Late Drama
It was the sort of goal that you would expect the team leading 2-1, rather than those chasing the game at the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline, to get. Catching the opposition out on the break with a swift counter-attack in the 90th minute to put the gloss on a convincing 3-1 triumph. However, this is Ireland we are discussing here, and for the old habit of magically turning wins into draws has again reared its ugly head. But from the slick move that resulted in Vincenzo Iaquinta setting up Alberto Gilardino for Italy’s equaliser, there are valuable lessons to be learned. And one’s that Giovanni Trapattoni must teach his players before next month’s play-offs.
The reaction of both sets of players at the final whistle was a sight to behold. The world champions celebrated like they had reclaimed their crown, whilst many of the Irish lay crestfallen on the Croke Park turf. Liam Lawrence was one who took Gilardino’s late intervention particularly to heart. Not only did he lay in Shay Given’s goalmouth after the Italian’s second, he dropped to his knees, head in hands after the 90+ minutes elapsed. His despair was understandable, after a display of industry and no little skill in what was a competitive debut for the Stoke City midfielder.
At club level, Lawrence seems to have a manager in Tony Pulis that demands maximum effort and he has benefited from this more disciplined approach. Scandals and rumour seemed to hound Lawrence during his time at Sunderland, where he was tufted out by Roy Keane. Pulis has turned this rough diamond into a more complete player, but the winger has been in and out of Stoke’s first XI this term. Quite baffling, given the Potter’s reliance on set-pieces as a source of goals, and Lawrence’s undoubted ability in dead-ball situation. Ireland have benefited from this in consecutive internationals. He nullified Italian left-back Fabio Grosso’s bursts forward for the most part, so much so that Grosso was replaced on 78 minutes by debutante Salvatore Bocchetti. The Juventus star will rarely have been so diligently monitored.
On the opposite flank, Aiden McGeady showed his skill and ability to run at defences on a few occasions. However, in keeping with his international career to date, the end product was lacking. Yet to register a goal in 30 appearances, this must be a worry, particularly as set-pieces apart, Ireland struggle to break teams down. His infuriating habit of letting his full-back drift past him was evident, but luckily for McGeady, this was the 2009 version of Gianluca Zambrotta. The 2006 model would have run riot down Ireland’s left.
Ireland Celebrate Whelan's opener
For the most part this was a very solid Ireland performance, but the 2 goals will be a source of fury for Trapattoni and Co. Allowing 5 ft 81⁄2 inch Mauro Camoranesi a free header to score Italy’s first was careless, but the 2nd equaliser is particularly hard to stomach. John O’Shea, in one of his finest displays in a green jersey, got a rush of blood and ended up in the midfield 70 yards from his goal. Substitute Simone Pepe darted down the left, before releasing Iaquinta, and we all know what happened then.
With just 3 minutes, plus stoppage time to hang on, it was imperative Ireland keep the ball. Preferably in the Italian half, and as far away from Shay Given as humanly possible. But instead of patiently stroking the ball around, and running down the clock, there was a gung-ho attitude suddenly adopted for the first time in Trapattoni’s reign. At the worst possible time. We could have done with this type of urgency in the games against Montenegro and Bulgaria. Not when you have the chance to beat the world champions, potentially handing them their first World Cup defeat since Ahn Jung-Hwan’s header sent them crashing out of Korea and Japan in 2002.
Quite what was going through O’Shea’s head we will never know, but it would be very unfair to attribute all the blame on the Waterford-man. There were plenty of men back to deal with the breakaway. Kevin Kilbane and nearly-man of the hour Sean St Ledger were within striking distance of Gilardino, but not close enough to stop him. O’Shea’s Eircom man of the match award will be of little consolation.
On an evening when Croke Park was buzzing with atmosphere, mostly positive for a change, it was a match worthy of the stadium. The attendance of 70, 640 meant there was barely empty seat in the house. And hardly a bum on a seat during a tension-filled last 5 minutes. Cries of encouragement rather than groans in the aftermath of both Italian goals, along with roars of delight and pride following Glen Whelan’s and St Ledger’s strikes, this was a night where ‘the best fans in the world’ went some way towards justifying this tag.
After Wednesday, we will have a clearer picture of who Ireland could face in the play-offs. The potential opponents will most likely be one of Russia, France, Greece and Portugal. Each brings with it different propositions, but it would be country on the list most recently victorious in international competition that would interest most of the Green Army. Euro 2004 winners Greece seem like the easiest draw, but whomever Ireland will face there will be no easy path to South Africa 2010.
Having come so close to getting one over his own country, and more importantly old rival Marcello Lippi, Trappatoni will be disappointed with the manner of Gilardino’s goal. While it was a blow, it is not fatal to Ireland’s qualification hopes. A win against the world champions would have been a massive boost to morale for the squad, and the country as a whole. But a goal in similar circumstances next month may not be so irrelevant.
Nice stuff Morris! I know he scored the goal but St Ledger scares the bejaysus out of me. He is incredibly flat-footed, terrible on the turn and every time he is on the ball he genuinely looks like he will either fall over it because its stuck under his feet, or pass it straight to the opposition.
On a more promising note, JOHN O’SHEA is a legend!
Well Cillian,
I agree with your appraisal of St Ledger to a certain extent, but he did well on Saturday night. Iaquinta was clearly targeting him as a weak link, but stood up to him and St Ledger grew as the half wore on. He’s new to the international scene, but so far so good, especially considering he has not played in the Premier League as yet.
As for McGeady, I agree that he is not helped out enough by the midfield, or Kilbane for that matter, but his tenancy to nod is evident in every game he plays. He’s excellent running at players, but if we get France or Portugal in the play-offs, I can see Sagna or Boswinga using the defensive flaws in McGeady’s armoury to their advantage.
I do disagree with you on one point though. I feel McGeady is oftes isolated on the left wing with the central midfielders lacking tha passing ability to get the ball to him quick enough. He is one of our only players with the ability to take people on and I feel he suffers from always receiving the ball a second or two too late and immediately having one or two opposition defenders right in his face. This forces him to either cut in and look for someone to release the ball to, or simply turn back and look for the full back.