Boss Elmes has high hopes
Wexford Youths face Dutch aristocrats Ajax in Belfast
WEXFORD YOUTHS begin their third crack at the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying round today (Tuesday), hoping to manoeuvre their way out of the group and into the knockout stages for the first time ever.
Tom Elmes’ side kick off their campaign against Dutch aristocrats Ajax in Seaview, Belfast, at 2 p.m., and face Thor/KA of Iceland at the same venue on Friday evening before rounding out Group 1 against hosts Linfield on Monday.
To qualify, Youths will need to either finish top of the table, or, failing that, be one of the two best second-placed teams out of the ten groups.
For those spots, results against the bottom side are wiped from the record so it’s imperative that Wexford get off to a solid start.
Whatever way you slice it, there’s only a very slim chance of progress if Wexford lose their first game. Elmes knows the importance of a fast start, and he knows the challenge that Ajax possess, but he hopes they might be getting the Dutch side at the right time.
‘A positive start will obviously be massive,’ Elmes admitted. ‘The confidence it would give us going into the game against Thor/KA and the final game against Linfield. We will be planning to get off on a good foot and go for it quite early.
‘I know they are in their pre-season at the minute so it might be good to catch them now. If you face the strongest side when you are fresh, and have a good go, it could work out in your favour.’
A victory would be incredible for Wexford, an historic result, but a draw would be useful as a back-up plan.
Historically, four points against the sides that finish first and third will see you progress, although Thor/KA are hardly a pushover themselves.
That might be a little dismissive of Linfield but the Northern Irish champions will be up against it to take anything off the top two seeds and Wexford would expect to get the better of them too, even on Seaview’s astro surface.
However, if things don’t go to plan, every game is still important. With Wexford currently top of the Continental Tyres Women’s National League, they may well end up in this competition again next season.
Victories and draws give you co-efficient points, which are the basis for the seeding system. For example, the erroneous penalty awarded to Gintra, against Lauren Dwyer in Wexford’s last campaign, and the subsequent flat draw against no-hopers Criuleni, cost Youths a second seed and easier draw this time around.
However, Wexford have every chance of being in the mix for top spot, given that they have no new injuries and have a settled, confident group of players that have the tools to excel against quality opposition, as the boss noted.
‘We’ve proven that we can lift our game for big sides like Peamount and Shels this year. We have been quite positive in both fixtures, controlled both games.
‘We know what we are coming up against but we are on a run of good form so hopefully we can bring that with us and apply the same kind of attitude and hard work that we do in the domestic league to qualifying.
‘The team is strong at the minute, that’s one to 25, with the girls we’ve brought in too. We all know what’s the main objective for the year. They feel tight as a group, they feel prepared and they are looking forward to the prospect of going up there and having a good go.’
Should Wexford Youths hit their potential and make it out of the group, they will go into the draw for the first round proper with the likes of current holders Lyon, German champions Wolfsburg, English winners Chelsea, and Spanish runners-up Barcelona.