UEFA Champions League first qualifying round, second leg: Larne (0) v HJK Helsinki (1) (Wednesday, 7.30pm, Solitude)
Tomas Cosgrove believes that if Larne can replicate their second half performance from Finland last week, they stand a “fighter’s chance” in Wednesday night’s UEFA Champions League first qualifying round, second leg encounter at Solitude.
HJK Helsinki are once again the opposition, and after losing 1-0 last Wednesday in the Finnish capital, Cosgrove knows his side must get everything right to progress.
“We are certainly proud of our achievements last week, but also a little disappointed.
“I think we got off to the worse possible start giving away the penalty and then I think a few of the guys were a bit shell-shocked for the rest of the first-half. But we had a few strong words at half-time and I think we gave a truer account of ourselves after that, we could have easily won the game if some of our chances found the net” he says.
The Finnish champions will be taking nothing for granted in Belfast given the Reds performance last week and have been thrown into further disarray with the sacking of manager Toni Koskela following the first-leg encounter. Assistant Toni Korkeakunnas has taken charge for the remainder of the season. Does the Larne skipper see this as an opportunity to wreak further havoc upon the visitors?
“I wouldn’t read too much into that” is his response.
“It’s not uncommon for managers to lose their jobs, especially mid-way through the season as is in Finland at the minute. We have no control over that so all we’ll be doing is concentrating on our own game and getting that right”.
- We're Finn with a great chance says Larne skipper Tomás Cosgrove after narrow Uefa Champions League first leg defeat at HJK Helsinki
HJK did not produce many surprises to the Irish League champions at the Bolt Arena. As expected they enjoyed a large majority of possession but without producing many clear-cut chances. Larne, however went close to equalising on two second-half occasions, Leroy Millar missing both. Cosgrove expects a similar pattern in the return game.
“I think what we will see is HJK hold onto the ball again quite a lot. That is something we have to get used to in European football and differs from the Irish League where we are usually the side in possession most of the time.
“They are a very technical side, with all 11 players comfortable in possession. For me I sense that our counter-attack game will be most threatening, we certainly have a game for that with the likes of Leroy and Lee (Bonis) in attack”.
Despite owner Kenny Bruce’s dream of hearing the Champions League anthem at Inver Park being dashed with the unsatisfactory playing surface, it is unlikely to have a significant detrimental impact upon the Larne players, however Cosgrove admits it may disappoint some fans.
“I think for us as players, we’ve known about the move for a good while now. It is what it is and I don’t think it will get into our heads much. It might be disappointing for some fans, understandably so as they have waited a long time to see us play Champions League football, some of them probably never thought they would see the day, but I know they will turn up in their numbers and support us as ever” he states.
Only Long-term absentee Mark Randall is expected to miss the tie, with manager Tiernan Lynch having a well stacked deck of cards to play with.
If Larne can earn a victory against HJK they will come up against another Scandinavian side, Molde FK of Norway in Round-two of qualification. If they are unsuccessful, they will drop into Europa Conference league qualifying and face Kosovan or Bulgarian opponents. Fans of the Inver club will be hoping for the former come Thursday morning.
