Drogheda United will not need any extra motivation in their Champions League second-round qualifying clash with Dynamo Kiev - after manager Paul Doolin hit out at "disrespectful" comments made by the Ukrainian club's hierarchy.
The League of Ireland champions are 2-1 down on aggregate following the first leg, when Oleksandr Aliev netted a late goal after Taris Mikhalik had cancelled out Adam Hughes' early strike.
The winners of the tie will meet Russian side Spartak Moscow in the final qualifying round to contest a place in the lucrative group stages.
Dynamo coach Yuri Semin insists his side must focus on their match against the Boynesiders. But a number of the Kiev club's officials, including chief executive Sergei Shavlo and president Ihor Surkis, have spoken as if they already have a place in the third round.
While Dynamo appear to assume the tie is over - and despite the magnitude of the task his side are facing, Doolin is hoping to send the 150 fans who have travelled from Ireland to the Ukrainian capital home with something to cheer.
"I think it is disrespectful to think that you are in the third round already. Football is a funny game, and anything can happen," said Doolin.
"I don't worry too much about what anyone else says.
"We need to try and hold them for as long as we can - the biggest thing is that we don't give them an early goal.
"I do feel that they might have changed their opinion of us, from the game in Dublin.
"It was end-to-end, one-all for so long - and then (we) let in the second goal. I was delighted with how we played, as I said after the game."
Doolin expects to have midfielder Shane Robinson and defender Brian Shelley available for the clash at the Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium, after both made returns from injury.
Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland Player of the Year Shelley played the full 90 minutes for United in their 2-0 win over Bray Wanderers on Friday, while Robinson showed no ill-effects after coming off the bench with 20 minutes left.
"Brian Shelley gives us a good option; he's quick and always a good player to have with the fact that they don't play the ball long," Doolin told www.droghedaunited.ie.
"Shane Robinson is a big plus as well - he certainly gives us that little bit of running beyond people. It's great that the two of them are available; I'm delighted with that."
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