Good evening and welcome to Turner’s Cross for the second leg of the Europa League second round qualifier between Cork City and BK Hacken of Sweden. Stick with us here and we’ll keep you updated throughout the evening. Kick-off is at 7.45pm and Cork City are in the driving seat thanks to Sean Maguire’s away goal in last week’s 1-1 first leg draw in Gothenburg.
The Cross is starting to fill up. They’re expecting a sell-out despite the wet weather.
The good news for Cork City is that captain Greg Bolger has been passed fit so they’re unchanged from the first leg.
This is Cork City’s 50th European game and defender Alan Bennett will have played in 24 of them — a new club record (Mick Devine and Colin O’Brien both had 23).
We spoke to Bennett this week ahead of the game:
“Big European nights, this should be the norm for Cork City. Teams walking into Turner’s Cross, the fans getting in their heads while they’re taking a corner, the Shed rocking… these are the kind of nights I’ve wanted to be involved in since watching Davey Barry scoring against Bayern Munich when I was a kid. I wanted to be involved in those kind of occasions myself and I’ve been lucky enough to be able to do it. I’m grateful for that. But I want more.”
Despite having to settle for a 1-1 draw at home last week, Hacken are very confident of progressing.
Speaking to the club’s official YouTube channel after a training session at Turner’s Cross yesterday, 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.”
City, who eliminated Linfield in the previous round, have already earned €410,00 in prize money from their Europa League campaign but they can increase that to €630,000 by progressing tonight.
Here’s how the teams are set up…
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Michael McSweeney, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, Kevin O’Connor; Greg Bolger (c); Stephen Dooley, Garry Buckley, Gearoid Morrissey, Steven Beattie; Sean Maguire.
BK Hacken: Peter Abrahamsson; Joel Andersson, Emil Wahlstrom, Jasmin Sudic, Kari Arkivio; Mohammed Abubakari; Nasiru Mohammed, Rasmus Schuller (c), Paulo De Oliveira; Samuel Gustafson; John Owoeri.
Lively opening to this one in greasy conditions on Leeside but no major chances of note just yet, although Hacken are seeing more of the ball.
John Owoeri with a chance for Hacken but his close-range shot from a narrow angle is saved by Mark McNulty.
Great chance for Nasiru Mohammed but he shoots straight at McNulty. Major let-off for City.
GOAL! Cork City 1 BK Hacken 0 (Kevin O’Connor, 25)
City take the lead against the run of play! O’Connor won a free-kick down the left near the corner flag. Greg Bolger sent in the delivery and O’Connor volleyed home with the help of a deflection through a sea of Hacken bodies. The hosts lead 2-1 on aggregate.
Header from a corner from Paulo De Oliveira cleared off the line by Stephen Dooley.
Long break in play here as Nasiru Mohammed receives treatment following a tackle from Garry Buckley. He’ll be stretchered off to be replaced by Demba Savage.
Bennett gets a head on Dooley’s corner and City are appealing for a hand ball but the ref is having none of it.
Half-time: Cork City 1 BK Hacken 0 (Cork City lead 2-1 on aggregate)
So far so good for Cork City thanks to Kevin O’Connor…
All Hacken so far in this second period but City are coping well with the pressure.
City living dangerously here but Hacken are beginning to get frustrated as their superiority in the possession stakes hasn’t manifested itself in the form of a goal just yet.
Morrissey claiming a hand-ball by a Hacken defender from O’Connor’s free-kick but City have to settle for a corner, which comes to nothing.
Steven Beattie taken down on the edge of the box. Free-kick in a great area for City but they tried to be too elaborate, giving Hacken time to close them down and O’Connor’s shot ends up going out over The Shed.
Ericsson, the substitute, shoots from just outside the box but slips as he does and the ball trickles harmlessly into the hands of McNulty.
Brilliant play by Dooley sets up Morrissey and his shot is wonderfully saved by Abrahamsson.
Great chance for Hacken but Savage’s shot is timid and McNulty saves comfortably.
Serious atmosphere at Turner’s Cross. City are 15 minutes away from a third-round meeting with Genk (Belgium) or Buducnost Podgorica (Montenegro). The latter lead 2-0 at home on the night so that tie is currently poised for extra-time as Genk won the first leg by the same scoreline.
Two minutes of normal time remaining. Hacken pressing but not creating anything of note.
Corner for Hacken in the fourth minute of added time. Even the goalkeeper is up as they search for the leveller.
Full-time: Cork City 1 BK Hacken 0 (Cork City progress to the third qualifying round of the Europa League)
What a big result for Cork City! They’ve eliminated the Swedish Cup holders and will now progress to the third qualifying round of the Europa League — increasing their prize money to €630,000 in the process — where they’ll face either Genk (Belgium) or Buducnost Podgorica (Montenegro), whose tie has ended up in extra-time following a 2-2 aggregate draw.
They wouldn’t have given him the time like Arsenal have given him… He would have been sold off for 10 million two years ago.
More dissapointed over loosing pogba . Anyone else is just adding salt to the wounds
Good player but overrated IMO.
United can’t attract or hold onto any young players, they’ve become a club that only buys players like City and Chelsea.
That’s ludicrous. They have more homegrown players in their 1st team squad then chelsea, city, Liverpool or arsenal and you can fact check that. Blackett is playing every game and he came through the academy. We buy a few world class players and the Internet explodes. Take off the blinkers.
I have never heard of players called City or Chelsea…
Sean Ozil, welbeck and sanchez. Your club buys players too, now pipe down
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2008/Jun/Ramsey-fee-agreed.aspx
Total cap Sean and u know that