Dyche despair as Burnley suffer Europa KO
BRAVE BURNLEY BLOW EURO CAMPAIGN.. NOW IT’S BACK TO THE PREM
IT WAS fun while it lasted, but Burnley’s brief European adventure is over.
After taking 51 years to qualify, their campaign did not even outlast the summer and ended after just 34 days.
Yet Sean Dyche’s side bowed out with their heads held high as they gave it their all at Turf Moor.
It might have been another glory story if Sam Vokes had not missed a couple of sitters in the first half.
The striker also hit the post while 18-year-old Dwight McNeil dazzled on his full debut.
As gutted as they will be, elimination could prove a blessing with the Clarets struggling to campaign on two fronts.
They are sitting in the bottom three with just one point and can now concentrate on the bread and butter of the Premier League after enjoying their kebabs and souvlaki in the Europa League.
Europe took it out of them and in addition to travelling thousands of miles and losing valuable training sessions, they suffered injuries to key players like England keeper Nick Pope.
Still, they will cherish the memories from Aberdeen, Istanbul and Athens and they will be woven into the club’s rich folklore.
Olympiakos’ lead meant Burnley had to adopt an unfamiliar approach.
Watched from the stand by Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho (above), they had to take the game to the Greeks, who were content to threaten on the break. Dyche also had to hand McNeil his first start on the left wing because of Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s injury and the youngster impressed after taking time to settle. McNeil has a sweet left foot and he used it to create a couple of gilt-edged chances, which Vokes spurned. He crossed for Vokes to head wide from a couple of yards out after Ashley Barnes had done well. Vokes missed again when Kevin Long flicked on McNeil’s corner and the Wales striker directed his header wide. In between Vokes’ bad misses, Jeff Hendrick had a shot blocked as they kept up the pressure on Olympiakos. Burnley’s need to attack left them vulnerable on the counter and Daniel Podence nearly made them pay when he twice went close in quick succession before Tom Heaton denied Miguel Angel Guerrero.
Vokes must have known it was not his night when he curled a superb left-foot effort against the post after a neat one-two with Barnes.
McNeil was revelling in the limelight and hit a screamer, which Andreas Gianniotis touched over.
It was kitchen sink time for Burnley and on came Matej Vydra for his debut along with Jack Cork and Chris Wood.
But it was Olympiakos who scored on 83 minutes as Podence finished well after Cork lost possession.
Burnley salvaged some pride when Vydra bundled the ball home from a goalmouth melee four minutes from time.