Champions League Preview: Qarabag -v- Dundalk

Vinny Perth’s Dundalk have made the daunting trip to Azerbaijan to face highly-fancied Qarabag at the Dalga Arena in Baku on Wednesday evening (kick-off is at 6pm).

QARABAG

The Azerbaijani champions of the previous five years will welcome Dundalk to the Dalga Arena in Baku hoping to complete the job they first started at Oriel Park last week.

Qarabag, a Europa League group stage regular, started off strong in the first leg in Co. Louth and took an early lead through Mahir Emreli’s opener.

The Azerbaijani’s had chances to put the tie to bed in the first leg but were unable to complete the task, leaving the door open for Perth’s Lilywhites to come back into the game.

With Dundalk scoring an equaliser, and also going close late on to secure a win – Qarabag boss Gurban Gurbanov is expecting another difficult tie against the Co. Louth side.

"We are preparing for a very important game,” Gurbanov said during his pre-match press conference.

“The match always forces us to be more careful. Especially against such rivals. Both teams are very eager. Even though it is difficult, I think we will have an exciting game tomorrow. Let's play interesting football and let's get a successful result.

“Changes will be made against all competitors. We have always tried to maintain and improve our style of play. But it is also important to prevent your opponent. 

“There may always be mistakes, but we have paid attention. We have analysed the rival's game. We will try to avoid what the opponent wants. But we will not give up our game.”



Badaj Huseynov is Qarabag’s only known absentee for the game.

DUNDALK

Searching for arguably one of the greatest European results in League of Ireland history, Dundalk travel to Baku for the second leg of their Champions League Qualifier against Qarabag.

The Lilywhites, buoyed by their stirring second half fightback against their highly-fancied Azerbaijani opposition will be quietly confident of securing a result on Wednesday evening.

Speaking to his club’s media team ahead of the game, midfielder Jamie McGrath is hopeful that the side’s previous experience in similar European venues will help.

“We’ll be training at the stadium tonight at a similar time to the game, which will help, plus our warm-weather training in Spain during the summer break will all be of benefit.



“It was a game of two halves last week,” McGrath added. “It took us until half-time to get right after the goal because I thought we actually started the game quite well. To concede from a corner, it was poor from our part.

“We know we can’t have that happen again if we are to win the tie, so it was a learning curve for us on the night. We are happy with our second half performance.

“They are dangerous on the counter, but we want to take that performance into the game tomorrow. It was great to get the equaliser back and leave us level.

“We could have possibly had a couple more – I had a chance or two, but it wasn’t to be and after our first half it was good to play like we did in the second half and we can take confidence from that.”

“We’re taking confidence from the second half last week. When we got on top of them in the last half an hour in particular, they didn’t really know what to do with us and how to stop us so that has given us confidence.

“It’s going to be a difficult game. Qarabag are at home so they will be expecting to have most of the ball, which is fine, and we are on the grass pitch which will suit us as well.

“We are going to have to make it difficult for them. We will have to pass it well and keep it when we get it. If we do that then we have a good chance and hopefully we can get the result which takes us through.”

Robbie Benson, Jordan Flores and Stephen Folan are the three absentees that Head Coach Vinny Perth will have to contend with for Wednesday night’s encounter in Azerbaijan.

Referee: Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway).

 

MATCH STATS

Dundalk have only won three times away from home in European competition since 2014, with wins over Levadia Tallinn in 2018 and both Hadjuk Split and Jeunesse Esch in 2014.

Prior to their previous two European games, the Lilywhites had scored in every European away game they had played since 2016, where they fell to a 1-0 defeat away to BATE Borisov in 2016.

Qarabag have played in European competition 107 times previous, winning 37 games, drawing 29 and losing 41 times.  

BETTING

Qarabag 2/5; Draw 11/4; Dundalk 6/1.

PREDICTION

Qarabag 2 - 1 Dundalk

 

Qarabag

Injured: Badaj Huseynov.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

 

Dundalk

Injured: Robbie Benson, Stephen Folan, Jordan Flores.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.