Dream night beckons for City
Cork City boss Damien Richardson has promised his side will be ruthless when it comes to converting their goal chances in tonight’s Champions League match against Red Star Belgrade (kick off 7.45pm).
Richardson firmly believes that his side are good enough to create chances against any team City come up against and that the key to winning tonight’s first leg is for Cork to convert those chances.
“We need to be ruthless and determined in front of goal when the chances present themselves,” said Richardson.
“We will create chances against any team, I don’t care who they are but the key to it is being able to take those half chances.”
City’s task is made harder tonight with the loss through suspension of Joe Gamble and Danny Murphy, but Damien remains adamant that the league champions can: “upset the apple cart”.
Cork come up against the league and Cup double winners from Serbia — now officially known as Crvena Zvezda — but Richardson’s team fear no-one.
“This is anything but a foregone conclusion and Red Star would do well not to underestimate us as Apollon Limassol did to their cost last time,” said Richardson.
“This is the biggest game of the lot for me as manager and for the team itself. People will make comparisons with Bayern Munich and Galatasaray but Red Star have won the European Cup and now under the Champions League format, they are desperate to get into the knockout stages for the first time.
“That’s the motivation for them but we want to progress just as much. We will go out tonight believing we can win the game.
“I want my team to go out and show that we belong in the Champions League family. We have a reputation to live up to in Europe and it’s one we have built up over the last few years. I am convinced that we can do well.”
Cork will start with Admir Softic in midfield alongside Colin O’Brien with John O’Flynn a possibility to return to the side.
Cork City team (probable) (4-4-2): Devine; Horgan, Bennett, Murray (capt), Woods; O’Donovan, O’Brien, Softic, Fenn; O’Flynn & Behan.
Article courtesy of The Evening Echo newspaper
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