Living on a prayer: John Hughes will have a tough task inspiring Hibs to overturn three goals against Maribor. Pic: ©SNS Group
John Hughes concedes his team will have to improve dramatically to have any hope of overcoming a three-goal deficit against Slovenian side Maribor. The Edinburgh club’s hopes of progressing in the Europa League took a heavy blow on Thursday night, with Josip Ilicic scoring once in each half and Marcos Tavares adding a third within an hour.
Hibs will have to score at least three without reply to have any chance of causing an upset. But Hughes says his team will also have to find their rhythm quickly or face being caught on the break by their opponents.
Despite the uphill task facing his team, Hughes isn’t giving up hope of making it to the play-off stages but knows his team will be in for another tricky 90 minutes.
“Maribor played the ball quicker than us,” Hughes said after the match. “They are a good team, very sharp and quick. We played a competitive game but they outpaced us.
“We have to pass with purpose, not just for the sake of passing it. We need to pass a bit better and a bit quicker.”
“The second and third goals came about through bad ball retention. But they are a very good side, very sharp. They know what they are doing. After the third goal they were dangerous on the counter-attack."
“It will be very difficult in the second leg, but you never know what can happen.”
DEFEAT IN HIBS' EUROPA LEAGUE DEBUT
Hibs were playing their first game in the new Europa League, having last participated in its predecessor, the Uefa Cup, in 2005/06. Dnipro inflicted a 5-1 reverse on last season’s fourth placed SPL side five years ago in the first round.
Their home record in Europe in the last 10 years has been impressive however, losing just once from six games. AEK Athens, Dinaburg and Odense have all been beaten at Easter Road, with Elfsborg winning in Hibs’ last European home match in the 2008 Intertoto Cup.
