Mixed day in Europe for Bairns and Well
By: Ian Rose | July 16th, 2009I’m going to do my best to wish Falkirk well this European campaign, for the good of Scotland and her UEFA coefficient, despite the fact that it was the very Bairns of Falkirk that broke my heart on the last day of the season back in May, dooming my Caley Thistle boys to relegation. If I slip and curse them out once or five times, forgive me. I really do mean well.
Those same Bairns started their European season today, playing host to the mighty Liechtensteiners from Vaduz. In what has to be considered a pretty disappointing result for them, Falkirk only managed a home leg win by 1-0, on a 51st minute goal from Liverpool loanee Ryan Flynn.
Okay, I know I said I’d try to be nice to Falkirk, but this was not only a home European match against a team from Liechtenstein. That alone should put a few goals on the board. This was a match against a team that was RELEGATED in Liechtenstein last season. The Bairns should have done better, especially since early on in the match, they were in real danger of conceding. Let’s hope on the away leg, they can stand up a bit more for the league, because they’re not likely to find an easier chance for goals in Europe.
That being said, at least they came away with the win. Motherwell faced a noticeably harder mission, traveling to Albania to face Flamurtari. Like their first qualifying round, this second one started out with a bit of a whimper, going down 1-0 and needing goals in the second leg to proceed. But 1-0 away is never a terrible result, and they’re one home goal from an even keel.
Scotland now has two more UEFA/Europa/etc wins than we had last season, and Falkirk’s victory raises them to tie Motherwell as the 181st-ranked club in Europe, according to UEFA coefficients. Only Hibs (177) Hearts(162), Aberdeen(121) and the Old Firm (50 and 19) rank higher in Scotland. So they have that going for them, which is nice.
Category: Europe
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Comments | Add your comment
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Erm, they came last in the Swiss league, not the Liechtenstein league. I don’t know the exact implications of this, but still…
Posted from
Australia
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Hopefully they can get through to the next round but there are so many qualifying rounds before they will even get into the proper tournament, i’m not confident they will make it.
Posted from
United States -
Barry – Fair point. Still, Liechtenstein + relegation = not exactly the stiffest competition.
Posted from
United States -
Quite the turnaround for the ‘well, 8-1…ouch. I think they’re run is ending next round with the tough draw of Steua.
Pretty disappointing from Falkirk, another case for the SFL to punt this ludicrous runner up of the Cup rule.
Aberdeen seems to have gotten a pretty easy draw. I think the Sheep should be through easily.
Posted from
United States
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