- Rónán MacNamara
- Thu, Aug 22 2024
Saint Patrick’s Athletic will head to Istanbul with high hopes of pulling off the unthinkable after they held Istanbul Basaksehir to a well deserved scoreless draw in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League playoffs on a night where they painted Tallaght Stadium red.
Sixty three years after their first voyage into Europe, the Saints kicked off in a European playoff round for the first time since the 2009 Europa League and they were full value for at least a draw against the Turkish side who have played UEFA Champions League football on three occasions.
This was by no means a containment effort from Pats who had the best chances on the night. Mason Melia glanced wide after just four minutes before substitute Kian Leavy was denied a famous winner by the post in the second half.
Hair transplants and glistening teeth were not much good for Basaksehir in the wind and torrential rain as Pats got conditions to relish on their big night.
Stephen Kenny’s charges proved a worthy match for Basaksehir in a free flowing first half where they went after their opponents high up the pitch but also had the lightning pace of Jake Mulraney and Zach Elbouzedi on the wings while 16-year-old Mason Melia showed a maturity beyond his years as he led line.
Melia looked at home on a big European night under the lights and had the best chance of the first half glancing Elbouzedi’s cross wide of the far post after just four minutes.
The teenager was at the heart of Pat’s good play and it was his ability to hold the ball under pressure that stood out as he teed up Mulraney to shoot over the bar in the sixth minute.
Melia is tipped for a very bright future in the game and he gave a glimpse of his potential class with a sensational flick around Onur Ergun on the halfway line to break through on goal.
These are the times to remember he is only 16, as the Turkish defence caught up with him and he didn’t have the strength to fashion a shooting chance from inside the area.
At the other end, Istanbul Basaksehir produced very little, the best they could muster was a speculative attempt from distance from Deniz Turuc but Joseph Anang did well to hold.
Mulraney showed his electrifying pace on the wing once again and drove a low ball in to Melia who had a first time shot blocked towards the end of the half which did end on a sour note for the Athletic who lost Romal Palmer to injury.
Basaksehir emerged from the dressing room refreshed and began to pass the ball around the slick Tallaght surface at their leisure but were almost undone by some brilliance from Leavy.
All of his own work, the former Reading man weaved in and out of two challenges before using a third defender as a decoy to let fly with his left foot and rattle the foot of the post.
Moments later Anang was almost the villain of the piece, a heavy touch allowed Krzysztof Piatek to dangle a leg in and the Polish international who once commanded a €35 million price tag to move from Genoa to AC Milan was convinced he should have had a spot kick but replays showed Anang got to the ball first.
An injury to referee Mohammed Al-emara in the 70th minute forced him to be replaced by fourth official Peiman Simani after a six minute stoppage.
The closing stages played out without too much goalmouth action but it was St Pats who were pushing for the winner deep into ten minutes of stoppage time but to no avail.
Basaksehir did have a late flicker in the 96th minute but substitute Phillipe Kény struck the side netting from a narrow angle.
If there is a regret for Kenny and his side it is that they didn’t take one of the chances they created but they were deservedly clapped off by the majority of the 6,219 strong crowd.
St. Patrick's Athletic: Joseph Tetteh Anang; Anthony Breslin, Tom Grivosti, Joseph Redmond, Carl Sjöberg; Christopher Forrester (Aaron Bolger 90), Jamie Lennon, Romal Palmer (Kian Leavy 45); Zack Elbouzedi, Mason Melia (Aidan Keena 90), Jake Mulraney (Brandon Kavanagh 97).
Subs not used: Daniel Rogers, Al Amin Kazeem, Conor Keeley, Ryan McLaughlin, Luke Turner, Jason McClelland, Alex Nolan, Michael Noonan.
Booked: Tom Grivosti (48).
Istanbul Basaksehir: Muhammed Şengezer; Leonardo Campos Duarte da Silva, Hamza Güreler, Jerome Osei Opoku, Ömer Şahiner (Lucas Alves de Lima 83); Onur Ergün, Berkay Ozcan (Berat Özdemir 90), Dimitris Pelkas (Serdar Gürler 83); Davidson da Luz Pereira (João Brandão Figueiredo 63), Krzysztof Piatek (Philippe Keny 90), Deniz Turuc.
Subs not used: Volkan Babacan, Olivier Kemen, Deniz Dilmen, Burak Kavraz.
Booked: Hamza Güreler (86).
Referee: Mohammed Al-emara
Attendance: 6,219
extratime.com Player of the Match: Mason Melia (St. Patrick's Athletic)
