Kenny: Norway are we going out early
Dream still alive for Lilywhites despite scrappy away goal
STEPHEN KENNY insists Dundalk have nothing to fear from their trip to Norway next week after Rosenborg salvaged a 1-1 draw in last night’s Champions League second round qualifier. The Lilywhites know they must score in the return leg to stand any chance of progression after Tore Reginussen’s away goal cancelled out David McMillan’s seventh goal in this competition. ‘We’ve scored regularly away from home in European games so we shouldn’t be daunted by that,’ Kenny said. ‘We are very dangerous ourselves, so the game is still very much in the balance. I wouldn’t get fixated on the away goal. There is still a match to be won.’
ADVANTAGE Rosenborg, but there is still plenty of life left in Dundalk as they head to Norway next week looking for a result to keep their European dream alive.
David McMillan’s predatory first-half header was cancelled out by Tore Reginussen’s scruffy equaliser a minute before halftime as the spoils were shared at Oriel Park.
Dundalk will be kicking themselves that they conceded in the manner they did, captain Brian Gartland losing his man from a set piece, but the League of Ireland champions posed enough problems to believe they can conjure up another historic result in Trondheim.
Having lost the likes of Daryl Horgan, Andy Boyle and Ronan Finn, questions were bound to surround the Class of 2017 and, for the large part, they delivered.
Once Rosenborg got their equaliser, though, they returned for the second half with the sole objective of taking what they had and killing this tie off in front of their own fans.
Indeed, their manager, Kare Ingebrigsten said that this was the ‘fun time of year’ for his side because he felt qualification for the Champions League group stages was in reach for the first time in a decade.
And as boss of the biggest club in Norway he was adamant that they would be coming to Oriel Park to play their own brand of football and ‘to score goals.’ Dundalk didn’t waste any time in bringing him down to earth and, after just 53 seconds, they put together their first well-worked move down to left with Dane Massey and Michael Duffy combining only for the near post cross to be turned wide by Robbie Benson.
The crowd responded with a roar of approval and as the minutes ticked on the excitement intensified. Dundalk continued to control the ball, Patrick McEleney was finding space across the final third as well as dropping deep to switch play, while Duffy was causing Eggen Hedenstad all sort of problems down his wing.
And it was from there the Lilywhites fashioned another dangerous opening when Massey shouldered the ball to the near post where the quick-thinking McMillan laid it off for Duffy to shoot first time low and hard.
It looked to have deceived Anders Hansen into the near corner as he sprawled to the other side of his goal but the Rosenborg goalkeeper did well to save with his feet. He was beaten soon after, though, and Dundalk deserved their lead.
It was given to them by McMillan in the 18th minute and he was rewarded for his instinct in the 18-yard box. Once again the danger came down the left wing and when Duffy fired a curling cross the Dubliner was there to glance a cushioned header past Hansen for his seventh goal in this competition — more than any other League of Ireland player.
Stephen Kenny’s men were looking comfortable and while a Pal Andre Helland shot had to be well saved by Rogers in the 30th minute, the visitors offered little in attack.
Former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner has a high profile and even higher opinion of himself but he was anonymous here and their most potent threat was coming from set plays and long throws.
Indeed, that is how they clawed themselves back into it a minute before half-time. Hedenstad delivered a dangerous in-swinging free kick from their left wing and Reginiussen had got the wrong side of Gartland.
The Dundalk captain attempted to clear from behind but he could only kick through his man and the ball trickled into the corner as Rosenborg drew level.
And now they have the advantage heading into the return leg in Trondheim next Wednesday after Dundalk were unable to wear down the resistance put up during the second period.
With the away goal in the bag they were happy to soak up pressure and play on the counter attack when required. The influence of McEleney, so potent in the first half, waned somewhat and they also suffered a blow when the impressive centre back Nicklas Vemmelund limped off just after the hour mark.
Only a McMillan half chance in the 67th minute, a header from a McEleney corner, had Hansen worried but it sailed over the crossbar.
Not even the introduction of super-sub Ciaran Kilduff with 10 minutes remaining could conjure up a winner. Dundalk’s task in Norway is a tough one but, as they proved time and again last season, they are up to the challenge.