Not quite the start Lincoln Red Imps would have wanted in their UEFA Youth League debut

Lincoln Red Imps (U18) 0
Maribor (U18) 6

You could easily forgive the young Lincoln Red Imps U18 team for feeling nervous as they walked out onto the Europa Sports Park turf for their debut in the UEFA Youth League. It was a very different scene that only those who had played for Gibraltar’s youth national side might have experienced. A large crowd was present, which necessitated security under UEFA rules, while ball boys assisted during the match and a live stream increased the players’ exposure.
The unusual setup for a Gibraltar youth club undoubtedly impacted the young players. Facing a Slovenian club that had previous experience in European competitions put the local club at a disadvantage. A nervy start saw Lincoln Red Imps have the first clear chance, with Lee Chipolina smashing a shot just over the bar in the eighth minute.
Maribor immediately stepped up their game, sending through their first warning shot just a minute later with a quick break. Just two minutes later, Maribor, the Slovenian youth league champions and with six league matches already under their belt compared to Lincoln’s solitary league match last weekend, began to score. A corner delivery across the goal was tapped in at the back post by Videnovic for their first goal.
Just three minutes later, Lincoln was scrambling to clear their lines from another corner kick as the visitors took control of the game. Maribor piled on the pressure but was contained by a Lincoln Red Imps side trying to settle into the match. The Red and Blacks suffered a blow in the 26th minute when Sciortino was stretchered off injured.
Although gaining in confidence, Lincoln had to defend deep in their half, with few to no chances in the last fifteen minutes of the first half. Having qualified by winning the Under 17 league title last season, Lincoln Red Imps, guided by Ryan Casciaro and Kyle Goldwin, had recruited some of Gibraltar’s youngest talents. The announcement that a Gibraltar club would play in the Youth League also prompted players from Spain to migrate to Gibraltar, with some joining Lincoln. However, as Ryan Casciaro pointed out during an interview on GBC Radio, those who had not played for the club in the past two years were not eligible and would need to wait another season. This led to suggestions from the Lincoln youth head coach that Gibraltar’s young players should reconsider whether playing in Spain’s regional youth leagues was as valuable as playing for top clubs in Gibraltar, which could provide opportunities for European football and develop local talent.
The second half started with Lincoln Red Imps earning an early free kick, but a wasted pass allowed the visitors to regain control. It wasn’t long before a ball swiped across the penalty box found Vinet, who scored Maribor’s third goal in the 48th minute.
Despite facing defeat, Lincoln Red Imps began to show greater confidence with the ball, slowing down the pace and keeping possession for prolonged periods with short passes. With a second leg to be played in Slovenia, Lincoln Red Imps focused on ensuring they did not leave themselves open to conceding more goals. In the 70th minute, some solid defending from Lincoln blocked what looked like a certain goal from Koren, who attempted a shot from just outside the six-yard box.
Goalkeeper Mifsud was unlucky to concede a fourth goal when Mesko met the ball well at the far post. The young Lincoln keeper dove well to get a hand to the ball, but it squeezed into the top corner. This marked the first experience for any Gibraltar club in European youth competition, providing a valuable learning curve for the young Lincoln team, which was closely followed by other local clubs hoping to one day see their own teams qualify for the competition.
Maribor continued to assert their authority as they entered the final fifteen minutes. The young Imps defended deep but began to show greater composure and assurance in their game, becoming more assertive in their challenges. Lincoln Red Imps saw Maribor maintain their backline to prevent any surprises, with the hosts struggling to find space in their opponents’ penalty area and generating few long-range attempts.
In the 79th minute, Koren set up Roze with a backheel pass, which fortunately for the Red and Blacks went wide. The match featured exemplary performances from players such as Javan Peacock and Lee Chipolina, among others, which offered positive signs for the future. Players like Collado also left their mark on the game.
While the 4-0 result, with a lack of goal opportunities, will be new for the Lincoln Red Imps youth team—accustomed to being the dominant side in Gibraltar—the experience of playing a team like Maribor has set the stage for what to expect in the future. Maribor added their fifth goal when Mesko tapped in his second in the 89th minute, with a sixth coming from another tap-in after an initial block had denied the visitors their first attempt, with Suligoj unmarked to score.
Lincoln now heads to NK Aluminij in Kidričevo, hoping to protect their goal from further heavy defeats.