Champions League Report: Dundalk 0 - 2 Legia Warsaw

Legia Warsaw defeated Dundalk 2-0 in tonight’s UEFA Champions League play-off tie at a rain-soaked Dublin Arena.

Legia’s star-performer Nemanja Nikolic converted a dubious 56^th minute penalty, before substitute Aleksandar Prijovic scored his side’s second to give the Polish side a comfortable buffer heading into next week’s second-leg at the Polish Army Stadium.

A crowd of more than 30,000 people packed into FAI HQ to witness the most momentous occasion in the history of Ireland’s domestic football scene. In the knowledge that they were on the verge of creating history by qualifying for the Champions League proper, Dundalk began the game on the front foot, forcing the Polish champions into giving up possession cheaply with their intensive pressing style.

Returning play-maker Patrick McEleney, coupled with Daryl Horgan were integral to every offensive play the Lilywhites instigated during a competitive first half.

Within two minutes, the home side had an effort on Arkadiusz Malarz goal. The aforementioned pair neatly interchanged with the willing David McMillan, before McEleney superbly switched the play with a raking pass out to John Mountney on the right touchline. The Mayo man swung in an attractive cross which former Derry City player, McEleney, connected with, although his header went harmlessly off target.

The Lilywhites continued their initial dominance of the match. The symbiotic duo of Horgan and McEleney both had shots on goal, Horgan’s being a cross come shot which Malarz anxiously palmed to safety.

Dundalk’s two flankers were having monumental matches as they revelled in the vast open spaces afforded to them on the Lansdowne Road pitch, while Stephen O’Donnell and Chris Shields covered every blade of centre-field turf, snuffing out attempted breakaways from Legia continually.

The visitors offered little in the way of generating clear-cut chances. They did improve as an attacking force in the game’s second quarter with Steeven Langil continually being the prepared outlet for Belgian international, Vadis Odjidja’s passes.

Odjidja was quite influential in the opening-half, seeing a free-kick rebound off the wall in the 20^th minute before trading passes with Legia’s leading scorer, Nemanja Nikolic, to set-up marauding winger, Michal Kucharczyk, for a shot which skewed harmlessly wide of Gary Rogers.

McEleney was continuing to be the game’s stand-out performer and he almost found the glitch in Legia’s back-four moments before the break. The Dundalk number 11 jinked away from Tomasz Jodlowiec with great balance and trickery before lofting a ball in behind for Horgan, however, Igor Lewczuk intervened to clear when the large Dundalk following rose in anticipation.

In all, Dundalk were largely the better side in the opening 45 minutes with their forward-play leading to Legia losing their composure on occasions. The Polish team seemed limited in possession with their most concerted periods of possession involving their central defensive pairing of Lewczuk and Pazdan.

The Lilywhites opened the second-half with as much intent and desire as they initiated the first. McEleney and Horgan were once more instrumental in them holding Legia firmly on the back foot with their clever movement and deliveries.

However, Chris Shields was proving to be their most prominent attacker in the early second-half exchanges. Having seen a header comfortably gathered by Legia’s stopper, the rangy midfielder set-off on a strong central run with four opponents left in his wake. Shields knew shooting wasn’t his strongest forte, hence he laid the ball into the path of Horgan. The Galweigan’s shot was strongly struck, but lacked the direction to be able to trouble Malarz.

Dundalk were hit with a sucker punch though ten minutes after the interval. From Nemanja Nikolic’s pull-back, winger Steeven Langil saw his fiercely hit shot deflect off the hand of Dundalk’s Andy Boyle. German referee Deniz Aytekin showed no hesitation in awarding Legia the spot kick which Hungarian Nikolic converted with aplomb, Legia led somewhat undeservedly 1-0.

Rogers was being increasingly exercised with Nikolic and Tomasz Jodlowiec firing shots from distance. Unfortunately for the Lilywhites, Horgan and McEleney’s previously casting influences were being curbed, while Legia and their fans dominated.

Ronan Finn was introduced by Stephen Kenny on the right-wing in a bid to stem the relentless Legia tide. Finn though seemed to play into the hands of the visitors due to his desire to drift infield, rather than keeping the width that was surely required for Dundalk to trouble their opponents.

The game drifted harmlessly towards its conclusion with the Lilywhites seeming to be a spent attacking force until the introduction of Ciaran Kilduff gave them a vocal point. Kilduff had claims for a penalty turned down, before the Kildare native saw a shot sail over the crossbar as Lansdowne Road held its breath.

Dundalk were left devastated in the final minute of stoppage time though when substitute Aleksandar Prijovic latched onto a reverse pass from Jodlowiec to chip past the advancing Gary Rogers as Legia left a crestfallen Dundalk to battle back from a two-goal deficit in next week’s reverse fixture.

Dundalk FC: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Paddy Barrett, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey; Chris Shields (Robbie Benson 77), Stephen O’Donnell, John Mountney Ronan Finn 64), Patrick McEleney, Daryl Horgan; David McMillan (Ciaran Kilduff 80).

Subs not used: Gabriel Sava (gk), Brian Gartland, Shane Grimes, Darren Meenan.

Booked: Stephen O’Donnell (20), Andy Boyle (54),

Legia Warsaw: Arkadiusz Malarz, Lukasz Broz, Michal Pazdan, Igor Lewczuk, Adam Hlousek; Vadis Odjidja (Michal Kopczynski 76), Tomasz Jodlowiec, Thibault Moulin; Steeven Langil (Mihail Alexandrov 88), Nemanja Nikolic (Aleksandar Prijovic 82), Michal Kucharczyk.

Subs not used: Radoslaw Cierzniak (gk), Tomasz Brzyski, Kasper Hamalainen, Jakub Rzezniczak.

Booked: Vadis Odjidja (44), Adam Hlousek (69)

Referee: Deniz Aytekin (GER)

Attendance: 30,417

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Nemanja Nikolic (Legia Warsaw)

Pictures from the game can be found here as taken by Larry McQuillan, Eoin Smith and Michael P Ryan