Linfield supervisor David Healy felt his facet “stood agency” as a way to deliver a single-goal deficit again to Windsor Park for subsequent week’s second leg of their Champions League first qualifying spherical tie towards Shelbourne.
The League of Eire Premier Division champions obtained the higher of issues at Tolka Park courtesy of Mipo Odubeko’s second-half strike.
Coming in with solely the Charity Protect closing towards Dungannon Swifts final week as preparation, and towards a facet 25 video games into their home marketing campaign, Healy was happy with how his facet didn’t permit their hosts to show loads of possession right into a glut of probabilities.
Whereas Evan Caffrey twice went shut, as did substitute Sean Boyd, the Blues defended resolutely for giant durations.
“It was by no means going to be simple coming down right here, they’re a really, superb facet with gifted gamers,” stated Healy.
“It is disappointing, in fact, however by way of the place we’re, it is our first actual aggressive recreation. Pleased with the trouble and the organisation of the gamers, we caught collectively.
“An excitable crowd down right here at Tolka Park can typically suck the ball into the online and we stood agency and we obtained ourselves in with a purpose deficit.”
Linfield may have the suspended Chris Shields again for subsequent week’s second leg, whereas Cammy Ballantyne ought to be out there too.
Though Healy felt that Shelbourne play “a number of the greatest soccer” he has seen in Europe as Linfield supervisor, he believes his staff have “nothing to lose” again at Windsor Park on Wednesday in a recreation that might be proven stay on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport web site.
“We’ll be higher for the sport subsequent week at Windsor,” the previous Northern Eire striker added.
“We’ll empty the tank, we have nothing to concern and nothing to lose.”
