the ascendancy ahead of the visit of the Estonian outfit to Turner’s Cross for their second leg.
Following last Thursday’s first leg in Parnu, the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division leaders hold a 2-0 advantage thanks to goals from Garry Buckley and Steven Beattie.
The Leesiders hope to have Alan Bennett back in contention after the veteran defender missed the win in Estonia due to injury. New signing Kieran Sadlier won’t be eligible to make his European debut until the next round, should City advance.
“I suppose the way they feel about it is that they need to come here and score and open the game up,” Caulfield said of Levadia, who had defender Luc Tabi Manga sent off last week on the stroke of half-time. “The way we feel is that we need to manage the game properly, but I suppose we feel that if we could get a goal the tie is over.
“But at the same time it’s always a tricky situation because people may think you’re already in the next round, but you’re not. You must make sure that you approach the game properly, give them the respect they deserve, but more importantly for us we have to make sure that we start the game very well. That’s the challenge.”
If Cork City can finish the job against Levadia, they look set to face a much more formidable outfit in the second round. AEK Larnaca, who finished second in Cyprus last season, are 5-0 up from their first leg at home to Lincoln of Gibraltar.
Although Larnaca are a Cypriot club, there’s a strong Spanish flavour to the club. After taking over as manager last year, Spaniard Imanol Idiakez set about recruiting a substantial number of his compatriots.
There are now 12 Spanish players in their squad, six of whom started in last week’s demolition of Lincoln. There’s plenty of La Liga experience among the Spanish contingent too.
In April 2011, new signing Nacho Cases provided the assist for the goal which gave Sporting Gijon a 1-0 win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, which therefore ended Jose Mourinho’s run of nine years undefeated at home in the league, which lasted 150 games. Larnaca goalkeeper Juan Pablo Colinas was the man who kept a clean sheet in that game.
Elsewhere in the Larnaca squad, Joan Truyols and Joan Tomàs Campasol both had spells at Villarreal, captain David Catala previously lined out for Espanyol, Jorge Larena — a former Spanish U21 international — played nearly 100 games for Atletico Madrid, while Juan Manuel Ortiz also played for Atletico. Ander Murillo, who also represented Spain at U21 level, made over 150 appearances for Athletic Bilbao.
Left-back Javier Garrido, who spent three seasons at Manchester City and three more with Norwich City, has been rested for Larnaca’s tie against Lincoln.
The calibre and experience at Larnaca’s disposal will make Cork City significant underdogs should they both progress. Despite there being just a seven-day gap from one round to the next, as well as having a Premier Division game against St Patrick’s Athletic to contend with on Sunday, Caulfield says he hasn’t been tempted to start his homework.
“I haven’t looked at them,” said the City boss, who’d be hoping for a repeat outcome of his club’s last meeting with Cypriot opposition in Europe. City eliminated Apollon Limassol from the Champions League qualifiers in 2006.
“A bit like last week when we played Derry [on the Friday], we knew we were playing in Estonia so we did all the work from Saturday onwards. We had plenty of time to do that. Likewise if we get through, we’ll have plenty of time to do work on the next opponents.
“Obviously they look like they’re going to get through and they look like a serious outfit, but we just need to get over Thursday first. We need to get over Pat’s then again on Sunday, but obviously in between I’ll certainly be doing a bit of work after Thursday if we get through.”
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