Dundalk undone by Legia's late second
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Article summary
Dundalk 0-2 Legia
A 94th-minute goal from substitute Aleksandar Prijovic sealed Legia's away win and may have done irretrievable damage to Dundalk's hopes.
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- Dundalk's play-off hopes are punctured by two second-half Legia goals in Dublin
- Nemanja Nikolić breaks deadlock from penalty spot for Polish title holders
- Aleksandar Prijovic's stoppage-time second appears to take play-off tie away from Dundalk
- Stephen Kenny's men without skipper Stephen O'Donnell next week through suspension
- Legia make it four successive clean sheets in 2016/17 qualifying
Dundalk's bid to become the first Irish club to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage took a serious dent after Legia Warszawa scored a potentially decisive late second goal in Dublin.
With Nemanja Nikolić having already converted a 56th-minute penalty, the Polish champions' stoppage-time second from substitute Aleksandar Prijovic handed them a huge advantage for the return leg.
After Patrick McEleney headed over and Daryl Horgan elicited an important challenge from Legia captain Michał Pazdan, Dundalk suffered an early blow with Stephen O'Donnell's booking ruling the captain out of next week's rematch.
Legia largely lacked creativity in the first half, and Dundalk still looked sharp come the restart with a low effort from Horgan teed up by Chris Shields. Then everything changed. Against the run of play, Legia made the breakthrough from the spot.
Nikolić sent Gary Rogers the wrong way on 56 minutes after Andy Boyle was adjudged to have handled inside the area. Legia, buoyed by their one-goal lead, duly pushed on.
Rogers denied Michał Kucharczyk, Steeven Langil fired narrowly over, yet then – at the other end – substitute Ciaran Kilduff threatened with a late volley.
However, Dundalk's woes were compounded when Prijovic advanced 20 metres in tandem with team-mate Tomasz Jodłowiec before turning in his 94th-minute clincher.
Key player: Nemanja Nikolić (Legia)
Talking points
Is it over for Dundalk? The stadium announcer was quick to remind home fans that "it's only half-time", yet the feeling in Dublin was that Legia's second was the killer blow. It was a perfect first leg for the visitors, who kept a clean sheet and ought to benefit from those two away goals.
Is Swiss forward Aleksandar Prijovic the next big thing at Legia? With Nikolić being linked with a possible move to the English Premier League, is it finally the bench-warmer's chance to shine?
