Nations League B Group Two: England v Republic of Ireland (Sunday, Wembley Stadium, 5pm, live on ITV1)
PLAYING with refreshing purpose and passion, attack-minded Ireland rode their luck in Thursday night’s shoot-out against Finland and came away with a morale boosting 1-0 win at the Aviva.
The Finns hit the post twice and missed a late penalty alongside several other decent opportunities. Ireland had their chances too but let’s not kid ourselves, Heimar Hallgrimmson’s side won’t get away with giving England the same space and time at Wembley.
England went to Athens and put three goals past Greece to take pole position in the table and now need another win on home soil to seal promotion to the top tier of the Nations League.
The Republic warded off automatic relegation (they’ll have a relegation play-off next year) by beating the Finns and, whatever happens on Sunday, the group finishing position are already determined so the pressure is off to an extent.
But only to an extent.
When England visited the Aviva earlier this year they dominated possession and made Ireland chase shadows as they strolled to a 2-0 win.
“We probably go a little more relaxed now into the England game,” said manager Hallgrimmson who has injected some much-needed spirit into this Ireland side and is getting a little of the ‘luck of the Irish’ that eluded his predecessor Stephen Kenny.
“It (the result) hasn’t any meaning in the positioning of the group. It is of course important for Fifa points for us to get something from that game. Even though we maybe don’t deserve to go there with a clean sheet it gives us a certain confidence going into the England game.”
Hallgrimmson didn’t argue that his side had been fortunate to get out with a clean sheet on Thursday night. That they did so was thanks to the woodwork (twice) but also the brilliant goalkeeping of Caoimhin Kelleher who, along with centre-forward Evan Ferguson, bookends this team with genuine class.
“Winning is always good,” said the Icelander.
“Not only the points but also psychologically to have the win. Surely, we were lucky. They hit the post two times and Caoimhin saved a penalty. This group of players probably deserved luck - they’ve been unlucky many times. We’re happy with a lot of things but we are under no illusion that we need to play better than we did today.
“Caoimhin is playing well at this stage in his career, he is not conceding goals in his club and I hope he is going to take that to Ireland as well.”
Up front, Ferguson showed once again that he can be a handful for any defence. Mikey Johnston jinked his way to the byline late in the first half and clipped a cross for him to attack to the back post and the muscular Brighton striker did the rest with a towering header.
“Evan used the ball well when he had it,” said Hallgrimmson, who may decide to blood the likes of Andrew Moran and Mark McGuinness at Wembley.
“Smart passes… He’s just a clever player. Everyone can see his fitness level is improving. He is getting more minutes at his club, so happy for him. We know when he gets fully fit he will start to score goals.”
Another couple from Ferguson would be just what the dentist ordered on Sunday evening and he is more than capable of providing them – if he gets the service. The other reasons to be cheerful included Sammie Szmodics’ form (he had a goal ruled out for offside) and the quality of Nathan Collins in central defence. Elsewhere, the players have strengths and weaknesses at this level but they are playing with spirit and commitment.
Meanwhile, despite the withdrawals of nine players, England avenged their 2-1 Wembley loss to Greece with a dominant win in Athens. Conor Gallagher, Jude Bellingham and Curtis Jones were outstanding as Lee Carsley’s side moved to the top of the group.
Victory over Ireland will ensure they win it and it will take something special from the Boys in Green to deny them.
How do they go about that? Parking the bus in Dublin didn’t work and for long phases of that game, Ireland couldn’t get a kick at it so. Ireland are a better team going forward so, after they settle, you’d like to see them express themselves, get Ferguson, Szmodics and Johnston on the ball as much as possible and take the game to their hosts.
They might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb.
Ireland’s Wembley Wait
Nearly 70 years from our first visit to the North London football Mecca, Ireland are still waiting for a win...
World Cup Qualifier 1957: England 5 Republic of Ireland 1
THE England team was a who’s-who of the old black-and-white Pathe newsreel football days. Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney, Duncan Edwards, Johnny Haynes, Billy Wright…
Tommy Taylor had the ball in the Ireland net twice in the first 20 minutes and it was 4-0 at half-time. Playing at Wembley for the first time, Ireland pulled one back through Dermot Curtis 10 minutes’ into the second half but England’s John Atyeo cancelled it out before the finish.
Sadly, both teams included Manchester United players who died in the Munich air disaster the following year in England’s Edwards and his Old Trafford team-mate Liam Whelan.
European Championships Qualifier 1980: England 2 Republic of Ireland 0
THE Republic front two of Frank Stapleton (Arsenal) and Steve Heighway) had played in seven FA Cup finals between them on the hallowed Wembley turf. Indeed Stapleton had scored twice in Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Man United the previous year.
Liam Brady, the skipper, led a star-studded Ireland team against an England side that included Bryan Robson on debut.
Kevin Keegan scored the only goal of the first half but Stapleton might have equalised with a header from Brady’s free-kick early in the second.
Keegan sent a swerving volley over the head of Ireland sub goalkeeper Ron Healey to seal a 2-0 win.
European Championships Qualifier 1991: England 1 Republic of Ireland 1
IRELAND’S best result and best performance against the auld enemy at Wembley. The Boys in Green went into the game full of confidence after winning at Euro 88 (1-0 with a Ray Houghton goal) and 1-1 draws at the 1990 World Cup (Kevin Sheedy got the goal) and in the Dublin leg of the qualifying group thanks to Tony Cascarino’s header.
Lee Dixon’s deflected shot gave England a fortuitous early lead but Ireland were the better side and they equalised when Paul McGrath’s cross was side-footed precisely past David Seaman by Niall Quinn.
Houghton had the chance to seal a famous win at a packed Wembley but his second half curler flashed just the wrong side of the post.
Since then, Shane Long’s header earned Ireland another 1-1 draw at the famous London venue in 2013 friendly but the ‘Three Lions’ won 3-0 in the most recent meeting (another friendly) in 2020.
