Andorra 1-4 Ireland
Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.
It’s now 11 matches since Stephen Kenny took charge of the Irish team and he is still searching for a first win.
This evening, though, surely represents Kenny’s side’s best chance yet of attaining a victory.
They play Andorra, a team ranked 158th in the world, 111 places below Ireland.
It’s a young team badly in need of a morale boost, and today’s game should hopefully provide it.
Confirmation of the Irish team, which contains a mixture of younger and more experienced names…
STARTING XI | Andorra 🆚 Ireland
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) June 3, 2021
John Egan captains the side in the absence of Seamus Coleman as Parrott, Knight, Curtis & Collins all start 👏
KO 5pm (6pm local time) ⏱️#COYBIG | #ANDIRL | #WeAre100 | @AVIVAIRELAND pic.twitter.com/lO0w0tHDAu
Some pre-match reading for you…
- ‘Our expectation is that we’ll win’ – Kenny’s first victory finally beckons against lowly Andorra
- Stephen Kenny empathises with Naomi Osaka over anxiety relating to media duties
- Another Irish approach for Patrick Bamford ‘not realistic’
- Cullen eyes key role with Ireland after strong season with Anderlecht
- ‘We want to give the country a team they are proud to support’
- ‘I’ve never for one minute doubted his talent and I’ve always said he would be a senior international’
- ‘The Irish public will identify with these players – there will be a great connection there’
- Tough love from Kenny in Dundalk days helped shape me, says Jamie McGrath
12 - Ireland are winless in their last 12 matches in all competitions (D6 L6), only enduring a longer winless run once previously – a 20-game run between May 1968 and October 1971. Rut.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 3, 2021
We’re underway…
Early chance for Ireland.
Collins wins the ball in the Andorra area, but just slightly overhits the subsequent cross.
Not too much to report on so far.
It’s been a quiet opening, with no clear-cut chances yet.
As I type, a deep McClean cross is cut back by Parrott, but the Andorra defender is well-positioned to clear the danger.
There’s a break in play.
Vales and Vieira are both down after a clash of heads, but they look like they’ll be okay to continue.
It’s been a really lethargic start to this game.
It very much feels like an end-of-season friendly.
It continues to be a stop-start contest.
Andorra are taking every opportunity to slow the game down, while Ireland haven’t been sharp enough with their passing.
Hourihane curls in a dangerous free kick, but Curtis can’t quite get his head on it.
It has not been a great opening half-hour from an Irish perspective.
Hourihane’s deep free kick is parried clear.
It falls to Cullen on the edge of the area, but his first-time shot goes well over.
Down the other end, Fernández finds himself in plenty of space, but can’t trouble Bazunu with his tame shot.
That’s the best chance so far for Ireland!
Patient build-up play ends with Knight producing an excellent cross for Collins, but the Cardiff man can’t direct his header on target and will feel he should have done better,
More decent build-up play by Ireland.
Curtis then attempts a shot from about 30 yards out, but it goes well over.
HALF-TIME: ANDORRA 0-0 IRELAND
So half-time and it’s been a tough watch.
Ireland have created a couple of half-chances, with James Collins missing the best one.
Kenny’s side have tried to play football, but it’s been difficult against an Andorran side who are well set up defensively and have been pretty effective in slowing the game down and frustrating their opponents.
Ireland have had most of the ball though, and will be hoping the Andorrans tire as the game develops.
There have been familiar problems though, with a lack of creativity and cutting edge currently hampering the Irish team.
The second half has begun…
Parrott runs through on goal, and Llovera puts the tackle in.
The Andorran defender brought the Tottenham youngster down as he made the challenge, so Ireland had a decent shout for a penalty there.
A Curtis cross narrowly misses Collins, and Cervós Moro is on hand to calmly chest it back to the goalkeeper.
Ireland have been slightly better since half-time.
ANDORRA 1-0 IRELAND (VALES 52)
Out of nothing, Andorra take a shock lead.
It’s a decent ball in and Vales — who is completely unmarked — heads home.
Here’s a look at the opening goal…
UNBELIEVABLE!
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 3, 2021
Andorra have taken the lead through a Vales header.#androi #rtesoccer https://t.co/fyvZnGiXQF pic.twitter.com/E32Zr7Nv3t
ANDORRA 1-1 IRELAND (PARROTT 58)
Parrott gets Ireland back in the game.
He goes on a solo run before finding the back of the net with a low shot from the edge of the area.
Moments later, Ireland nearly take the lead, as Parrott lifts the ball across the goal to the onrushing Curtis, who can’t find the target from close range.
ANDORRA 1-2 IRELAND (PARROTT 62)
Troy Parrott has got his and Ireland’s second goal.
The goalkeeper can’t keep out his powerful downward header, as Ireland suddenly burst into life.
Ireland make a double change.
Idah and Horgan replace Collins and Curtis.
Here’s a look at the two Parrott goals…
EQUALISER!
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 3, 2021
A good time for Troy Parrott to score his first international goal
1-1#androi #rtesoccerhttps://t.co/fyvZnGiXQF pic.twitter.com/q8dsdVGOAu
PARROTT REPEATS!
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 3, 2021
2-1
That's two in three minutes for the teenage Spurs striker #androi #rtesoccer https://t.co/fyvZnGiXQF pic.twitter.com/3PddOXkUN3
Ireland are looking better now and pushing for a third.
McClean’s deep cross has just been cleared for a corner.
41-year-old Ildefons Lima has just come off the bench for Andorra.
He equals Jari Litmanen’s record of playing international football in four different decades.
He also scored the opening goal against Ireland during a World Cup qualifier all the way back in 2001.
Aláez puts in a low cross that Bazunu does well to gather.
Andorra aren’t out of the game yet by any means.
Ireland make another change.
Parrott goes off and is replaced by St Mirren star Jamie McGrath, who is making his international debut.
ANDORRA 1-3 IRELAND (KNIGHT 83)
Game, set and match for a relieved Ireland.
Horgan puts in a good cross that Knight gets on the end of for an easy conversion.
It’s the 20-year-old’s first international goal.
More Ireland subs.
Duffy, Arter and Manning replace McClean, O’Shea and Hourihane.
Manning knicks the ball off De Pablos Sola inside the area.
The Swansea man’s shot from a tight angle though is straight at the goalkeeper.
ANDORRA 1-4 IRELAND (HORGAN 89)
A beautiful cross from Knight finds Horgan at the far post, and the winger heads it home for his first international goal.
The scoreline is looking a lot better now for Ireland, after that 51st-minute scare.
FULL-TIME: ANDORRA 1-4 IRELAND
So that’s that.
Stephen Kenny gets his first win after 12 matches as Ireland manager.
The Irish boss must have feared the worst, after Andorra went ahead.
But the visitors recovered well, with Troy Parrott and Jason Knight particularly impressive as the Boys in Green regained control of the game.
Andorra tired as the match went on, which contributed to Ireland’s growing dominance, while some of the substitutes, such as Daryl Horgan, had an impact.
It’s certainly not a case of all Ireland’s problems suddenly being solved under Kenny, having defeated an admittedly poor side, but it’s at least a bit of positivity and something to build on ahead of the clash against Hungary on Tuesday.
Here’s a look at the third and fourth Ireland goals…
1-3!
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 3, 2021
Jason Kinght puts matters beyond doubt with his first international goal#androi #rtesoccer https://t.co/fyvZnGiXQF pic.twitter.com/TRjizfhuiR
That's four!
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 3, 2021
Knight turns provider as Daryl Horgan becomes latest Irish player to score his first international goal
1-4#androi #rtesoccerhttps://t.co/fyvZnGiXQF pic.twitter.com/aZLgWWiJfX
Right, that’s all from me for now.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
We’ll have plenty more reaction to come on the site.
