Fans in their hundreds watched Gibraltar make history at the Algarve Stadium in Faro as they played their debut as a UEFA member.
The game against Slovakia was secondary to the acceptance in May by UEFA of Gibraltar as a fully accepted European team, albeit one without a suitable stadium.
Spain has not allowed the Gibraltarians to use any venues on the mainland so it’s off to friendly, welcoming Portugal to play their matched until 2016 by which time their own facilities should be ready for top class matches.
Spain has not allowed the Gibraltarians to use any venues on the mainland so it’s off to friendly, welcoming Portugal to play their matched until 2016 by which time their own facilities should be ready for top class matches.
The Gibraltar team can play friendly matches at their home ground in preparation for their certain trajectory to the very pinnacle of European football.
The majority of the team members are league amateurs but they were helped by Barnsley's Scott Wiseman and former Manchester United defender, the redoubtable Danny Higginbotham.
Gibraltar already set the pace by the recent 19-0 win over Sark but last night went easy on Slovakia in a 0-0 draw.
Comments
Perhaps the spanish might remember that
it was the British working at the Rio Tinto mines near Huelva who introduced football to Spain and the first football match played was between them and British in Seville