Fortune favours the brave as Athlone aim for more progress
For the packed house of just under 2,000 supporters and even more so for the Athlone Town players, it was a dream made into reality. But for team manager Colin Fortune, his side’s 3-0 win over ŽNK Agram last Saturday, and most notably the manner in which it was achieved, was simply a matter of his side following the script and playing up to expectations.
The visiting Croatian side travelled for their first competitive game of the year, with their domestic league not due to start until August 31. The Zagreb club was likely to be lacking in match sharpness while, for Athlone Town, playing their fourth game in 14 days, fatigue was the big concern.
Sure enough, Colin Fortune’s side ran riot in the first half against their rusty opponents, then held firm despite their visible fatigue after the interval.
“The first half was really good,” beamed the man who played for and managed the Athlone Town’s men’s side.
“I knew we’d tire because it was a really tough game on Wednesday night, the whole buildup and all that takes the energy out of the girls, so we knew that’s how it would go. But to be fair in the second half it wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t stylish but we dug in and we got our clean sheet, we did what we needed to do, having had the work done in the first half.
“We wanted to pick up where we left off on Wednesday night, that was important. We play a high intensity game, we want to get at teams, that’s the way we play. It worked out very well as we got three goals in the first half and we could have had one or two more which would have put the icing on the cake,” he said.
“The second half was different, they had a lot more possession, we sat in, which was fine because we knew we’d have to do that. But we got a few chances as well for a fourth goal, even though it didn’t happen. But a great result after all and we’re really looking forward to the next round.”
That next round will be against Breiðablik of Iceland, scheduled to take place at the FC Twente Club in the Netherlands on August 27.
On paper, the Icelandic side should be a significant step up in quality, given that they reached the group stages of this competition just three years ago, where they met Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. They are now in their fourth Champions League campaign in six seasons with eight wins under their belt across those four campaigns, and crucially, they too are right in the middle of their season, top of the Icelandic league with 12 games played.
“It is going to be a different contest,” Fortune acknowledged.
“We saw that with Cardiff (City) as well, it’s very difficult for these teams out of season to try and compete with a team that’s in-season, no matter what the levels are. The Icelandic team will be bang in the middle, they’re a very good side with a lot of Champions League experience, but the way our form is, it’s going to take a good team to beat us.”
Fortune also confirmed that even though the next two games – win or lose, Athlone Town will have another game against either the hosting Dutch side or Red Star Belgrade three days later – will be a significant step up in terms of quality of opposition, he’s adamant that his group will stay true to the type of high-energy, attacking game that has got them this far.
“It’s our first time in the Champions League but we’ve said that we’re not here to make up numbers. We’re not going to be here and try and keep it tight, not give anything away and stay in the competition. We’re here to have a go and you’ve seen that.
“Confidence is sky high. The level of quality from the players has been immense the last two games. I knew they had that in them and they will have it in them again. We’ve to start getting ready for a big game against Bohs first (Saturday, Dalymount Park, 2pm), that’ll be our focus now, but when it comes time to play in Europe again, we’ll be ready!” he added.