Thursday, September 13, 2007

Czech Republic 1 - 0 Rep. of Ireland


After a stop-start opening the Czechs took control as the Irish defence looked anything but solid. The 11th minute saw Rosicky easily slip Sionko through only for him to drag his shot wide. 14mins in and the Czech’s had the lead. Jankulovsky eased passed the Irish defence, after a clever one-two, to hit the ball low and hard past Given.

Irelands response took the form of some badly hit set-pieces and a hit-and-hope shot from Kilbane. On 20min Sionko was in again only to miss-hit his shot wide as he stretched for the ball.

Ireland looked off the pace with the Czechs looking sharper in the tackle and crisper in the pass. However the home side failed to make us of their advantage in possession, seemingly satisfied to stifle with their 5-man midfield.

On 37min Stephen hunt was introduced for the injured John O’Shea and he immediately added some much needed tenacity to the Irish side. The 44th minute saw Ireland have their first chance as Dunne put Kevin Doyle clear through but the Reading man’s shot hit the post. It was a largely frustrating half for the Irish they finished the stronger giving them some hope.

The second half had just begun when Andy Reid gave the ball away to Baros on the edge of the Irish box only for the Czech striker to blast wide. The Czechs continued to play conservatively, only committing men forward on the counter, as Ireland struggled to break them down.

On the hour the Greek referee, who had been niggly all evening, made Ireland’s task all the harder when he gave a straight red to Hunt for a tackle on Polak. Hunt and the rest of the Irish team were livid as he had clearly won the ball.

The loss of a man seemed to spur the Irish on as they began to paly their best football of the game. On 63min Andy Reid played Doyle in but his shot ran across the face of goal and wide with Shane Long almost getting on the end of it. Then on 70min Cech failed to get near a punted ball into the box and it came to McShane only for his shot to be blocked by Rozenhal.

The 78th minute saw Ireland handed a possible lifeline when the referee awarded a dubious free-kick on the edge of the Czech box. Andy Reid wasted the opportunity, blasting the ball into the wall. Ireland were on top with the Czechs resorting to continual fouls.

Ireland went all out on 81min and threw on another forward, Keogh, in place of the tiring Carsley. On 87min their 3-3-3 formation almost cost them as the Czechs broke through some desperate tackling in midfield only for Dunne to come to the rescue, not for the first time, and deny Baros.

Kyros Vassaras continued his vein of shoddy refereeing by booking Jankulovsky for the second time only not to send the player off!

At the death, Kovac almost steered McShane’s shot into his own net as the Irish went for a last big push.

In the end Ireland gave it everything in the second half were unlucky not to get something from the game which all but puts to rest their chances of qualifing for the European Championships next summer.

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