Ireland 0-1 France
Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.
Stephen Kenny’s side are set for a huge test against the team most people would consider as the best in Europe.
France are coming into the match on the back of an impressive 4-0 over Netherlands in their opening qualifier, while Ireland had a less convincing 3-2 victory in Wednesday’s friendly with Latvia.
Optimism isn’t particularly high from an Irish perspective given the calibre of the opposition, but it’s bound to be an intriguing night, and Ireland will at least have a buoyant home crowd behind them.
Confirmation of tonight’s starting XI…
STARTING XI | Ireland v France
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) March 27, 2023
Captain Seamus Coleman comes into the side whilst there are also starts for Egan, Cullen, Knight & Ogbene for the first @EURO2024 qualifier of the campaign 🇮🇪
Get into the ground early. Be loud, be proud 💚 pic.twitter.com/dKTFZk0Mo6
The French team is pretty much as expected.
France (4-2-3-1): Mike Maignan; Benjamin Pavard, Ibrahima Konate, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez; Eduardo Camavinga, Adrien Rabiot; Randal Kolo Muani, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe; Olivier Giroud.
While you’re waiting for kick-off, have a read of some of The42′s Ireland-France coverage over the past few days
- Preview: Ireland will be brave and refuse ‘a slow death’ in the greatest test of them all
- Mbappe: ‘Ireland have a reputation for playing a physical style but they play a lot of good football’
- ‘You start thinking: why am I bothering to play football?’
- Biggest storyline? Ireland’s chances? Our writers preview the Euro 2024 qualifiers
- ‘I took the positives out of it’ – Nathan Collins on being dropped by Wolves
- Analysis: Why Evan Ferguson is asked to bring more than just goals to Ireland
- Do you agree with our Ireland team to face France?
- ’As long as they win, it’s okay. If they start to lose, there will be controversy’
- The Scottish-born winger who caught the eye on his Ireland debut
- O’Shea: Concentration and experience key for Ireland in massive France clash
58 - Since his first cap in March 2017, Kylian Mbappé has been involved in 58 goals for France (38 goals, 20 assists), best total ahead of Antoine Griezmann (49 - 29 & 20). Captains. #IRLFRA pic.twitter.com/7LFXLLJ7fC
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) March 27, 2023
We’re underway…
Ogbene wins the ball off Mbappe and then earns a free kick, prompting the first loud cheer of the night.
The atmosphere is superb here as expected.
So far Ogbene is playing as a right winger more so than a second striker.
With France so dangerous down the left Seamus Coleman will need all the help he can get.
Ireland are doing relatively well so far.
The hosts have enjoyed plenty of possession, while France have yet to create any kind of chance and have not threatened at all.
First half chance for France.
A ball over the top finds Kolo Muani. He goes round Bazunu but the angle is too tight, he tries to pull it back, but Collins is in the right place to clear.
Shortly thereafter, Muani is chopped down by Cullen as he sprints down the right wing.
France are really starting to control the game now and are in the ascendancy.
They’ve been wearing down Ireland in the last few minutes, forcing them to chase the ball.
Coleman takes a quick throw for Ferguson, but his touch is heavy and he concedes possession.
The teenager has struggled to influence the game so far and has looked a little isolated up top, though it’s very early days yet.
Knight’s free kick is easily cleared. Ireland have been disappointing on set pieces so far.
Moments later, Molumby puts in a good tackle to stop a France counter-attack.
The first booking of the match goes to Pavard.
He is penalised after tripping Knight while the Derby man tries to sprint away from him on the counter-attack.
Coleman puts in a good tackle to stop Mbappe on the byline.
The ensuing corner causes brief panic with a bit of head tennis among the Irish defenders before Bazunu eventually gathers it.
Another poor set piece from Ireland.
Josh Cullen tries to play it short but makes a mess of it and France clear comfortably.
However, that chance did emanate from a good bursting run down the left by Matt Doherty.
Hernández’s shot deflects off Griezmann and goes harmlessly wide.
France have offered very little in attack so far.
Half chance for France.
Pavard finds himself in oceans of space on the right. The full-back’s cross finds Griezmann, who can’t direct his header on target.
Ireland are enjoying a decent spell.
They’ve just had a couple of set pieces in a row close to the French area, but haven’t been able to make the most out of these promising positions.
The crowd are really into this game.
Every free kick and minor positive moment for Ireland is being cheered loudly.
HALF-TIME: IRELAND 0-0 FRANCE
Ireland had 39% possession in that half according to the official Uefa stats.
France looked the slightly more dangerous of the two teams but could only create the odd half-chance.
The hosts defended well throughout and finished strongly, but were wasteful at times with set pieces in good positions.
Kenny’s men may lack the quality of their opponents, but they’ve made up for it through sheer work rate and endeavour from the front, with Jason Knight and Chiedozie Ogbene among their most diligent and impressive performers.
The second half has begun…
Ogbene gets to the ball before Hernandez and wins the free kick.
He’s having a very good game.
IRELAND 0-1 FRANCE (PAVARD 50)
Ireland are behind and it’s from another long-range effort.
Josh Cullen plays a sloppy pass on the edge of the area that Pavard intercepts and rifles home.
There is very little Bazunu could have done about that.
Surprisingly, the goal was the first attempt on target from either side in this match.
It also emphasises how small the margin for error is against a team of France’s quality.
Here’s a look at the opening goal…
⚽ GOAL
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) March 27, 2023
🇮🇪 0-1 🇫🇷
Ireland give the ball away on the edge of their own box and Pavard smashes a shot in off the crossbar
📺 Watch @RTE2 and @RTEPlayer https://t.co/2W5kFtUgZE
📱 Updates: https://t.co/MQPj9kO4Lu
📻 Listen: @GameOn2fm#IRLFRA #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/I7DxYmaVdU
Great play again from Ogbene to evade Hernandez down the right.
His subsequent low cross finds Knight, whose goalbound shot is blocked.
Better from Ireland in an attacking sense.
Both sides make a change.
Diably replaces Giroud for France.
For Ireland, Evan Ferguson, who has looked tired, is replaced by Adam Idah.
Ireland are definitely playing with a greater sense of abandon now.
Seamus Coleman plays a through ball that’s just too heavy for the onrushing Knight.
It seems a clear foul on Knight on the edge of Ireland’s area, but the ref waves play on.
That leads to a shot from Diaby, whose powerful low effort is parried away by Bazunu.
18 minutes remain.
Ireland are looking tired and could do with introducing a few fresh faces.
Bazunu again is forced into a save after a powerful low effort by Rabiot.
The game is starting to become increasingly open with players tiring.
Ireland make a triple change
McClean, Browne and Johnston are on.
Doherty, Knight and O’Shea are off.
Changes now for France.
Pavard and Rabiot are off
Kounde and Tchouaméni are on.
Another corner for Ireland is wasted.
McClean plays it in but it doesn’t beat the first man.
Good link-up play down the left between Idah and McClean, before the latter’s shot is turned away by Maignan for a corner.
50,219 has just been announced as the official attendance.
As I type, Browne’s cross-shot goes narrowly wide.
Ireland then make another attacking change, with Obafemi replacing Molumby.
Ireland are basically now playing with a three-man attack of Idah, Obafemi and Johnston.
A quick free kick is played to Mbappe, but the striker’s first-time effort is well off target.
Browne’s header from Cullen’s corner is tipped over by Maignan.
Moments later, Collins’ header from a set piece produces a superb acrobatic save from the goalkeeper.
There will be three minutes of stoppage time.
Meanwhile, Ogbene has just been named player of the match.
Late change for France.
Thuram is on for Muani.
FULL-TIME: IRELAND 0-1 FRANCE
So that’s that.
Disappointment in the end for Ireland, though there were plenty of positives to take from the performance.
They restricted France to very few chances, and in the end, it took a brilliant Pavard finish to win it.
The Boys in Green could easily have got a point from the game amid a late rally.
Collins’ late header was probably the closest they came, but Maignan illustrated why he is so highly regarded with a top-class save.
The most disappointing aspect of the display is that the French goalkeeper was not tested more regularly, but down the other end, Ireland looked impressively solid against one of the best attacks in the world.
Right, that’s all from me for now.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
We’ll have plenty more reaction to follow on the site shortly.
