- Simon O'Gorman
- Fri, Sep 06 2013
Yet another international goal from Robbie Keane was not enough to give Ireland the result they needed as they went down 2-1 to Sweden at the Aviva Stadium on Friday night.
Ireland started brightly, winning a free kick wide on the right within a minute of the first whistle. Floated in by Coleman it was won in the air by the returning Richard Dunne and only a brave block from full back Martin Olsson prevented Shane Long from hitting the target.
Sweden’s immediate response was a free kick, piled wastefully into the Irish wall by playmaker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a trick he repeated - to the delight of the Irish crowd - a few minutes later.
Ireland continued to dominate proceedings, coping comfortably with Sweden’s efforts to get forwards and expertly marshalling Ibrahimovic. Glenn Whelan pulled a low shot wide of the target after some impressive approach play on seven minutes and the same player came closer a minute later, this time sending a powerful strike into the midriff of Andreas Isaksson.
Ibrahimovic sounded a note of caution when he lost his marker at a corner and tamely poked the ball wide at the back post. But with 21 minutes played Ireland almost conjured a bizarre opener when Marc Wilson intercepted a pass and broke forwards. The full back fed James McClean whose swinging cross bamboozled Isaksson before hopping off the top of the crossbar but within a minute the home side had taken the lead.
Mikael Lustig failed to deal with a ball over the top and his inaccurate header fell for Robbie Keane who clipped the ball goalwards only to see it bounce of the foot of the post. Crucially, Keane was the quickest to react and before the Swedes could clear the loose ball he buried it high into the roof of the net from two yards out.
Still Ireland pressed forwards with Long, McClean and Keane continuing to threaten, but on the half hour mark Sweden should have pulled level. Breaking forwards through Alex Kacaniklic they ferried the ball to Ibrahimovic on the left and his perfectly flighted cross found Seb Larsson, all on his own and on-side, just six yards from the Irish goal. That he somehow managed to head wide was a reprieve that would last for little more than two minutes.
Lustig provided the killer ball, crossing from the right for Johan Elmander to rise above Dunne and deflect his header past the helpless David Forde. It may not have reflected the balance of play but it was a lesson in ruthless opportunism and it ensured the sides went in level after a compelling opening half.
Ireland looked a tad lethargic immediately after the restart and Elmander poked the ball over from Olsson’s cross after Seamus Coleman had been caught in possession. Despite several passes going astray Ireland did create an opeing after 51 minutes when James McClean stung the palms of Isaksson after terrific work from Long.
But it was now time for Ibrahimovic to demonstrate his talent. With 55 minutes played he split the Irish defence with a sublime pass to release Larsson. Through on goal, only a perfectly judged block by Forde denied the winger, but one minute later Ibrahimovic again cut open the Irish back-line, this time sending Anders Svensson through on goal. The midfielder’s finish was calm but lethal, as he slid the ball under Forde and into the Irish net.
Suddenly Sweden were the team with all the energy and when the ball broke it seemed, inevitably, to do so to a yellow shirt. Ibrahimovic started to play the ringmaster and the positive result needed by the Irish started to look a mighty big ask.
A swell of the heart was needed and on 73 minutes John O’Shea showed the way when he chased down three Swedish players before finally stealing the ball from Martin Olsson. His toe poke released Long but the West Brom striker couldn’t find Robbie Keane who was free at the back post.
Ireland continued to look for a way back and both Simon Cox and Anthony Pilkington were introduced to try and conjure a more creative approach. But the Swedes were effective at holding the line and few opportunities arose for the boys in green.
With five minutes left, Marc Wilson almost conceded the contest, playing a slack ball straight to Ibrahimovic. But the Swedish star was forced right and Ireland survived.
With just two minutes remaining Keane was a whisker away from poaching the equaliser. Pilkington’s ball from the left was headed back into the danger area by Long but Isaksson whipped the ball off the striker’s toe and three minutes of added time failed to produce another opening.
So, with hopes of qualification fading, Ireland head for Austria on Tuesday and, not so much the last chance saloon, as that place where people go when the former has closed its doors for the night.
Rep of Ireland: David Forde; Seamus Coleman, Richard Dunne, John O’Shea, Marc Wilson; Jon Walters (Simon Cox 68), Glenn Whelan, James mcCarthy, James McClean (Anthony Pilkington 74); Robbie Keane, Shane Long.
Subs not used: Keiran Westwood, Darren O’Dea, Ciaran Clark, Greg Cunningham, Paul McShane, Paul Green, Robbie Brady, Wes Hoolahan, Conor Sammon, Darren Randolph.
Booked: Dunne (38), Whelan (81).
Sweden: Andreas Isaksson; Micael Lustig (Adam Johansson 64), Per Nilsson, Mikael Antonsson, Martin Olsson; Sebastian Larsson, Albin Ekdal, Anders Svensson (Pontus Weeblom 68), Alexander Kacaniklic; Johan Elmander (Jonas Olsson 90+2), Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Subs not used: Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Johan Wiland, Kim Kallstrom, Tobias Hysen, Pontus Jansson, Pierre Bengtsson, Ola Toivonen, Jimmy Durmaz, Erkan Zengin.
Booked: None.
Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia)
Extratime Man of the Match: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden).
