Champions League Preview: Bate Borisov -v- Dundalk

FC BATE Borisov

For a long time FC BATE Borisov might have been considered underdogs in Europe. But the Belarusian champions have enjoyed many memorable nights in Europe in recent years and have become something of regulars in the group stages of the competition.

Tonight, however, they will play the role of Goliaths as they welcome Irish Champions Dundalk to their new and recently completed (at a cost of €40million) Borisov Arena.

Both sides are champions and doing a stellar job in defending that domestic privilege. All too often, the uselessness of highlighting respective domestic form ahead of European games is pointed out, nonetheless to give an idea of where these teams are at we’ll persevere:

Dundalk have been free scoring in the League of Ireland of late and that’s something they will need to capitalise on this evening, an away goal would certainly boost their chances of a favourable result, but only if they can reverse another recent domestic trend, conceding goals! Dundalk have been unusually generous at the back in recent games and have conceded five goals in three games. Versus Hadjuk Split in Oriel Park last season, Dundalk were made to rue missed opportunities but may have taken note that top European sides tend to be ruthless when they are presented with opportunities.

FC BATE Borisov, by comparison, have a miserly defence and have won four of their last five league games by a single goal. The remaining game, and the most recent one, is a sliver of hope for the Lilywhites since they conceded three, nonetheless they still ran out comfortable 5-3 winners. A scoreline their manager, Alyaksandr Yermakovich, remarked looked more like an ice-hockey score than a football one –indicative of his preference to keep it neat at the back.

Yermakovich recalled BATE’s 2003 defeat to Bohemains, although he wasn’t manager at the time, and remarked that he would be taking the Irish Champions very seriously.

DUNDALK FC

The Lilywhites are the League of Ireland’s sole representatives in the Champions League and they have been handed the  tough assignment of taking on Belarusian kingpins FC BATE Borosiov. While this will be Dundalk’s first outing in the Champions League since 1991, their opponents have become very acquainted with the group stages of this competition in the last half decade; matching up against, and beating, teams like Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid.

What can we expect? Well on paper this is a very uneven pairing but Dundalk defied expectations last year in the Europa Cup by travelling to Croatia and beating Hadjuk Split 2-1. It wasn’t enough to see them true owing to a slightly unfortunate, and even naive, 2-0 defeat in Oriel Park the week before. It will be interesting to see if Dundalk are capable of a result tonight and if their previous European campaign stands to them.

Manager Stephen Kenny, who was over scouting his opposition last week, certainly hopes the Town will give a good account of themselves and what they are about:

“We’re not going over to sit back and defend…I’ve real belief in the talent we have”. That said, he was also aware that his side will need to be at their very best to upset their opponents this evening: “We’ll need to play above ourselves. This is another level up from our domestic game. This is a different standard and we know that we have to go up to ensure that we compete.”

A win tonight, however unlikely, would really be the stuff of dreams for Lilywhite fans and continue the remarkable fairy-tale resurgence the club has had under the management of Kenny. Kenny has stated he will treat BATE with the utmost respect, but he is insistent that his side take themselves seriously too:  “We are very proud to be Ireland’s representatives in the Champions League. We worked so hard and earned that right. We were bottom and we earned it the hard way. We have such a great work rate within the group”.

Dundalk have a clean bill of health heading into this game. Andy Boyle picked up a calf strain against Galway last week but he is fit and expected to play a part in this evening’s fixture.

This match kicks off at 8:30pm Further Eastern European Time which is 6:30pm Irish time and the game will only be shown on the sports channel of the Belarusian national broadcaster; Belarus 5.

Referee: Vlado Glodjovic (SRB)

MATCH STATS

This will be the first meeting of Dundalk with a Belarusian side, but not manager Stephen Kenny’s – he managed Bohemians when they managed to defeat FC BATE Borisiov in 2003

FC BATE Borisov have beaten Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid in the group stages of this competition in recent years but have never managed to progress beyond the groups themselves.

Dundalk are unbeaten away from home since last September a run which spans 18 matches.

BETTING

BATE 2/5; Draw 7/2 ; DUNDALK 7/1.

PREDICTION

FC BATE Borisov 2 – 1 DUNDALK FC

Dundalk FC

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

FC BATE Borisov

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.