Tiny football team makes a splash in European Cup

European football history just marked an incredible milestone when Lincoln Red Imps defeated Lech Poznań 2-1 in the Conference League qualifying round.

The Lincoln Red Imps' success story is inspirational.

In the early morning of October 24, Lincoln Red Imps – the representative from the small territory of Gibraltar – had a resilient performance against Lech Poznań, one of the leading clubs in Polish football. Although rated much lower, but at home at Europa Sports Park – a modest arena with a capacity of only about 2,000 seats, Lincoln Red Imps created an earthquake.

Lincoln Red Imps became the first Gibraltar team to win the group stage or qualifying round of a UEFA club competition. At just 6.7 km², Gibraltar is also the smallest of the 55 UEFA member states in terms of area, making the achievement all the more significant.

This is the "earthquake" that fans are talking about: a team from a territory of only 6.7 km² and just over 40,000 people defeated opponents many times stronger. It is worth remembering that Lech Poznań represents the power of a much larger footballing nation. With a population of over 38 million people in Poland and a country area of ​​312,000 km², the club from the city of Poznań is a "big guy" of Ekstraklasa - a national tournament with a long tradition and regular participation in European cups.

Lech are in good form with 6 consecutive unbeaten matches, starting the Conference League with a convincing 4-1 win over SK Rapid Wien. They also have a squad value dozens of times higher than their opponents.

Lincoln Red Imps' victory is not only a source of pride for Gibraltar, but also a testament to the spirit of overcoming difficulties and the desire to reach new heights of small teams. Previously, Gibraltar football was often considered a "backward step" in the continental arena, but Lincoln Red Imps broke that stereotype, proving that the size of the territory or population cannot limit big dreams.

Source: https://znews.vn/doi-bong-ti-hon-tao-dia-chan-o-cup-chau-au-post1596447.html