Levadia Tallinn and Dundalk draw their first-leg encounter in Dublin

Tallinn take the lead against Dundalk Photo: Stephen Gormley (Red Eye Photo Agency)

Estonian’s Levadia Tallinn hold Ireland’s Dundalk to a 2-2 draw in the UEFA Europa Conference League second-round first-leg in Dublin.

The visitors took the lead within the first two minutes of the match with Bogdan Vastsuk putting the Estonian side ahead. Less than two minutes later, Dundalk were level as Will Patching smashed the ball into the back of the net after a great ball from Daniel Kelly.

The next two strikes from both teams were again like mirror images of the first two goals. Vastsuk again ghosted into space past the Dundalk centre-halves like they were not there to clip the ball over the Dundalk goalkeeper Alessio Abibi to make it 2-1 with less than 20 minutes on the clock.

Eight minutes later, the Irish side were back level again with Raivis Jurkovsis and Patching combining to set up David McMillan for his 13th goal in European competitions.

In the second-half, both teams were tiring due to the heat as well as the intensity on the pitch after four goals in the first-half.

The Estonian side finished stronger but 2-2 was a fair result with the visiting team fancying themselves to finish the job in Tallinn.

Dundalk’s striker McMillan gave his thoughts after the game:

“It’ll take a bit of getting used to as people keep asking what’s with this Conference League? It feels every year it’s more and more for top teams and less for the lesser teams. I know the money is still attractive and all of that, but I am sure the viewing figures will be lower in the Conference Group.”

That may be so but Dundalk will have a real test to make that Conference Group even without away goals counting after UEFA removed the “away-goal” rule this season.

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