Our prediction for this League 2 match:
Rochdale and Crewe square off against each other at Spotland Stadium in what is expected to be a close League Two game. Rochdale’s pre-season was a mixed bag, with the team beating all Chester, Darlington, and Scunthorpe, while losing to both Port Vale and Burnley. The Dale are eager to get off to a flying start in the new League Two season, and they are surely capable of beating Crewe, whose 2021/2022 League One season was a nightmare.
It has to be noted that the club chiefs have added the likes of Toumani Diagouraga, Richard O’Donnell, Ian Henderson, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Cameron John, and Tyrese Sinclair in the summer transfer window. The Railwaymen, on the other hand, were not competitive in the English third tier last term, and given their shaky defence, home win should definitely be considered. A man to watch in the away side will be Christopher Long, who scored ten goals last term.
Highlighted Player (Eoghan O\'Connell):
Eoghan O’Connell is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a center back for Rochdale. O'Connell, who hails from the village of Douglas, was born on the 13th of August, 1995. In his early days, the defender used to play for two renowned Irish academies in College Corinthians and Avondale United before switching to the Celtic Academy in 2011.
He made his professional debut on the 29th of March, 2014, featuring in Celtic's 1-1 draw against Ross Country in the Scottish Premiership. His time at the Hoops included sporadic first-team appearances and loan spells with teams Oldham Athletic, Cork City, and Walsall. However, he won Celtic's Academy Player of the Year 2014 award and was included in the reputed Irish publication Journal.ie's " 10 most promising young Irish Footballers" article. His search for regular playing time brought O'Connell to Bury, whom he joined in June 2017.
He remained at the club for two seasons before signing for his current club Rochdale on a two-year contract starting on the 4th of July, 2019. Additionally, the 24-year-old has capped for the Republic of Ireland's under-19 and the under-21 team. He made his under-21 debut on the 2nd of September, 2017, in a 2-0 UEFA European Under-21 Qualifier win over Slovenia.
Highlighted Team (Crewe):
Crewe Aleandra are a professional football club that welcome their rivals at Gresty Road. The stadium was built in 1906, and it can hold up to 10,153 spectators. Founded back in 1877, Crewe Alexandra play their home games in red shirts and white shorts, while yellow is the dominant colour of their away kit.
The Railwaymen played their first game against North Staffs in 1877, with the two teams sharing the spoils (1-1) at Alexandra Recreation Ground. Nowadays, Crewe compete in the League 2 where they take on their main rivals Port Vale. In 2014 a match between the two sides resulted in violence and arrests. The likes of Wrexham, Macclesfield Town, Shrewsbury Town, and Stoke City are considered the club’s rivals as well.
In 2013 Crewe Alexandra clinched the Football League Trophy as they defeated Southend United 2-0 in the title game at Wembley Stadium. Goals from Max Clayton and Luke Murphy helped the Railwaymen clinch their first and only Football League Trophy.