Pat Fenlon believes Dundalk’s game plan for their Champions League qualifier with BATE Borisov will be to claim an away goal and says they have the personnel to do so.
The SSE Airtricity side take on the Belarusians for the second successive year after overcoming FH Hafnarfjordur on away goals in the last round, with the first leg taking place at Borisov Arena tonight (7pm Irish time).
Top scorer David McMillan found the net in the 2-1 away defeat last year before the 0-0 draw at Oriel Park saw BATE progress to the group stages of the competition.
The former Shamrock Rovers manager says Dundalk’s highly-fancied opponents are unlikely to be complacent following last season’s scare, but expects the free-scoring SSE Airtricity table toppers to pose problems in Borisov.
“I think they will give them a lot more respect this year because they ran them so close last year. That element of surprise will not be there,” he told RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland programme.
“Dundalk are a good side. They’re very capable of going there and nicking a goal and that’s what the game plan will be.
“If they can score an away goal and stay within a goal of BATE or get a draw, that would be a fantastic result for them.”
Stephen Kenny’s side will be without defender Brian Gartland as he recovers from surgery on a broken wrist and Fenlon says this may cause the manager to tinker around with a midfield that has looked very impressive on the European stage.
“Looking at the last two games at FH, they were very attack-minded, with Stephen O’Donnell, Ronan Finn and Danny McElhinney in midfield.
“Gartland being out is a big loss for them with his experience.
“He may have a little concern with that and you might see Chris Shields come back into the team to sit in front of the back four to give a little protection.”
