Giovanni Trappatoni’s men were booed by a sizeable contingent of the home support after playing out an uninspiring nil-all draw with Slovakia at the Aviva Stadium last night.
Billed as a must-win encounter for the home side, Ireland entered the match on the crest of a wave of public optimism about the team’s chances of securing a place at next year’s European Championships, but a draw with Slovakia means they’re now reliant on a victory against Russia at Moscow’s infamous Luhzniki Stadium if they are to stand a realistic chance of qualifying for their first major international tournament in a decade.
Last night’s boos weren’t inspired by the result, disappointing though it was, but the manner in which it was achieved. Ireland failed to impose themselves upon the game with any regularity and frequently looked meek and indecisive in possession.
By contrast, their Slovakian opponents played like the side Ireland aspire to be, looking supremely organised and confident in possession, in spite of some obvious physical limitations.
The players and their manager will point to the team’s comparative strength away from home, but:
After last night’s performance, can Ireland really hope to beat Russia in Moscow next week?
