Europa League
GROUP D
Dundalk v AZ Alkmaar
Tallaght Stadium, 8.05pm
Live on EirSport 1 and ESPN
Too early, just yet, for thanksgiving but Dundalk could put themselves within a point of a place in the Europa League knock-out stages this evening in Tallaght where anything less than a win for AZ Alkmaar will almost certainly mean the Dutch side's exit from the competition.
With two rounds of Group D games to play, the permutations are remarkable from an Irish perspective with a couple more points potentially enough to see Stephen Kenny’s side safely through in second place.
It says much about how far his side has come since the start of this European campaign that getting results in their last two games now somehow seems so achievable but the quality of the opposition means they must still be regarded as favourites and the Dubliner has not lost sight of the less favourable ways in which this might all play out.
"Gerry Spain (one of Dundalk's coaches) went out to their game at Maccabi and said they celebrated the draw like a win because it meant that if they come here and beat us, which they will still expect to, then they can go through by beating a Zenit side that has nothing to play for in their last game."
Enduring sense
Sure enough, his opposite number, John van den Brom acknowledged his side's enduring sense that they might survive.
“It (the current table) is probably a surprise as much for Dundalk as it for us but I have to be happy, to have just four points after four games and still be in the Europa League is good.
“I told the players before we played Dundalk in the first game that we must win if we want to get something out of the Europa League. I told them the same thing before the second home game (against Maccabi) but we didn’t win that either. So it’s good because I can say it again: if we win, we are still in the tournament.”
There is, he seems to suggest, the added incentive of a point to prove with his side having blown the opportunity to take three points against Dundalk in Alkmaar by conceding so late on.
“We should have done much better than 1-1,” he says, “because we were 1-0 against 10 men so for us it as though we lost that game. This time we have to win but I think it is the same for Dundalk so I think it will be good for the spectators, a game where both sides need to win.”
In fact, a high-scoring draw might just be enough for the 2009 Eredivisie champions while a scoreless or one-all one would leave tonight’s hosts needing just a single point in Tel Aviv assuming Maccabi don’t beat Zenit in the day’s earlier group game.
Well equipped
Knowing the result of that match before he sends his own team out in Tallaght will be of some value to the Dundalk manager but even if it is favourable, capitalising on it will be far from straightforward against a side he feels is exceptionally well equipped to press forward.
“They have got a front-four and then they have full-backs who attack as well,” he says. “Certainly they are very attacking. The other side of that, though, is they do give you chances on the counter-attack. They can overpower you and they have got pace but I think they do give you an opportunity to exploit on the counter-attack.
“To get a result our back-four have to play well, because they are going to be four-on-four. They have to stand up and really win their individual battles but if they can do that, then we can get a real platform in the game with our midfield to get control of it. That’s the way I feel about it.”
Dane Massey is fit again as is one of the outstanding stars of this European campaign Robbie Benson and while Stephen O'Donnell, Chris Shields and Ronan Finn are all still carrying injuries almost three week after the club's last competitive game, all seem likely to play some part.
Quite who starts is slightly tougher to call with Kenny saying he would delay his selection until closer to the kick-off than usual in order to weigh up his options. The manager, though, continues to believe his men are collectively up to the task.
“They are,” he insists, “good enough.”
