Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.
Ireland continue the John O’Shea interim era with an international friendly against Switzerland at the Aviva Stadium.
They drew 0-0 with Belgium at the weekend, and will be looking to round off an unbeaten window against the Swiss.
Kick-off is 7.45pm, the game is live on Virgin Media Two but we’ll keep you up to date from Lansdowne Road here.
Team news
O’Shea has made three changes to his Ireland XI.
Gavin Bazunu starts in goal ahead of Caoimhin Kelleher; Jason Knight is in for Will Smallbone; and Mikey Johnston replaces the injured Chiedozie Ogbene.
It appears they will play the same formation as against Belgium, with Knight the defensive midfielder.
STARTING XI | Ireland v Switzerland
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) March 26, 2024
Three changes to the side that drew against Belgium on Saturday as Mikey Johnston comes into the side as well as Gavin Bazunu and Jason Knight 👌
Looking forward to the Aviva under the lights, kick-off at 7.45pm 👍 pic.twitter.com/kBFJHHzpp7
And here’s the Switzerland starting team:
Debüt und gleich Startelf für Vincent Sierro
— 🇨🇭 Nati (@nati_sfv_asf) March 26, 2024
Début avec titularisation pour Vincent Sierro
Vincent Sierro titolare al suo esordio
🕘 20:45 CET
📺 SRF 2, RTS 2, RSI La 2#natimiteuch #lanatiavecvous #lanaticonvoi pic.twitter.com/2XK4xFyylc
Swiss roll into town to remind Ireland of their current state of limbo
- You can read Gavin Cooney’s match preview here>
“There is feverish speculation among some FAI figures that O’Shea will ultimately be the permanent boss, amid a swirl of rumour that the deal with the ‘existing contractual obligations’ candidate has collapsed. All of this remains strictly the stuff of rumour, however, with those privvy to the full details still insistent that O’Shea is an interim appointment only and that the new candidate will be unveiled as planned in April.”
Ireland are targetting goals – and a win – tonight.
“Hopefully more of the same in terms of that clean sheet mentality but also having a dangerous attack to go at Switzerland,” as O’Shea told the FAI media team before kick-off at the Aviva.
🗣️ “The big thing for us is enjoying the camp, enjoying the week & hopefully finish with a win in front of the Irish fans”
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) March 26, 2024
Interim Head Coach John O’Shea gives his thoughts ahead of kick-off at the Aviva 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/jtNERdgAMX
Time to call it…
Poll Results:
The teams are out on the pitch here at the Aviva Stadium, with the pre-match formalities underway.
Kick-off: Switzerland get us underway.
Ireland 0-0 Switzerland
3 mins – Switzerland have most of the early possession here. Both teams are pressing high, and Ireland have opted to play it out from the back. Jason Knight has just won a free kick out wide on the right.
Ireland 0-0 Switzerland
5 mins - Robbie Brady swings it in, but Switzerland clear it comfortably. After Ireland play with fire at the back, they’re on the front foot here – long ball up to Evan Ferguson, who takes it well, and some intricate passing as Ireland look to move through the gears.
Ireland 0-0 Switzerland
8 mins - Good play from Ireland down the right, as Seamus Coleman almost ghosts in but he’s dealt with accordingly by the Swiss. The hosts are continuing to play out from the back, with Bazunu and Co. looking assured.
Ireland 0-0 Switzerland
10 mins - After a series of throw-ins on the right, Knight pounces on a Swiss error as they give the ball away cheaply. He looks to switch to Mikey Johnston, whose first touch lets him down and the attacking impetus dissipates.
Ireland 0-0 Switzerland
13 mins - It’s been quite transitional the last few minutes: first, Dan Ndoye skated past Coleman on the left and the Swiss got a shot away, which Nathan Collins deflected out for corner. Then, Ireland looked to counter from that, but Switzerland eventually cleaned up.
Ireland 0-0 Switzerland
17 mins - Bazunu makes his first save of the night, but it’s a comfortable one to keep Vincent Sierro out from distance.
Switzerland have certainly settled quickest here: Collins stepping up with another clearance just before that after a brilliant diagonal ball from Zeki Amdouni found Ndoye before some tight-knit passing around the middle.
Ireland 0-0 Switzerland
20 mins - Johnston is looking lively on the ball. He did get swallowed up at one point earlier, but adds a real spark.
After some good Irish play, Sammie Szmodics releases Coleman down the left but the Irish captain is stopped by the offside flag. Better from Ireland, as they look for more fluidity and fluency in attack.
Ireland 0-0 Switzerland
22 mins - Ireland come through two Swiss corners unscathed — although the referee does have a word about no pulling and dragging in the area. Ndoye is causing problems on the left, but Coleman is getting to grips with him.
GOAL! Ireland 0-1 Switzerland (Xherdan Shaqiri 24)
A superb free-kick from the edge of the box. Bazunu gets nowhere near Shaqiri’s clean strike.
That’s a sucker punch for Ireland, who will feel aggrieved by the awarding of the free in the first place. Zeki Amdouni went down, surrounded by Irish players, with the referee adjudging Dara O’Shea to have fouled. O’Shea wasn’t one bit happy with his Burnley team-mate…
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
30 mins - Ireland have responded quite well to the concession and are probing here. Szmodics makes a brilliant run in behind, but Knight doesn’t spot him – they keep at it, but again, the opportunity ultimately goes a-begging.
They try to go down the right once again, but Coleman is adjudged to be offside once more. Not sure about that one, I must say…
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
35 mins – Good defending from Knight and Collins at different junctures. At the other end, Szmodics – from the right – plays Johnston in with a looped cross-field ball. He drives down the wing but his delivery is poor on this occasion.
Szmodics has roared into this game, his latest offering a deft backheel to keep the ball in play and the crowd love it. The Blackburn Rovers star can really make things happen for this Irish team.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
38 mins - Yvon Mvogo claims an Andrew Omobamidele header after a Brady free-kick from out wide on the right. It was a second- or third-ball after Switzerland dealt well with the original delivery. Granit Xhaka gave it away after fouling Knight.
It’s almost like deja vu just after from a corner.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
42 mins – POST! Bazunu’s blushes are saved as Shaqiri can’t capitalise on the Irish goalkeeper’s error and crashes the ball off the post. Let-off for Ireland, who had gained more of a foothold on the game in recent minutes.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
44 mins – Big chance for Ireland. Knight takes it on the half turn and heads out to the right, his lofted delivery finds Johnston but he can’t guide it on target.
Shortly afterwards, Ferguson pounces on a loose Swiss pass and breaks. He drags it back to Josh Cullen, who fires it well wide.
Two decent opportunities before the break for the hosts, it must be said.
HT: Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
That’s a wrap on the opening period at the Aviva Stadium.
It’s one that has undoubtedly been dominated by Switzerland – who hold the lead from a 24th-minute Xherdan Shaqiri free-kick – but Ireland strung a few chances together in the latter stages.
Here’s the goal:
𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐐 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐊!
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) March 26, 2024
Xherdan Shaqiri's free kick beats the defensive wall and Gavin Bazunu to hand the visitors the lead!
🇮🇪 0-1 🇨🇭#COYBIG pic.twitter.com/wvUdDl5wBQ
The free-kick is one of the main topics of conversation on Virgin Media’s half-time analysis. Mick McCarthy feels Dara O’Shea did catch Zeki Amdouni, and can have no complaints.
The concession, then, was disappointing for Bazunu and his wall, to say the least.
Damien Delaney is now talking through the Swiss overload and rotations, which has the visitors in the ascendency at Lansdowne Road. “They’re no great shakes,” he says, but their system is the difference.
Johnston should have scored that late header, Delaney also notes.
Sidenote:
we're told that Di Matteo being here is a coincidence and that he isn't in the running for the Ireland job https://t.co/8U0hN1UCNU
— Gavin Cooney (@gcooney93) March 26, 2024
SECOND HALF: Evan Ferguson gets us up and running once more.
One Swiss change at the break – Remo Freuler comes in for Granit Xhaka.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
48 mins – Rather uneventful start to the second period, minus a ropey enough backpass from Collins to Bazunu. Errors from both sides as they look to settle back in. Eray Comert drags Ferguson down, but Ireland’s appeals are waved off.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
52 mins – Corner for Ireland after a decent attack, switching from left to right. Brady finds Ferguson centrally who does well to keep hold of the ball, before Cullen links up with Szmodics and Coleman. Nothing comes off the corner, won by Coleman, and Ireland go again.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
54 mins - Ireland seem to be targetting their right flank since the restart. After Omobomidele couldn’t find Szmodics earlier, the former can’t release Coleman on this occasion.
Collins just about clears a dangerous through ball from Amdouni. His body shape is all wrong, with Shaqiri lurking in behind, but he does enough.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
56 mins – Szmodics forces a pass to Ferguson after Johnston started a promising attack, but the final third struggles continue. Some Irish changes coming…
John O’Shea makes a triple change in the 57th minute.
- Will Smallbone for Jason Knight
- Matt Doherty for Andrew Omobamidele
- Adam Idah for Mikey Jonston.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
60 mins – Ireland prise down the left on this occasion. Szmodics and Brady link up well but the latter can’t release him when it comes to it.
Brady goes down momentarily after a poor tackle from Silvan Widmer, who sees yellow, but he’s up and at it again.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
62 mins - Bazunu comfortably claims Michel Abischer’s shot, after Amdouni gets away from Cullen down the left. Ireland look to restart quickly, with Szmodics central, but it’s to no avail. Some Swiss changes coming up…
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
65 mins - The crowd are getting frustrated at Ireland going backwards. But then there’s great play from Idah, who wins a free for wither Smallbone or Brady to deliver from a tight angle on the right.
It’s Smallbone who swings in a decent delivery, Collins rises highest but no one gets there.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
68 mins - Brady sends a superb delivery into the box: Doherty gets his head to it after being pushed in the back by Aebischer, and Idah’s eyes light up for a bicycle kick but he slices it wide.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
70 mins – Idah wins a corner, and gets on the end of Brady’s curler, only to hit a Swiss player. There are half-hearted appeals for handball, but it’s waved on. Ireland are on the front foot here as they hunt an equaliser.
Apologies, meant to post the earlier Swiss triple change. Here it is:
- Kevin Mbabu for Silvan Widmer
- Denis Zekaria for Vincent Sierro
- Derek Kutesa for Dan Ndoye
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
76 mins – Boos ring around the ground as Doherty appears to be fouled in an almost identical spot as the Switzerland goal came from, but the referee waves play on.
Switzerland make another change: goalscorer Shaqiri makes way for Noah Okafor.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
78 mins - Some decent Ireland play down the left, with Smallbone conducting matters but a through ball is cut out by the Swiss — just before some substitutions for either side.
- Mark Sykes for Sammie Szmodics
- Callum O’Dowda for Robbie Brady
And…
- Beck Omeragic for Fabian Schar
Tonight’s attendance: 35,742.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
81 mins - Idah blazes over after an excellent run from halfway. Direct and physical, the Corkman has been lively since coming on.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
85 mins – Frustration there for Ireland. Smallbone sent a free-kick in from distance, Collins recycled from the box and the ball eventually finds its way to Cullen, but he’s closed down.
Coleman is animated after being pinged for a tackle on Omeragic, who goes down dramatically. He sees yellow. From the free-kick, the second ball lands to Derek Kutesa, whose wild effort goes astray.
Finn Azaz comes in for his Ireland debut, with Josh Cullen making way.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
88 mins - Almost the dream introduction for Azaz! But he gets the ball caught under his feet and he can’t get the shot away. Ireland have the Swiss goal under siege here, but their counterattacking threat remains.
A Coleman pass to Ferguson goes astray, bringing more Irish frustration.
Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
90 mins – Ireland are keeping their foot on the gas, but it’s rather scrappy. Finn Azaz sees a shot blocked after Ferguson robs the ball in the box. Switzerland break, but Dara O’Shea stems the flow, along with Doherty.
Three minutes added on.
Seamus Coleman is named Virgin Media’s Man of the Match.
The highlight of the additional period was Smallbone, Idah and Ferguson combine brilliantly down the left, but not brilliantly enough.
Coleman is announced as Man of the Match.
That should be that…
FT: Ireland 0-1 Switzerland
That’s that. Seamus Coleman is straight over to the referee and his officials — perhaps looking for an explanation for that yellow card earlier.
A better second half from Ireland, but they’ll be disappointed with the result. It was a frustrating night overall.
Could O’Shea have implemented a change earlier to give Ireland more of a foothold in the game?
In terms of stats, they sides had eight attempts a-piece. Ireland had one on target, but the Swiss had three. Possession fairly 50/50.
End of the football. Back to the managerial saga we go.
That’s all from me on liveblog duty tonight, but Gavin Cooney’s match report will be on The 42 imminently.
Paul Fennessy is also here with us at Lansdowne Road, so standby for plenty of reaction, comment and analysis.
Thanks for reading, have a good one!
