Uefa Conference League: Breidablik v Shamrock Rovers, Thursday, 5.45pm – Live on Premier Sports 1 & TNT Sports 4
Shamrock Rovers have no margin for error on Thursday evening as they face a must-win encounter away to familiar foes Breidablik in Iceland.
Unlike last year, when the Hoops got off to a flyer and reached the playoffs by capitalising on more favourable ties at the front end of their Conference League campaign, their more winnable games this time around fall at the tail end of their schedule.
Manager Stephen Bradley had felt that a seven-point haul from their six matches could be enough to secure another playoff berth. Rovers – who have one point as it stands – have to win in Reykjavík and then repeat the trick at home to Hamrun Spartans of Malta next week to at least force the issue in a tight race.
Everything is on the line, but it’s an achievable target, particularly if the League of Ireland champions replicate their positive performance in the defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk a fortnight ago and their drawn trip to AEK Athens before that, when victory was snatched from them at the death.
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There is revenge in the air, too, as Rovers have history with Breidablik. But Bradley could be forgiven for wanting to airbrush out those memories, as it was not Shamrock Rovers’ finest outing at this level. They tamely crashed out of the Champions League 3-1 on aggregate two years ago, having lost the first leg 1-0 at home in Tallaght.
Like Rovers, Breidablik are out of season. However, while the Hoops clinched a domestic double, the Icelanders endured a frustrating league campaign having finished fourth – 15 points adrift of champions Vikingur. As a result, there will be no European football to look forward to next year.
But Breidablik still have plenty to play for. While they lost both away games to date in the league phase (to Lausanne and Shakhtar Donetsk), they drew both home games against Samsunspor and KuPS. It means they will be in playoff contention if they scalp Rovers ahead of their final game in Strasbourg.
“They are a team we know quite well, although they are in transition with their manager changing recently,” said Bradley on Wednesday. “They still have very good players and a lot of them played against us when they beat us two years back.
“We both have to win if we want to give ourselves a chance of making the knockouts, so it’s a one-off game and has the makings to be a really good game.”
He added: “Will seven points be enough? We don’t know, but we have to go and win the two games. We’re going to attack these games. We know they are good teams, but we have to go and win if we are to have a chance to qualify.”
Rovers have travelled without injured Josh Honohan, the sought-after wing back who was involved with the Republic of Ireland squad this year and who looks certain of a move to England in January, with Lincoln City the frontrunners.
Danny Mandroiu, who suffered a cruciate ligament injury in last month’s FAI Cup final win against Cork City at the Aviva Stadium, is ruled out, as is Aaron McEneff.
