UCD FC advances to second round of UEFA Youth League
Posted 3 October, 2024
(opens in a new window)UCD FC have advanced into the second round of the UEFA Youth League after holding strong in Iceland to claim an aggregate win.
The Students U19 squad kept their European dream alive in Rekjavik during the second leg against Stjarnan, who won the game 3-2.
However the result was immaterial as UCD qualified for the next round due to a 3-0 lead secured two weeks ago when the sides first met at the UCD Bowl.
The goals from Adam Brennan, Roy Lawlor and Odhran MacLaughlin proved to be invaluable for the return game, which saw Stjarnan hit the next within minutes.
A goal in reply from MacLaughlin before the end of the first half was soon answered with two more from the Garðabær side.
Keeping the Icelandic champions at bay, UCD held on to their 4-3 aggregate lead before decisively earning their place in the second round of the UEFA Youth League with a 90 min goal from Hugh Parker.
The first leg win marks a big step towards side’s return to European football, having first competed in the UEFA Youth League in 2017.
Doing club and country proud
— UCD FC (@UCDAFC) (opens in a new window)October 2, 2024
Next round here we come(opens in a new window)@UEFAYouthLeague (opens in a new window)@LeagueofIreland (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/NBWwWDzXac
Made up of 64 teams, the competition sees the U19 teams of UEFA Champions League entrants joined by the domestic youth champions of the best-ranked national associations.
UCD earned their qualification by beating Galway United in the SSE Airtricity Under 19 League Final last October. For the second round, the side will travel to Kosovo to face FC 2 Korriku on Wednesday 23rd October, with the second leg back in Dublin on 6th November.
Securing advancement to the next leg of the UEFA Youth League cap off what has been a stellar week for the Students, who also claimed the SSE Airtricity U19 Enda McGuill Cup with a 2-1 win over Sligo Rovers after extra-time.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
