Europa League Preview: Jeunesse Esch -v- St Patrick's Athletic

JEUNESSE ESCH

Jeunesse welcome St Patrick’s Athletic to the Stade de la Frontière tomorrow night with hopes of overturning the 1-0 defeat they conceded in Inchicore last week.

A clean sheet will be crucial to the side from Alzette-sur-Esch, in Luxembourg, who failed to keep one last time out and in their two warm up matches for this match.

Following the defeat last Tuesday Jeunesse manager Carlo Weis was in bullish mood.

He told Extratime.ie: “Yes, I think we have a good team, but I think in the first-half the injury to our player Ken Corral was not so good for us.

“It was a big handicap for us, he's a very important player for us.”

Jeunesse are expecting a big crowd of around 2,000 tomorrow night but the injured Ken Corral is unlikely to make the starting line-up.
 

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC

Despite the victory at Richmond Park being a rather scrappy one for Saints, Liam Buckley and his charges will no doubt travel to Luxembourg full of confidence ahead of the second leg.

Buckley is wary of a rejuvenated Jeunesse side though and demands a better performance from his own players.

“I would want that second half better,” he commented to Extratime.ie after the first leg.

“I said it to the guys down in the dressing room, I think we all appreciate that there's a better performance in us, and we'll probably need that next week because I can see them stepping up.”

Pats go to Luxembourg with that crucial clean sheet in their pocket and an early goal will make it difficult for Jeunesse to find a way back.

Equally, the partisan home support will no doubt make it difficult for Saints to settle hoping an early goal for Jeunesse could put the tie in the balance.

Referee: Irfan Peljto (BIH)

MATCH FACTS

Jeunesse’s current UEFA club ranking is 385 compared to 281 for Saints.

Christy Fagan became the first St. Pats player to score in multiple European campaigns with his goal last week having previously netted in the 2012 and 2014 campaigns.

BETTING

Jeunesse Esch 23/10; Draw 9/4; St. Patrick’s Athletic 6/5.

PREDICTION

Jeunesse Esch 1-2 St Patrick’s Athletic

Jeunesse Esch

Injured: Unavailable.

Doubtful: Ken Corral.

Suspended: None.

St Patrick’s Athletic

Injured: Jack Bayly.

Doubtful: Unavailable.

Suspended: None.