Ireland 0-2 Greece
Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.
Ireland’s automatic qualifying hopes may be all but over, nonetheless a win would certainly be welcome tonight.
The Boys in Green were clearly second-best in the reverse fixture in Athens, so they will need a much-improved display to get anything from tonight’s game.
A victory will also considerably boost Ireland’s hopes of a respectable third-place finish in the group, whereas a loss would make the upcoming Gibraltar game even more of a dead rubber.
Confirmation of tonight’s Ireland team…
Starting XI | Ireland v Greece
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) October 13, 2023
Evan Ferguson starts up front with Will Smallbone in midfield just behind him 🇮🇪
Liam Scales set to make his senior international debut with kick-off at 7.45pm
𝗕𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱, 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 💚 pic.twitter.com/CDbdh29l22
Here is how Greece will line up…
🔵 STARTING XI ⚪️ #IRLGRE #ethnikiomada pic.twitter.com/YgjKfc0IQz
— Ethniki Omada (@EthnikiOmada) October 13, 2023
We’re underway…
Judging from how Ireland are set up, it looks like they’re starting with a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Cullen and Browne are the two sitting midfielders.
Encouraging start by Ireland.
Ogbene squares it to Smallbone, who forces a save from the goalkeeper while Scales can’t find the target on the rebound.
Moments later, Ferguson’s curled effort from distance hits the outside of the post.
Smallbone’s corner finds Collins but the defender can’t direct his bullet header on target.
Ireland continue to look like the far more adventurous team.
Smallbone receives an early booking.
He led with his arm while going up for a header with Mantalos.
Nervy moment for Ireland.
Bakasetas attempts a pot shot from outside the box that Bazunu fails to hold onto, although there is no Greek attacker lurking nearby to capitalise on the loose ball.
GREECE 1-0 IRELAND (GIAKOUMAKIS 20)
Greece take the lead.
Tsimikas gets the better of Ogbene out wide.
He then produces a perfect cross for Giakoumakis to head powerfully home.
Ireland have responded reasonably well since the goal.
Ogbene first won a free kick in a dangerous position while Smallbone has just blasted an attempt over the bar.
Even before going behind, Ireland were perhaps somewhat fortunate not to concede a penalty…
🇮🇪 0-0 🇬🇷
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) October 13, 2023
Are Ireland fortunate not to have conceded a penalty? Giorgos Giakoumakis voices his displeasure to the referee #rtesoccer
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Better from Ireland now.
Ogbene is causing Greece plenty of problems down the right, while Shane Duffy has just been bundled over in the box off the ball — an incident the officials chose to ignore.
Here’s a look at the opening goal…
GOAL GREECE - The visitors take the lead coutesy of a stunning header from Giakoumakis #rtesoccer
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) October 13, 2023
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Another worrying moment for Ireland on the counter-attack.
It ends with a low, deflected shot by Korbelis, but Bazunu is able to make a fairly comfortable save.
Superb save by Bazunu after a quick Greek counter-attack opens up the Irish defence.
The goalkeeper tipped over Pelkas’ effort for a corner.
Ireland’s wastefulness in the final third has been especially pronounced in recent minutes.
Browne and Doherty have both given the ball away cheaply from decent positions, while Josh Cullen has just seen his long-range attempt sail over the bar.
Ogbene has been Ireland’s main attacking threat in this half.
He’s just won another free kick in a good position after being cynically taken out by Giakoumakis.
From the ensuing set piece, Shane Duffy can’t get a proper connection from Smallbone’s delivery.
GREECE 2-0 IRELAND (MASOURAS 45 + 4)
HALF-TIME: IRELAND 0-2 GREECE
That’s a hammer blow for Ireland as they were caught on the counter-attack just before half-time.
Giakoumakis was the provider this time. His low cross found Pelkas, who pulled it back to Mosouras, who finished clinically.
There is a VAR check after claims of handball in the build-up but the goal is ultimately given.
So half-time and it looks set to be another grim night for Stephen Kenny’s Ireland.
They haven’t played terribly and created a couple of decent chances, but at times, Greece have exposed them all too easily with the hosts looking very open and particularly susceptible to the counter-attack.
Ogbene has easily been Ireland’s standout player so far — he looks dangerous whenever he gets the ball — while others such as Ferguson, Smallbone and Knight have struggled to have much of an impact on proceedings.
Ireland make one change at the break.
Manning comes on for Nathan Collins, which means Scales will switch to centre-back.
We’re back underway…
Here’s what the second Greece goal looked like…
H/T: 🇮🇪 0-2 🇬🇷
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) October 13, 2023
GOAL GREECE – Masouras doubles the Greek lead in first-half injury-time with Ireland claiming handball in the build-up
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It has been a fairly uneventful start to the second half.
Greece briefly threatened with a dangerous cross into the area, but a combination of Duffy and Cullen managed to allay the danger.
Pelkas is inches away from adding a third with a sidefooted effort from just inside the area.
It seems to take a slight touch off Matt Doherty on its way to the goal, so the referee awards a corner.
Nice interplay from Knight, Manning and Smallbone results in an Ireland corner.
Smallbone’s delivery is decent but it just doesn’t fall kindly for Ireland and Greece clear.
Knight produces an attempt from distance.
However, the Bristol City man’s low shot goes a few inches wide.
Claims for a penalty as Knight goes down under Masouras’ challenge.
The Greek player hung a leg out but it would have been soft judging by replays.
Greece, meanwhile, make a double change — Kourbelis and Pelkas are off, Bouchalakis and Chatzigiovanis are on.
The stadium is very subdued at the moment.
It’s not a surprise, as the Irish team look short on ideas and inspiration at the minute.
Both sides make changes now.
For Ireland, Johnston and Robinson replace Smallbone and Browne.
For Greece, Ioannidis is on in place of Giakoumakis.
Greece are getting plenty of space on the break now.
Ioannidis heads narrowly over the bar after a dangerous counter-attack.
Meanwhile, down the other end, Bouchalakis has just been booked for chopping down Johnston.
Ferguson gets the ball in plenty of space about 30 yards out but blazes a shot well over.
It’s been a night to forget so far for the 18-year-old.
Meanwhile, the attendance has been announced as 41,239.
There are 10 minutes of normal time remaining but already some people here at the Aviva are heading for the exits.
It’ll be interesting to see what kind of reception the team get at full-time if the score stays the same.
Very close!
Robinson crosses for Doherty whose header is saved by the goalkeeper’s legs and turned out for a corner.
Moments later, Robinson’s low shot from the edge of the area goes narrowly wide.
It feels like it’s not going to be Ireland’s night, sadly.
Another change for Ireland.
Ogbene, arguably Ireland’s best player this evening (though he was starting to tire), is replaced by Adam Idah.
More Greece changes.
Masouras and Bakasetas are off, Koulierakis and Siopis are on.
There will be five minutes of stoppage time…
Robinson crosses for Idah, but he can’t find the target with his header.
Meanwhile, Ogbene has just been announced as the player of the match.
FULL-TIME: IRELAND 0-2 GREECE
So that’s that.
A miserable night as an awful campaign approaches its final stretch.
Ireland’s record looks awful, every game bar Gibraltar so far has been a loss, and unless they can pull off an unlikely positive away to the Dutch, it will stay that way.
The team are now left clinging to the small possibility of a playoff in March after another largely forgettable 90 minutes.
Right, that’s all from me.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
We’ll have more reaction on the site shortly.
