Shelbourne must avoid complacency at Nomme Kalju's Parnu Rannastaadion on Thursday if they are to advance into the Conference League's third qualifying round. The League of Ireland visitors managed to win the first leg 5-2 on July 23, but given the unpredictable nature of continental football, Nomme Kalju cannot be completely disregarded.
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Subscribe Sekarang →Nomme Kalju would almost certainly have been out of contention for the next round of qualifying had Enrique Esono not netted his second of the game in second-half stoppage time. While a number of teams have managed to overturn three-goal deficits in Europe, the hosts have only once scored three goals in UEFA competitions.
Shelbourne started the first leg in perfect fashion, racing into a 3-0 lead by the 25th minute, and though they conceded just before half time, they restored their three-goal advantage two minutes after the restart. Head coach John Russell will be delighted with his team's success given it represented their second victory in three games.
Given Shelbourne have such a comfortable lead, the only way Nomme Kalju can get back into the tie is by playing aggressively. However, that may expose the hosts to counter-attacks, and if the visitors can make the most of those opportunities, then it would not be surprising if they won yet again.