NL XI vs. IFK Gothenburg (1994)

Don't remember hearing about this at the time, but I just came across info about a game between a National League XI and IFK Gothenburg (or Goteborg or whatever) in the middle of IFK's triumphant 1994/95 Championsl League campaign, during which they topped a group containing Barcelona, ManU and Galatasaray, taking ManU to bits on one particularly glorious night.

The Swedish season had finished so IFK, eager to keep their players sharp, treated the game as a league match and put out their strongest eleven. Final score:

National League XI 1-0 IFK Gothenburg
Paul Curran (14)

...and apparently the NL side should have won by a more comfortable margin and were never in any danger of conceding. Was anyone at that match?

FWIW, the line-ups were as follows.

NATIONAL LEAGUE XI
O'Neill (Derry City)
Vaudequin (Derry City)
Best (Bohemians) sub (Hanrahan (Bohemians) 45)
Curran (Derry City)
Coady (Dundalk) capt.
Mooney (Shelbourne)
Byrne (Shelbourne)
Gauld (Derry City)
Tracey (Rovers) sub (McGrath (Shamrock Rovers) 45)
Woods (Cork City) sub (Francis (Cobh) 89)
Arkins (Shelbourne) sub (Morley (Cork City) 81)

IFK GOTHENBURG
Ravelli, Kamark, Johansson (Anegrund 60), Bjorklund, Nilsson (Gustaffson 65), Martinsson, Rehn, Lindqvist (Andersson 85), Blomqvist (Bengstssan ?), Erlingmark, Wahistedt (Gustaffson 55.)

I was playing with Cobh at the time and don't remember it :eek: :o

Wasn't at the game, but remember it well. No big deal really, just a poxy friendly in Tolka Park in front of a few hundred people. Turlough O'Connor was manager of the National League team.

I was at it but don't remember any of the play. It brought a bit of interest because of IFK being in Man U's group and the Swedish internationals including the bug-eyed Ravelli. Sweden hosted Euro '92.

IFK weren't very good.

Typical, "League of Ireland clubs can qualify for the Champions League groups" comments were made. Around that time the Bord Gáis League ( or whatever we were called) didn't even have representation in the CL qualifiers.

At the end of the game, Alex Ferguson was booed when the PA anounced his presence in the stand. Which was nice. Besides the striped blue shirts its the only thing I remember.

I remember it well. I can dig up a newspaper article about it (i think) if you want

I was at the game too - great performance by the LoI XI - bad crowd in Tolka. IFK had stuffed Man Utd before that.

Is it really 10 years ago? Hard to believe.

The game was featured in the CCFC v IFK UEFA Cup programme a few seasons ago, if anyone wants to dig that out. IFK also lost that 0-1 and lucky it wasn't more!! :D


Donie

Yeah good result at the time but meant nothing really. There should be more Inter League games however. Last time we played the Irish League some idiot decided to put it on in terryland on a wednesday night........

KOH