14.11.2014 at 19:45 Celtic Park, Glasgow
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Attendance: |
Scotland |
1 - 0
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Republic of Ireland |
Referee: Milorad Mažić (Serbia) |
European Cup Qualifier / Prog-match |
SCOTLAND 1 REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 0
Ireland’s excellent start to their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign came to an end in Glasgow when they were beaten by Scotland.
A 75th minute goal from Shaun Maloney separated the teams on a night when the absence of key players through injury was sorely felt by Ireland.
Martin O’Neill’s starting line-up saw five changes from the team which began the 1-1 away to World Champions Germany last month with Seamus Coleman, Richard Keogh, Darron Gibson, Jeff Hendrick and Shane Long coming in for David Meyler, Marc Wilson, Glenn Whelan, Stephen Quinn and Robbie Keane
Celtic Park was packed to capacity when the game kick-offed and right from the beginning it was clear that it would be a war of attrition as tackles flew in and referee Milorad Mažić booked Scotland’s Grant Hanley and Ireland’s Aiden McGeady inside the first 15 minutes.
By that stage Ireland had twice test Scottish keeper David Marshall with long range efforts from Jonathon Walters and Darron Gibson while at the other end Steve Fletcher headed over from Shaun Maloney’s corner.
Scotland looked dangerous down the left whenever Andrew Robertson and Ikechi Anya got on the ball and Maloney was also a threat on the other side, particularly in the 34th minute when he produced an excellent cross that Charlie Mulgrew headed wide and in the 41st minute when he picked out Fletcher only the striker to spurn the best chance of the opening half.
Having started well, Ireland found themselves playing second fiddle for most of the first half but they defended well and Forde only save was from a long range effort by Steven Fletcher which he dealt with comfortably.
Half-time offered manager Martin O’Neill and his players an opportunity to regroup and the Irish were certainly a lot more comfortable on the ball after the break.
They almost took the lead after 55 minutes when Scotland failed to clear McClean’s corner and when Walter’s put the ball back into the danger area Long’s snap head from close range was just too close to Marshall.
The Scottish goalkeeper then had to be at his best three minutes later when a good Irish build up ended with the ball falling to McGeady whose first time left footed shot was turned around the post for a corner by Marshall at full stretch.
But the Scots were still dangerous down the flanks and in the 65th minute Steven Naysmith cut in from the right and drilled a low cross that was met first time by substitute Chris Martin whose shot flashed the wrong side of Forde’s left hand post.
Ireland introduced Stephen Quinn and Robbie Brady for Darron Gibson and Shane Long in the 68th minute and went to a 4-5-1 formation but within seven minutes they were behind. First they conceded a corner when Jonathon Walters was forced to head against his own crossbar from a Mulgrew free-kick with Naismith poised to score. The corner was taken short and when the Irish defence failed to pick up Scott Brown inside the box they allowed him to return Maloney’s initial pass and then watch as his team-mate curled a right-footed shot past Forde and just inside the far post.
For the first time since the game against Estonia in 2001 Robbie Keane didn’t start as the hero of Gelsenkirchen, John O’Shea, took the captain’s armband, but Ireland’s record goalscorer was eventually sprung from the bench in the 78th minute in place of Hendrick as Ireland went back to 4-4-2.
The final minutes saw the Irish lay siege to the Scottish goal and they almost sneaked an equaliser in added-on time when a free-kick by Robbie Brady was headed against his own crossbar by Hanley.
Four Irish players, McGeady, Hendrick, Coleman and Quinn were booked during the game.
“We are disappointed. We came here to win the game and it was important that we didn’t lose. It was a close game overall. We are devastated but we have got to move on,” said Seamus Coleman.
Scotland: David Marshall; Steven Whittaker, Russell Martin, Grant Hanley, Andrew Robertson; Charlie Mulgrew, Scott Brown; Shaun Maloney, Steven Naismith, Ikechi Anya (Darren Fletcher 88); Steven Fletcher (Chris Martin 55).
Republic of Ireland: David Forde; Seamus Coleman, Richard Keogh, John O’Shea (C), Stephen Ward; Aiden McGeady, Jeff Hendrick (Robbie Keane 78), Darron Gibson (Stephen Quinn 68), James McClean; Jonathon Walters, Shane Long (Robbie Brady 68).
Unused Subs: Darren Randolph, Shay Given, Ciaran Clark, Cyrus Christie, Robbie Keane, David Meyler, Anthony Pilkington, David McGoldrick, Robbie Brady, Stephen Quinn, Alex Pearce, Daryl Murphy.
Referee Milorad Mažić (Serbia) |
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