There were plenty of positives and negatives to take from Ireland’s opening World Cup qualifier against Hungary on Saturday.
Given how poorly the team started, conceding twice in the opening 15 minutes, a 2-2 ultimately felt like a positive result and kept alive the country’s hopes of reaching the finals in North America next year and qualifying for their first World Cup proper since 2002.
But anything other than a win at the Republican Stadium in Yerevan tonight will be a serious dent to Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side’s hopes of progression.
While Ireland will take heart from the resilience they showed against a technically superior Hungarian outfit at the weekend, morale is unlikely to be high in the Armenian camp after they opened their campaign with a thumping 5-0 loss at home to Portugal.
The visitors go into the game as favourites but will know the dangers of underestimating their opponents, who beat them 1-0 at this venue when the sides met in the Nations League in 2022.
9 Sep 2025
4:38PM
Confirmation of the Irish team below…
STARTING XI | Armenia v Ireland
Ogbene & Taylor both come into the side for our FIFA World Cup 26 Qualifier in Armenia this evening (KO 5:00pm Irish time) 💪🇮🇪
So, a poor enough first half from an Irish perspective.
The visitors had a bright start and went close through Evan Ferguson and Jack Taylor.
But Armenia grew in confidence as the match progressed.
Ireland had a couple of let-offs before the hosts took the lead through a penalty on the brink of half-time.
You suspect changes may be made at the break by Heimir Hallgrímsson, as the team ranked 105 in the world were more than a match for his side for much of that first half.
A poor performance from Ireland in a game they were expected to win against the group’s bottom seeds.
RTÉ’s Shay Given describes it as “probably one of the worst results in our history,” and it’s hard to argue with that assessment.
Armenia deserved the win and got better as the game progressed, while Ireland regressed after a promising start.
Ferguson’s goal appeared to give the visitors hope, but it proved to be an anomaly and one of the few positive moments for Ireland amid a wretched second half.
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As it happened: Armenia v Ireland, World Cup qualifier
LAST UPDATE | 9 Sep 2025
Armenia 2-1 Ireland
Hello, and welcome to this evening’s liveblog.
There were plenty of positives and negatives to take from Ireland’s opening World Cup qualifier against Hungary on Saturday.
Given how poorly the team started, conceding twice in the opening 15 minutes, a 2-2 ultimately felt like a positive result and kept alive the country’s hopes of reaching the finals in North America next year and qualifying for their first World Cup proper since 2002.
But anything other than a win at the Republican Stadium in Yerevan tonight will be a serious dent to Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side’s hopes of progression.
While Ireland will take heart from the resilience they showed against a technically superior Hungarian outfit at the weekend, morale is unlikely to be high in the Armenian camp after they opened their campaign with a thumping 5-0 loss at home to Portugal.
The visitors go into the game as favourites but will know the dangers of underestimating their opponents, who beat them 1-0 at this venue when the sides met in the Nations League in 2022.
Confirmation of the Irish team below…
And here’s the Armenia team for tonight…
Who do you think will win tonight?
Poll Results:
We’re underway…
1 min: In contrast with Saturday, Ireland start positively.
Azaz gets a sight at goal on the edge of the area, and his low shot doesn’t unduly trouble Čančarević.
Close for Ireland!
Manning plays a searching lofted pass.
Čančarević drops it as he tries to claim the ball.
It falls to Ferguson, whose goal-bound shot from the edge of the area beats the goalkeeper but is cleared off the line.
10 mins: Manning’s corner finds Ogbene.
The winger is unmarked but can’t hit the target with his header.
13 mins: Ireland have dominated possession and territory in these early stages.
Armenia have offered little from an attacking viewpoint, and are set up to be hard to beat.
The visitors are basically playing with a back three — Manning and Ogbene are very advanced out wide.
16 mins: Armenia are showing more ambition now.
Spertsyan has won a free kick after a late challenge by Taylor.
But the subsequent set piece by Zelarayán is kicked straight out of play.
18 mins: Another nervy moment for Ireland.
Zelarayán’s strike from distance is parried by Kelleher, and O’Shea is on hand to deal with the rebound and avert the danger.
22 mins: Zelarayán has another shot that sails well over.
As I type, Ferguson is down after a rash challenge from Muradyan.
The Armenian player is lucky not to receive a booking for that tackle, as he didn’t get the ball.
26 mins: Both sides have had one attempt each on target so far.
Ireland started well, but Armenia have looked more comfortable of late and grown into the game.
28 mins: Manning does well to make the interception after Cullen slips while Armenia counter-attack.
The hosts are clearly growing in confidence.
30 mins: Good chance!
Azaz plays a long ball for Ferguson.
The striker holds it up well.
It eventually falls for Taylor, whose low shot is saved by the legs of Čančarević.
32 mins: Good ball in by O’Brien.
Collins gets on the end of it but heads it over.
He might have been better off leaving it for O’Shea, who was better positioned at the far post.
35 mins: Huge chance for Armenia.
Ireland are caught out by a simple ball over the top.
Barseghyan gets away as O’Shea slips.
He sets up Ranos, whose initial shot is blocked.
It comes back to the attacker, and his second effort hits the crossbar.
That was a major let-off for Ireland.
Here’s a look at that Armenia near miss…
PENALTY FOR ARMENIA!
Collins makes contact with Zelarayán as he attempts to clear a cross.
After a VAR check, the penalty is confirmed.
ARMENIA 1-0 IRELAND (SPERTSYAN 45)
Just as he did the last time the sides met here, Spertsyan gives Armenia the lead.
Kelleher ultimately dives the right way but can’t get near enough to the ball.
HALF-TIME: ARMENIA 1-0 IRELAND
So, a poor enough first half from an Irish perspective.
The visitors had a bright start and went close through Evan Ferguson and Jack Taylor.
But Armenia grew in confidence as the match progressed.
Ireland had a couple of let-offs before the hosts took the lead through a penalty on the brink of half-time.
You suspect changes may be made at the break by Heimir Hallgrímsson, as the team ranked 105 in the world were more than a match for his side for much of that first half.
Here’s a look at that penalty awarded to Armenia…
And here’s a look at the opening goal…
Ireland make two changes at the break.
McAteer and Idah are on. Taylor and Ogbene go off.
Neither of the players substituted can have any complaints — they didn’t make enough of an impact.
The second half has begun…
49 mins: Idah attempts to get away from his man, but the ball goes straight out of play.
The pitch is not in great condition, which makes it difficult to control the ball.
ARMENIA 2-0 IRELAND (RANOS 51)
The goal is given after a VAR check.
Spertsyan plays a superb through ball, with O’Brien badly caught out as Tiknizyan gets in behind him.
The low cross puts it on a plate for Ranos, who slots home.
55 mins: Knight gives it away.
Hovhannisyan tries to play through Ranos, but his pass is slightly too heavy.
ARMENIA 2-1 IRELAND (FERGUSON 57)
Out of nothing, Ireland are back in the game.
Idah’s through pass finds Ferguson, and the Roma loanee slots it home with a clinical finish.
Here’s a look at the second Armenia goal…
62 mins: McAteer tries an audacious effort from about 30 yards out, but it’s well off target.
This game is very open now. You get the feeling there are more goals in this match.
65 mins: Ireland looking increasingly vulnerable on the counter as they throw bodies forward.
Barseghyan is the latest player to register a shot on target, but it’s straight at Kelleher.
66 mins: Armenia make a change
The goalscorer Ranos is replaced by Bichakhchyan.
Bichakhchyan nearly scores just after coming on.
He gets away from Collins, and his shot from a tight angle is saved by Kelleher.
70 mins: Double change for Ireland.
Phillips and Johnston are on.
Cullen and Azaz go off.
72 mins: More chances for Armenia.
Firstly, Tiknizyan is through on goal after a defence-splitting pass by Spertsyan, but Kelleher does well to get out quickly and make the save.
Moments later, a Bichakhchyan shot deflects off Collins and goes just over.
75 mins: Manning has a shot from the edge of the area, but Cančarević gets down well to make the save.
The goalkeeper then goes down to receive treatment, causing more time to elapse.
79 mins: Double change for Armenia.
Barseghyan and Zelarayán are replaced by Serobyan and Shaghoyan.
80 mins: Bichakhchyan’s free kick is on target, but it’s a relatively easy save for Kelleher.
Meanwhile, Ireland make a change, with Scales replacing Manning.
84 mins: Ireland are struggling to create clear-cut chances.
They haven’t acquired any momentum from Ferguson’s goal.
86 mins: Good save by Kelleher to keep out Spertsyan’s low shot from the edge of the area.
That chance stemmed from Dara O’Shea giving the ball away cheaply.
ARMENIA 3-1 IRELAND (SEROBYAN 88)
ARMENIA 2-1 IRELAND – GOAL RULED OUT BY VAR!
Tiknizyan lays it off to Serobyan on the edge of the area.
The substitute’s excellent finish goes in off the far post.
But the goal is disallowed for offside after a lengthy VAR check.
We’re already four minutes into six minutes of stoppage time.
But there have been so many stoppages in that period that it’s hard to tell how long exactly is left in this game.
90 mins: Ireland have had a couple of balls into the box but haven’t looked like scoring so far.
It looks like Armenia will prevail.
FULL-TIME: ARMENIA 2-1 IRELAND
So that’s that.
A poor performance from Ireland in a game they were expected to win against the group’s bottom seeds.
RTÉ’s Shay Given describes it as “probably one of the worst results in our history,” and it’s hard to argue with that assessment.
Armenia deserved the win and got better as the game progressed, while Ireland regressed after a promising start.
Ferguson’s goal appeared to give the visitors hope, but it proved to be an anomaly and one of the few positive moments for Ireland amid a wretched second half.
Right, that’s all from me for now.
You can read our match report here and we’ll have plenty more reaction to follow.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
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