Despite losing 2-0 to Legia Warsaw in Dublin's Aviva Stadium, Dundalk captain Stephen O'Donnell can still progress to the group stages of the Champions League.
Speaking after the game, the midfielder said "if we get the first goal over there next week you never know what could happen".
The Galway man said his side "showed enough to know if we go over there with the same attitude and that we can definitely score goals against them."
The Polish champions were awarded a controversial penalty after 54 minutes, with O'Donnell among many who felt the call by referee Deniz Aytekin was a harsh one.
"Another day it could be seen as a great block," O'Donnell said.
"Boyler [Andy Boyle] has just thrown his body at and it’s hit his arm. Some days they’re given, some days they’re not."
To make matter worse, the Co Louth side were denied a penalty of their own late in the game when substitute Ciaran Kilduff was bundled over in the box.
"I think we could have had a penalty there, I think anywhere else on the park he’s giving a free-kick. Killers has been pushed in the back, it looked to me.
"It’s just disappointing really, kind of the usual story. We played well but we lost 2-0."
Dundalk's captain Stephen O'Donnell believes his side still have a chance when they travel to Poland https://t.co/6XwqgZK8AQ
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) August 17, 2016
Dundalk must now go into the lion's den, where they need to score two and keep their hosts scoreless to make extra-time.
O'Donnell admits it will "definitely be an uphill battle" in Warsaw.
"There’ll be a partisan crowd there next week but as I said the first goal is huge.
"We lost 2-0 to Split two seasons ago at home. We went over there and beat them 2-1 and if the game had went on ten minutes we would have won 3-1.
"We have to have that attitude next week."
