REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U21s’ friendly with Gabon’s U23 side, scheduled for tomorrow, has been cancelled as Gabon have decided not to turn up to play the game.
The Irish U21s are in Austria for what was intended to be a triple header of friendlies, with a game against Gabon’s U23s due to be followed by games against the Ukraine’s U21s and Kuwait’s U22s.
The schedule has now been reduced at short notice, with the FAI informed the day before kick-off that Gabon would not be turning up. “The organisers of Ireland U21s’ friendly against Gabon, due to take place tomorrow in Austria, informed the FAI this morning the fixture is off after Gabon elected not to travel”, read an FAI statement.
“This is outside of our control and Ireland will now continue preparations for Ukraine and Kuwait.”
Gabon initially agreed to the friendly game as part of their preparations for the U23 AFCON tournament, but they were kicked out of the AFCON tournament last month for fielding an ineligible player.
They were reinstated on appeal this week, however, when a committee deemed the issue was a genuine error. Amid that saga, it appears Gabon’s interest in playing Ireland slipped so far down the pecking order that they have decided not to travel to play the game.
