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Steffen Schmidt - July 12, 2023
Bruno’s Magpies vs Dundalk
UEFA Conference League Qualification
Date: 13 July 2023, Thursday
Kick-off at 17:00 UK / 18:00 CET
Venue: Victoria Stadium (Gibraltar).
Dundalk will start the 2023/24 UEFA Europa Conference League campaign with the trip to Gibraltar where they will face Bruno’s Magpies on Thursday afternoon in the first leg.
This is an easy draw on paper for the Irish outfit who are back in European competitions after a pause last season.
The Lilywhites played the Europa League group phase in the 2020/21 season before being stopped by Dutch Eredivise side Vitesse in the Conference League third qualifying round (3-4) on aggregate) the following year.
Dundalk are still not at the level from 2019 when they last won the domestic title. Nevertheless, they look stable and ready to secure another run in Europe for the next season through the domestic league.
Magpies, on the other side, secured their best-ever third-place finish last season in the elite class of Gibraltar’s football.
The team that was formed in 2013 will thus make back-to-back European appearances after a fourth-place finish in 2021/22.
Bruno’s Magpies were eliminated by Northern Irish Crusaders in the first round of the Conference League qualifications last summer despite winning the home leg 2-1 on the occasion.
The team have been constantly growing in the last several years but it is interesting to note that they parted ways with head coach Nathan Rooney after winning the 2022/23 Rock Cup, the team’s first trophy.
Magpies played a friendly against Championship side Preston North End eight days ago, losing 3-0 on the occasion.
Dundalk are a much bigger club, they have a much greater European experience, and it is very hard not to see them as the favorites in this matchup.
However, we would by no means be surprised to see the hosts on the scoresheet here, especially knowing that the Irish side conceded three goals in the recent domestic league defeat to Bohemians (3-2) last Friday. You can back Dundalk to win & Both Teams To Score bet at the 4.00 odds.
