Premiership

LINFIELD CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREVIEW

12 Jul 2021
football
Linfield will have to overturn a two-goal deficit in tonight's Champions League clash with Zalgiris Vilnius at Windsor Park (kick-off 7:45pm) if they are to progress in Europe's premier competition.
 
The Blues lost the first leg 3-1 last week in Lithuania. Frenchman Hugo Vidémont and Croatian striker Tomislav Kiš struck late in the first half to hand Zalgiris a strong advantage at the break.
 
Christy Manzinga pulled one back not long after the interval but an unfortunate Chris Johns own goal later in proceedings tipped the balance very much in favour of the home side on the night.
 
UEFA have revoked the previously established away goals rule meaning that Manzinga's strike no longer carries the weight it once did effectively meaning the Blues need to score three more than Zalgiris.
 
Linfield will have both Kirk Millar and Ross Larkin available once more after sitting out last week, while David Healy has also strengthened his panel during the week with the addition of Hull City loan duo Billy Chadwick and Ahmed Salam.
 
The aggregate winners of the tie will go through to the next round to face either Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros or Prishtina from Kosovo. Ferencvaros lead 3-0 after the first leg.
 
The losers will switch to the newly established Europa Conference League and will be paired with the defeated side in the CFR Cluj (Romania)-Borac Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina) tie. Cluj hold a 3-1 advantage going into the second leg.