Nations League, Group 2 League B
Finland 1
Republic of Ireland 2
A NIGHT OF glorious firsts for the Republic of Ireland under manager Heimir Hallgrรญmsson.
Letโs start with the big one: a first win of this Nations League campaign.
Not only that, this 2-1 win over Finland in Helsinki is the first time Ireland have fought back from conceding first to win a competitive game since beating Kazakhstan in October 2013. More than a decade on and the Ireland fans can cherish another fantastic night like this after a thrilling 88th winner from Robbie Brady following a stunning assist from substitute Festy Ebosele.
Yep, you guessed it, his first assist, coming after Liam Scalesโ first goal in green cancelled out Joel Pohjanpaloโs opener in the first half when he capitalised on a disastrous Nathan Collins under hit back pass.
So not only do Ireland now have their first win on the board in Group 2 of League B, but this is the first away victory in this competition since it began six years ago.
Hallgrรญmsson is the fourth manager in that time and barely a wet week โ and boy was it absolutely lashing here in Helsinki the day before kick off โ into his reign he can chalk off this precious milestone.
Signs of life and signs of progress. Finally. That is what Ireland needed, and not just to allay fears of relegation to halt the โdownward spiralโ as Hallgrรญmsson described what he inherited since the FAI opted not to renew Stephen Kennyโs contract last November.
Of course, the problems had been festering and the monster wrapping its tentacles around the international team had grown strong long before the Dubliner assumed the job from Mick McCarthy just as the Covid-19 pandemic also took hold on the world.
Of the starting XI that Hallgrรญmsson named here in Helsinki, seven were handed their debuts by the Icelanderโs predecessor.
Only Josh Cullen and Brady played a senior game prior to 2020 while Finn Azaz and Sammie Szmodics arrived over the last 12 months. Ebosele was another brought through by Kenny and, on this evidence of his pace and skill and composure to deliver the cross to the back post it will be Hallgrรญmsson who should benefit.
Hallgrรญmsson, of course, has already spoken about the need to โstop the bleedingโ and it will be down to the men Kenny brought into the fold โ some perhaps ahead of time โ to do just that.
A new message is coming from the man in charge and different demands are now being placed on them too โ a result like this backs up the positive talk and belief in what he can do.
Part of Irelandโs game plan for this Nordic exploration, against a similarly beleaguered team lacking in confidence and that actually started the night bottom of Group 2, was to lure the home side out close to the defensive third and then win possession to counter in the areas left exposed by a pair of full backs who ventured forward.
Ebosele proved that point.
Itโs the reason why Chiedozie Ogbene and Szmodics were chosen wide to make the most of their pace and willingness to be direct.
There was one Ireland fan in the front row of the away end with his right arm in a sling.
Eyes were drawn to him early on as he and a few of his friends among the 1,000 travelling fans to Helsinki belted out songs of support with the players warming up in front of them in the corner where Pohjanpalo would later run to celebrate Finlandโs opener in the 17th minute.
There was a brutal kind of symbolism to that moment, as well as witnessing that stricken man in the slingโs descent from optimism to annoyance and then a sense of renewed hope Liam Scales delicately headed home a header into that same corner of the same goal from Bradyโs fizzed in swinging free kick on the right 12 minutes into the second half.
That equaliser came at a time when Ireland were on top, starting the second half with confidence and belief that was epitomised by Chiedozie Ogbeneโs adventurous run that drew a foul from Leo Walta.
There was a time, and it does feel long ago now, when drawing games 1-1 was almost like an in-joke that only Ireland were in on.
But whatโs been happening since is no laughing matter and this win, that keeps Ireland off the bottom of Group 2 in League was as precious as it was deserved.
When Brady rifled home high into the net he ran directly to that corner and the man in the sling moved just as quickly down the steps to celebrate wildly, both arms going absolutely 90.
Ireland equally went the distance here, and that will feel so sweet given this is a team that has felt like a man in a sling for some time, like it is more than just a little bit broken, maybe even feeble and most definitely vulnerable.
The manner of that opening goal summed it up. Just 25 seconds after Ireland won a throw on the halfway line Finland scored when four passes around the back ended with a fifth being under it and then punished.
But it wasnโt fatal and now Ireland have signs of life, even getting over Evan Fergusonโs disallowed goal when a free kick from Brady went out of play and couldnโt be kept in by Collins.
If the first timeโs a charm, then hopefully itโs an offensive that can be sustained as they take this new momentum into another away clash in Greece โ who beat England at Wembley โ on Sunday night.
Next stop: Athens.
Finland: Lukas Hradecky; Adam Stahl, Arttu Hoskonen, Robert Ivanov, Tomas Galvez; Glen Kamara, Rasmus Schuller, Leo Walta; Robin Lod, Joel Pohjanpalo, Topi Keskinen.
Republic of Ireland: Caoimhรญn Kelleher; Dara OโShea, Nathan Collins (captain), Liam Scales, Robbie Brady; Chiedozie Ogbene (Festy Ebosele 80), Josh Cullen, Jason Knight, Sammie Szmodics (Adam Idah 80); Finn Azaz (Jamie McGrath); Evan Ferguson (Troy Parrott 71).
Attendance: 16,105
Have to say, I was cursing when I saw Brady in starting 11. Great to be wrong. Sweet night for him.
@Louis Jacob: 100 percent the same
Fearing the worst early on but the team showed great determination to complete the comeback and win it. Glad to see Brady get his flowers too. He may be a right age now but heโs technically superb and always has that deadly set-piece delivery on him. Iโve been crying out for Ebosele to get a start over Doherty for years and albeit just a cameo, it feels great to see a hungry, athletic player on that right. Sure its just Finland, the real test will come on Sunday, but between the singing fans in Helsinki and a gutsy performance you feel thereโs that little bit of spark back in the side.
Watched it in Kos with the England game on another screenโฆ double delight
Ireland can thank Scales for keeping that central defence together. Collins and O Shea well below standard required.
@Gary O Sullivan: O Shea defended excellently when they had clearly targeted him, what are you on about? Collins has that mistake in him, but he offers a lot too so I dont understand the derision these Irish players always get. Theyre not Maldini, but theyre far from brutal. They always turn up, always give the effort and they are the best we have. Support them
@Gary O Sullivan: OโShea always caught for
pace. Collins had a nightmare I feel the Captains arm band is too heavy for him. Ferguson not any where near match sharpness needs more clock time.Otherwise a bit more bite and urgency in the team in general. Delighted Smallbone was not on the Pitch for me he brings nothing to the game. A positive outcome overall. A win is a win.
@Den: OโShea literally had one of the top five fastest sprint times of any Premier league player last seasonโฆ..
@Gary McGrath: clueless comment alright about his pace. He was poor in the first half
Brady and Scales stood up tonight. But Festy stole the show and changed the game
Mortimer?! WEโRE BACK!!!
Well holy God we won one
Every journey starts with a first step. I like this new manager. I think there is something to him. We will never be world beaters but might get more competitive under his stewardship. A green shoot for now which I will gladly take.
Well done Festy ..Up Wexford.
We were only pretending to be shyyte ladsโฆKaiser Souzai job!
a night to cherish? bit OTT. for one it is only Finland.
@Niall English: First win since 2013 from being one goal behind let us enjoy are wee win
Kenny brought Ebosele through?? He might have given him his debut but he underutilized him massively
Festy was very positive and created chances. Hopefully starts in Greece good win after a dreadful pass back by Collins we had so many players with loose passes so much more to work on. A good win hopefully we can back it up in Greece.
Hope this is a big catalyst for the team to believe in themselves more . We shouldnโt be going to Greece to try and scrape a draw now , we have better players than these guys and can beat them
Injoy it because it wonโt last two long
@Alan Moloney: We will galway
@Alan Moloney: gobsh&te
Why, as a nation, are we so determined to disparage our own?
Like it or not, Stephen Kenny started this evolution โ stop knocking him!
A similar thing happened with Chris Hughton at Brighton. He dragged that squad into a useful outfit before he was discarded โ then his successor got all the kudos!
As long as we tell everybody weโre not good enough, thatโs how weโll be treated
A very good and much needed win. If we can dig out a performance in Greece this Icelandic fella might be worth sticking with. Very poor first half , no shape to the team . Much better after break . Halgrรญmsson needs to figure out his best 11 though . Brady played well second half but he s not the future but credit where itโs due. Now where s my inflatable hammer .
Stephen Kenny tried to build an Irish team but quality players are not there.Fans and TV pundits hounded Stephen out the door.You cannot buy players at international level like the English clubs.Ireland simple donโt have the players with flair of your Spains France Italy etc etc etc.
@Edward McArdle: 100%, Edward. The blame for that lies squarely with the FAI.
Years of failure to establish a coaching strategy for the grassroots means simply that top-level Scouts donโt see any players remotely close to being the polished (or easily polished) article, and so the necessary grooming is never applied