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+----- Thread: European Youth Championship play-off final - Hibs v Borussia Dortmund (/showthread.php?tid=12078)
European Youth Championship play-off final - Hibs v Borussia Dortmund - 0762 - 05-02-2023
A huge match for our young Hibees coming up on Tuesday night and Hibs opening up the east stand for this one. These lads have done exceptionally well to get to this play-off final and certainly deserve the fans' support no matter what the outcome is. Hopefully home advantage will be a factor in the boys attaining a historic quali success in this type of Euro tourney. It will be a tough challenge all the same.
https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/the-story-so-far-wee-hibees-european-adventure
RE: European Youth Championship play-off final - Hibs v Borussia Dortmund - 0762 - 08-02-2023
https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/european-heartbreak-for-wee-hibees
Just back from ER and what a good game of footie with Hibs just "falling short" of Euro quali success after Blaney gave them the perfect 1-0 lead in the first half with a great header and the lads tried to hold this advantage and "hit them on the break". Two pivotal moments happened in the second half. Firstly, a great breakaway run by Laidlaw from his own half saw him outstrip the Dortmund defence with the record 8k Hibs crowd cheering him on, understandably took on the shot rather than "squaring the ball" to O'Connor in a 2 v 1 defender situation and taking a 2-0 lead - it would've been a great goal for this level of youth footie, but it wasn't to be!!
Secondly, a bizarre Hibs coaching issue - a young Hibs defender, Murray Aitken, injured and having to leave the field of play - Hibs coach watching the on pitch treatment from the touch line, no player being quickly stripped to eventually replace him!!!!? So Hibs down to 10 lads on the pitch and Dortmund pushing on to them to earn a pk from the consequent disarray in Hibs defence!!! A sham of an oversight when the young lads were 1-0 ahead and coping with the pressure fairly well!! Dortmund's winning goal arriving in the final minute of the match and the difference in energy levels so noticeable with the German coach bringing on about 4 x subs with fresh legs. A lotta Hibs young heroes "running on empty" (and few subs available from the Hibs bench!), but still defiant and persevering to push on to the Dortmund defence in the six mins of additional time - almost attaining an admirable 2-2 draw in the dying secs of the game, the Dortmund goalie and post "saving the day" and Hibs sadly losing this play-off although these young heroes given a standing ovation by an appreciative Hibs crowd. They almost "broke the mould" and qualified to a high standard Euro Youth Championship tourney to replace a big name side like Borussia Dortmund - just a smidgeon off such a great achievement!!