UEFA Champions League First Qualifying Round
RFS v Larne - LNK Sporta Parks - Wednesday 10th July (6pm BST)
Larne make a return to Champions League football on Wednesday evening when they take to the field in the Latvian capital, Riga, to play Virsliga champions RFS.
Having won a second consecutive league title earlier this year, Larne will have another crack at making the second round of qualification in Europe’s premier competition. Last year, they fell narrowly to HJK Helsinki of Finland at the first hurdle.
The Inver Reds got the best possible fillip last Friday evening after overcoming Cliftonville 2-1 in the traditional season-opening Charity Shield tie at Inver Park.
It was the deadly duo of Lee Bonis and Andy Ryan who grabbed the goals, picking up from where they left off last season.
Preparations were further boosted on Monday when the squad enjoyed an afternoon’s training session at Crystal Palace’s academy complex, during a brief stop-over in London.
Tiernan Lynch will be hopeful a successful build-up can lead to a successful outcome on the pitch against a side halfway through their domestic season.
RFS currently sit top of the table after 22 games. They qualified for this year’s Champions League by winning the title last season by one point from local rivals Riga.
The club is less than 10 years old in its current guise and re-branded itself to RFS, having been promoted to the top division in Latvian football.
Tomorrow’s game will be played at LNK Sporta Parks, a stadium with a modest capacity of 2,300.
Lynch’s side will not only have to battle the players on the field but also the conditions.
Weather forecasters have predicted clear skies and 27-degree temperatures at kick-off time and this may play a factor in Larne legs as the game progresses.
As is usually the case when Irish sides head on their travels in Europe, their aim is often not to concede first and foremost, and this could be where Larne have a better chance than most.
The Inver team conceded just 21 goals in 38 league games last season, thanks to a centre-half combination of Cian Bolger and Aaron Donnelly in front of the fantastic Rohan Ferguson, who appears to be at the peak of his powers.
In attack, Larne will be looking to not only Bonis and Ryan for their goal sources, but also the likes of Leroy Millar in midfield, whose energy and box-to-box ability will be required in spades.
Tomorrow evening’s task will not be an easy one, but neither should Lynch’s men be discounted.
The Latvian league is not one of the most feared around the continent and if Larne can come back to these shores with a draw, then they will fancy their chances of progressing in next week’s return leg at Inver Park.