Five things we learned as Sean Dyche and Steven Gerrard tackle the Europa League

in , , , , , , ,

As some of Europe’s super clubs play amongst each other there are sides up and down the continent looking to ensure they are part of the Uefa family next season.

Thursday, as we’ve become accustomed to, is Europa League night. Tonight kicks off the second qualifying round with plenty of British interest, notably Burnley’s entrance, while former champions Sevilla enter the fray as well.

No fewer than 37 matches were played, but keeping things local, here are five things you might have learned.

1. A 57-year wait ends…

A lot has taken place since Burnley last played an official Uefa-sanctioned football match.

(Note: we mention European football’s governing body only because of the short-lived Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, which The Clarets took part during the 1966/67 season, as they don’t recognise that particular tournament.)

It was 1961, then English champions, Burnley reached the European Cup quarter-finals, only to be eliminated by Hamburg.

Since then playing in one of Uefa’s three major tournaments (since reduced to two after the Cup Winners’ Cup was retired in 1999) has been a pipe dream.

For now, at least, they have not technically entered the Europa League – seeing as they have to qualify for the group stages – nonetheless this remains an achievement given Sean Dyche’s men were best of the rest last season.

2. …but they’ve got work to do

Nothing from a UK football standpoint beats a fixture pitting a Scottish side against one of their English cousin, which Aberdeen-Burnley evoked after they were drawn together.

The last Scottish club to succeed in Europe, subsequently putting Sir Alex Ferguson on the international map, The Dons – who finished runners-up to perennial champions Celtic last season – proved to be formidable opponents.

Derek McInnes’ side were also out to make history themselves; despite regularly making the qualifying phase, Aberdeen last played European football proper ten years ago.

So, to say they were equally hungry is an understatement, from the get-go they made their intentions known by winning a penalty, which former Liverpool youth player Gary Mackay-Steven converted.

But, they couldn’t hold on as Sam Vokes came from the bench to equalise 10 minutes from time, handing Dyche’s boys the initiative.

3. Gerrard maintains unbeaten start

It was only a matter of time before Steven Gerrard transitioned into first-team management. That moment for the former England captain arrived early this summer, when he swapped his coaching role at boyhood club Liverpool’s academy for the Glasgow Rangers job.

For someone with zero senior management experience, it naturally was seen as a gamble, but Gerrard’s enthusiasm, leadership skills and tactical acumen no doubt won over the powers that be at Ibrox.

Of course, it’s still a risk. Every appointment is in truth, though, and so far, so good. Up to now, Gerrard’s competitive fixtures as Gers boss have exclusively come in the Europa League; a comfortable first-round win over Macedonian outfit FC Shkupi (winning the first-leg at home 2-0 before playing out a goalless draw) meant a date with Croatian side NK Osijek.

Again, everything went to plan, Rangers – visiting the Stadion Gradski vrt – ran out 0-1 winners, subsequently stretching Gerrard’s unbeaten streak, and should fancy themselves to progress.

4. Hibbs leave it (very) late

Nothing beats a hard-fought comeback. And that is exactly what Hibernian did against Greek side Asteras Tripoli.

A first-half brace courtesy of Giorgos Kyriakopoulos silenced the Easter Road faithful, and putting Savvas Pantelidis’ men in the driving seat. However, the deficit was halved with 26 minutes to go by Efe Ambrose, giving Neil Lennon’s team a glimmer of hope of turning it around.

And they did just that, with substitute David Gray levelling things on the 77th-minute mark, only for the visitors to go a man down six minutes later. Hibbs made their numerical advantage count, albeit only through Florian Kamberi bagging the winner deep into stoppage time.

5. Atalanta left with a bloody nose

Well, there’s no question what the biggest surprise of the evening was. For a large spell of the game it was business as usual as Atalanta, a consistent Italian club in recent seasons, were heading towards a comfortable win over FK Sarajevo in front of a partisan crowd.

Rafael Toloi and Gianluca Mancini gave the hosts what seemed an unassailable lead, but their Bosnian visitors were having none of that and produced an unlikely second-half comeback, first through Haris Handzic before Aladin Sisic equalised minutes later. It’s all to play for next Thursday.

The post Five things we learned as Sean Dyche and Steven Gerrard tackle the Europa League appeared first on Squawka News.



From Squawka NewsSquawka News https://ift.tt/2NRilwH
Labels: , , , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)