By Alex Rhodes
Gibraltar’s first competitive international football match ended in disappointment last night after they lost 7-0 to a dominant Polish side.
Gibraltar is UEFA’s newest member and they now face an uphill battle if they still want to qualify for the 2016 European Championship.
The red and whites were only a goal ahead after the first half but had kicked it into another gear by the time the whistle blew in Portugal’s Estadio Algarve.
Captain Robert Lewandowski scored four goals in an impressive display, Kamil Grosicki managed two and Lukas Szukala notched up one for the team in a crushing yet predictable result for the former Euro hosts.
The result no doubt came as a blow for Gibraltarian striker Adam Priestley who’ll have to face a classroom of children tomorrow morning. The Farsley AFC player and schoolteacher qualifies for team as he was born on the Rock.
Priestley admitted it was a big step up from non-league football, he said: “I’m used to watching these sort of players on television, to come up against them and play on the same field as them, it’s something I never thought would happen but it’s a reality now.”
Despite the final score Priestley remained positive: “Everyone’s a little bit downbeat but I think we’ll just have to regroup as a set of players and start building for the next games against Ireland and Georgia.”
LISTEN: The full interview with Gibraltarian striker Adam Priestley.