Date: 30 July 2021
Competition: Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round
Result: Bohemians 3 – 0 F91 Dudelange
Tickets: €20 adults, minimum two tickets due to covid restrictions.
Attendance: 8,000 sold out, covid restricted.
The game: Bohemians are starting to look like they belong in the national stadium, and looked in total control against F91 Dudelange, a side that should have been quite a challenge on paper. In fact, the game was so one-sided that there was no extended period, apart from arguably 10 minutes after half time, where you could say Dudelange were in charge.
Liam Burt and the goal machine Georgie Kelly stood out for Bohs, and despite the spacing, their fans slowly gravitated towards each other behind the goal and went increasingly wild as Bohs walked away with the tie, 3-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate. Really, really comfortable, and Bohs play PAOK from Greece in the next round.
The ground: The Aviva can sometimes lack atmosphere, I find, but it really took off for this game, with Bohs fans lighting the place up, considering its hollow feeling under covid restrictions. They did a great job of turning it into a more home-feeling place, with Bohs graphics, videos, fan flags and music pumping through the stereo throughout.
I’ve spent a lot of time in here and always felt it’s a decent but not incredibly stadium, and it is odd on a night like this, but it kind of worked, too.
Extras: They opened the bars but only for the usual criminally overpriced soft drinks and snacks. Programme digital only. Covid times, I guess.
Assorted asides: These are getting increasingly hard to get into. I have tickets for PAOK, too. Who knows how long my luck will stay in!
My totals for the year so far:
Games: 3. Home wins: 2. Draws: 1
Goals: 12. Home goals: 10. Away goals: 2. Goals per game: 4
A few pics:
