UEFA Youth League - First Round, first leg - Result: FC Midtjylland 2-1 BohemiansGoals: Jenson (27), Tengstedt (75), Nolan (77) Steven Nolan scored a late goal for Bohemians to keep the tie alive going into the second leg against FC Midtjylland in t
UEFA Youth League - First Round, first leg - Result: FC Midtjylland 2-1 Bohemians
Goals: Jenson (27), Tengstedt (75), Nolan (77)
Steven Nolan scored a late goal for Bohemians to keep the tie alive going into the second leg against FC Midtjylland in the UEFA Youth League.
Goals from Oliver Sørensen Jensen and Casper Tengstedt either side of the break had given the Danish hosts a comfortable lead until Nolan scored in the 77th minute to give the SSE Airtricity League U19 Champions a real chance of progression going into the second leg.
A depleted-Bohemians side, due to the eligibility rules of the UEFA Youth League, were under pressure in the early stages and went behind just before the half-hour. Jensen gave the Danish Champions the lead at the break with a neatly-placed finish into the bottom corner.
Casper Tengstedt looked to have given the home side a comfortable lead going into the second leg when he found the net in the 75th minute with a powerful header but Bohemians fought back.
Bohs scored just two minutes later after the Danish keeper Olafsson could only parry and Nolan was quickest to react to fire the ball home. U19 Head Coach Craig Sexton believes the result gives them a great chance of progression, and has praised his team for adjusting to the challenge.
"We weren't really at the races in the first-half. We didn't keep possession as well as we like to and we had to take a bit of time to get used to their system," said Sexton.
"We changed a few things at the break and we were much better. To be honest, they're second goal came against the run of play and we definitely deserved the goal. I'm very proud of how the lads adjusted to the challenge in the match, they showed a lot of maturity.
"I asked the team to get a result we can bring back to Dublin and they've done that. We'll look over tonight and we'll learn from it. They had to dig in at times but the group did that and they started to take control of the game."
Bohemians will welcome FC Midtjylland to Dalymount Park on Wednesday, October 24, with kick-off at 7pm and Sexton believes the Dalymount faithful will have a huge part to play in the second leg.
"I think the supporters over the last season or so have realised just how important the under-age teams are to the first-team and they've really got behind them," Sexton continued.
"I really hope the supporters will come and make it difficult for Midtjylland as they won't be used to somewhere like Dalymount. Take away the home comforts, put them in the away dressing room and in front of the Dalymount crowd, it will be a different test for them.
"If the supporters can come and make Dalymount the fortress it is, then it will really help us get over the line. It is going to be a really different test but one we're looking forward to."
Bohemians: Bohan (GK), Lyons (C), Byrne, Curley, Thornton, Omochere (Tierney 82), Kelly, Reghba, Graydon, Nolan, Considine.
FC Midtjylland: Olafsson (GK), Sery, Jensen, Martis, Madsen, Dyhr, Tengstedt (Giessing 85), Tue (Dawa 85), Olsen (Abubakar 69), Isaksen (Odeh 69), Anker.
Referee: Ivar Orri Kristjansson (ISL)
