Europa Conference League Preview: Shamrock Rovers -v- Gent

SHAMROCK ROVERS 

Having secured the title on Monday night without kicking a ball, the Hoops can be fully focussed on the visit of Gent to Tallaght on Thursday in the Europa Conference League (kick off 8pm).

Safe in the knowledge that they will receive a guard of honour from Derry City before kick-off of their game on Sunday and will receive the trophy after the full time whistle, they can concentrate on looking to score their first group game goal of this campaign and look to go on to win their first ever group stage game.

Thursday's fixture is the Hoops' 11^th match in the group stages in total, including the Europa League fixtures from 2011, and they have yet to win a match.

extratime.com asked Hoops Head Coach Stephen Bradley at the pre-match press-conference was he surprised with how Group F how panned out so far with Djurgardens top of the group and Gent in third?

“You are never going to get an easy group,” said Bradley. “I think when you look through it, there were probably one or two that you would have wanted, but in the main it was a tough draw. Djurgardens, who are top now, show how difficult the group is.

“But still in saying that I still think we should have one or two wins on the board. I keep saying it, I think our two performances here (in Tallaght against Djurgardens and Molde) were very good. We know we are in a strong group. 

“We know we are a good side. We know Gent are a good side, but if we bring the level of performance that we can, like we have shown the last number of years, we are more than a match for anybody here. I feel we can beat anybody in Tallaght and Thursday night will be no different.”

Victory would match the four point haul that Dundalk earned in the Europa League in 2016 and Rovers are now targeting beating the haul of points by the Lilywhites. The Hoops did pick up their first ever point when they drew 0-0 with Djurgaarden earlier in the campaign – a result that looks even better with the Swedish side sitting top of the group on ten points. 

“We still have a chance of breaking the record for an Irish team in Europe and that starts tomorrow night and that is our focus. It would be a brilliant achievement if we can win our third league and get five or seven points in the group stages. That would turn out to be a brilliant year."

GENT

The Belgian cup holders travel to Tallaght seeking a win that would boost their chances of playing European football after Christmas. Speaking in Tallaght ahead of the game Gent manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck spoke positively about a Hoops side who he feels should have more points than the solitary one they have to date.

“(Rovers are) always a positive team that tries to play and impose their game and take their chances. Against Molde they should also have been ahead after the first half; it took a crazy goal, a linesman who had his sunglasses on, I think, if he cannot see that the guy was more than a metre offside.

“There’s no VAR in Europe, sadly, otherwise, I think they would have taken already some points and would not yet be out of the race (to qualify for knock-out stages). I think it’s a team with quality, with experience and with a lot of drive so it’s going to be a very tough game for us.

“They have a lot of good players in the midfield section, a lot of quality passers. There’s a lot of movement in the team also. Offensively they have choices of different strikers who all have special qualities, it’s a team with a good mix of youth and some experience. They never panic. They are always trying to play the game. They have a big squad with a lot of players that can get into the team without losing any quality.”

Gent drew their opening game 0-0 in Molde before beating the Hoops at home 3-0 in mid-September. However their home and away defeats to Djurgaarden (1-0 and 4-2) leaves them third in the table three points behind Molde with a home game to come next week against the Norwegian champions.

Missing from the Gent squad is Norwegian international Andreas Hanche-Olsen who suffered a shoulder injury in the home game against Djurgaarden and is out having required surgery.

Over the weekend Laurent Depoitre became the record goalscorer for Gent. His 64 goals breaks a record held since 1980. The Belgian international, who previously played with Porto and most recently with Huddersfield Town, scored in Stockholm against Djurgaarden. 

Gent come into Thurday’s game in Tallaght on the back of a 2-1 home win against Seraing – a victory that leaves them sixth in the Belgian top flight.

Referee: Julian Weinberger (Austria)

MATCH STATS
This is Rovers’ 13^th European game of the season – a record number of games in Europe for a League of Ireland side. 

Rovers have played 50 competitive games so far this season and including Thursday’s game have four more matches to play.

PREDICTION

1-1

Shamrock Rovers 

Injured: Ronan Finn, Gary O’Neill

Doubtful: Graham Burke, Jack Byrne, Aaron Greene

Suspended: None

Gent

Injured: Andreas Hanche-Olsen

Suspended: None

Sean Hoare says Hoops with point on the board still have point to prove in Europe https://t.co/0mr1DEvcnmpic.twitter.com/evFomSW2Bd

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) October 26, 2022