David Healy reveals the approach Linfield will take into second leg against Zalgiris
The Sports Direct Premiership Champions battled out a goalless draw at the LFF Stadium in Vilnius last week to put themselves into a decent position for a possible third qualifying round clash with Faroese outfit Vikingur later this month.
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BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Víkingur v Linfield
Update: Date: 19:33 BST Title: Post Content: Vikingur 1-1 Linfield Another good chance for Linfield, owing to a piece of individual skill from Kieran Offord, who sets off on a strong run and ghosts past defender Arnbjorn Svensson before getting a fierce strike away from inside the penalty area. The effort is on target at the near post but keeper Armgrimsson is well positioned to beat the ball away before it is eventually cleared. Update: Date: 19:29 BST Title: Post Content: Vikingur 1-1 Linfield Linfield are bombarding the Vikingur rearguard with a series of angled crosses - particularly from the right hand side - but the home side are standing firm. Update: Date: 19:26 BST Title: Post Content: Vikingur 1-1 Linfield Jamie Mulgrew is alert to dispossess defender Ingi Jonhardsson inside the Vikingur penalty area and he then lashes the ball at pace across the face of goal but there are no Linfield players able to take advantage and the home side clear the danger. Update: Date: 19:18 BST Title: Post Content: Vikingur 1-1 Linfield David Healy will be delighted with his players' response to that early setback. Linfield have been the dominant team since and have kept up the momentum after that Matthew Fitzpatrick equaliser. Update: Date: 19:13 BST Title: Post Content: Vikingur 1-1 Linfield Linfield might well be ahead as a cross from the left drifts to the back post where Ethan McGee cuts back inside onto his left foot but keeper Armgrimsson is quickly off his line to block. Update: Date: 19:11 BST Title: Post Content: Vikingur 1-1 Linfield Linfield's tails are up after that equaliser and Kieran Offord tries his luck from 25 yards with a strike which keeper Armgrimsson tips over the crossbar. Update: Date: 19:08 BST Title: GOAL - Vikingur 1-1 Linfield Content: Matthew Fitzpatrick -9mins Linfield are behind for just six minutes as Chris Shields crosses from the right and Matthew Fitzpatrick's glancing header drifts over the head of keeper Hans Jakup Armgrimsson to level the scores. Update: Date: 19:03 BST Title: GOAL - Vikingur 1-0 Linfield Content: Ben Hall (o.g) - 3mins A nightmare start for Linfield as Vikingur break quickly and a low cross from the right falls between Ben Hall and keeper Chris Johns and the centre-back, at full stretch can only divert the ball into his own net. Update: Date: 18:59 BST Title: KICK-OFF Content: Vikingur 0-0 Linfield Bosnian referee Luka Bilbija blows his whistle to start the action on a drizzly evening in Torshavn. Can Linfield secure a positive result to take into next week's second leg at Windsor Park? Update: Date: 18:58 BST Title: Post Content: Vikingur v Linfield (19:00 BST) There's certainly no lack of experience as the two captains come together to shake hands. Jamie Mulgrew, at the age of 39, is already the club's record appearance holder in European competition and he extends that sequence further tonight as he makes his 63rd appearance in continental competition. But he is almost a youngster in comparison to his counterpart Atli Gregersen, who skippers Vikingur at the age of 43! Update: Date: 18:55 BST Title: Linfield travel to the Faroes Content: Vikingur v Linfield (19:00 BST) Linfield will be feeling good following their 2-0 win against Zalgiris after the scoreless draw in the first leg in Lithuania. They will seek to build upon that when they take on Vikingur Gota from the Faroe Islands in round three of qualifying, but their opposition have had their moments in European qualifying in the past. Vikingur won a third league title in their history in 2024 to take their place in the Champions League qualifiers, but lost out to Gilbralter's Lincoln Red Imps which saw them drop into round three of the Conference League qualifiers. Last year, they beat Latvia's FK Liepaja over two legs in qualifying before bowing out against Belgium's Gent, while their best European run occurred in the 2014-15 season when beating Latvia's FC Daugava and Norway's Tromso before falling to HNK Rijeka of Croatia. Domestically, this season has not gone to plan as they currently sit in fourth place in the Faroe Islands Premier League, 19 points behind leaders Kl Klaksvik. The first leg takes place in Torshavn tonight with the return leg at Windsor Park next Thursday. The winner will move into a final play-off against the loser of the Europa League tie between Shelbourne and Croatia's HNK Rijeka. Update: Date: 18:51 BST Title: Thursday's Conference League Fixtures Content: Vikingur v Linfield (19:00 BST) A reminder of the kick-off times and venues for tonight's two Conference League fixtures involving Irish Premiership sides. Thursday's Conference League Fixtures Update: Date: 18:48 BST Title: Team news Content: Vikingur v Linfield (19:00 BST) Linfield boss David Healy names an unchanged line-up from the side which saw off Zalgiris a week ago, with midfielder Josh Archer having recovered from an injury which forced him off in that game. There are personal milestones for Blues duo Jamie Mulgrew, who plays his 800th game for the club, and Kirk Millar, whose 37th appearance in European competition sees him move above the legendary Noel Bailie and into third position on Linfield's all-time list of appearances in continental competition. Vikingur: Armgrimsson, Olsen, Gregersen, Svensson, Jonhardsson, Kallsberg, Ellingsgaard, Atlason, Skala, Vatnhamer, Johansen. Subs: Reynatreo, Nielson, Brandsson, Djurhuus, Radlsavlevic, Jarnskor, Bjarkhamar, Olavsson, Hansen, Arngrimasson, Joensen. Linfield: Johns, Orr, Hall, Rose-Byrne, McGee, Shields, Mulgrew, Archer, Millar, Offord Fitzpatrick. Subs: Walsh, Whiteside, McClean, Allen, McKee, Brown, Annett, McKay. Update: Date: 18:45 BST Title: Blues and Larne in Conference League action Content: Vikingur v Linfield (19:00 BST) Hello and welcome to our coverage of tonight's two Uefa Conference League third qualifying round first leg games. First, at 19:00 BST, Irish Premiership champions Linfield are in the Faroe Islands to take on Vikingur. Then at 20:00 BST, Larne, who reached the league stage of this competition last season, host Portuguese side Santa Clara at the Ballymena Showgrounds. We will have live text commentary of both games as well as reports and reaction. Thanks for joining us - enjoy!
Belfast Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Larne and Linfield look to take first leg leads in third qualifying round ties
The European football bandwagon rolls on for the last remaining Irish League sides in the competition, with Larne and Linfield in UEFA Conference League third qualifying round action on Thursday evening.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
McAree wants Swifts to push for Europe again
Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree says qualifying for Europe again must be "the challenge" for his side ahead of the new Irish Premiership campaign. During an impressive 2024-25 season, the Swifts won the Irish Cup for the first time to qualify for Europe and finished fourth in the league. However, they became the second team to exit the Uefa Conference League qualifiers after being defeated 3-1 on aggregate by FC Vaduz despite winning the away leg though that defeat put to an end to the Swifts' first European run in over a decade, McAree is hoping his side "can have another go" soon."If we can show the grit, determination and desire that we have shown in our European games in the league then we will hopefully be all right," McAree told BBC Sport NI."It would be nice to experience this again and that has to be the challenge. If we can win the Irish Cup or be fortunate in the league, then we can have another go at it."Despite all focus now going to the league campaign, and Sunday's season-opener against champions Linfield, McAree said his players did "the league proud" during their European adventure. "I am disappointed that we are going out, but I am proud of everyone," McAree continued."The boys have done themselves and their families proud and I think we have done the league proud as well."It is disappointing for our league that we don't have three teams going through but it is great to see Larne and Linfield fly the flag and we have given it a good go."
