City’s young guns ready for their toughest European test

CORK CITY’S young players have been primed to continue their European footballing education against UEFA Cup opponents Djurgardens in tomorrow night’s qualifying round first leg at the Rasunda Stadium.

The eircom League leaders flew into the Swedish capital last night for what manager Damien Richardson said was his side’s toughest test yet in European competition. Many of City’s 20-man squad were in Sweden last year to contribute to a famous victory over Malmo in the InterToto Cup during a sparkling run of form under then manager Pat Dolan, and his successor believes such experience, as well as last month’s 2-0 first-leg victory in Lithuania over FC Ekranas, is vital to a footballer’s development.

“A game in a European competition is worth 20 domestic games,” Richardson said yesterday.