The John O’Shea interim era gets underway and it’s a big test for the Irish team.
They face a Belgium team ranked fourth in the world, and who are in the midst of a six-match winning run.
They haven’t lost a match since being beaten by eventual semi-finalists Morrocco in November 2022 during the World Cup.
However, the visitors have a few big players missing so Ireland will view this as a potential opportunity to get a statement win against a top international side.
New eras invariably at least start with a sense of positivity so the Aviva crowd will be expecting a good game today.
23 Mar
4:09PM
Confirmation of the Irish team…
STARTING XI | Ireland v Belgium
Caoimhin Kelleher and Evan Ferguson start as Seamus Coleman returns to captain the side at the @AVIVAStadium today, kick-off at 5pm 👌
Republic of Ireland’s Interim Head Coach John O'Shea Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
23 Mar
4:27PM
There’s some debate in the press room about how will Ireland line up.
Much of it will depend on where Seamus Coleman plays.
If he is part of a back three, then Nathan Collins could be pushed into midfield, with Chiedozie Ogbene at right wing-back, where he often plays at club level.
Alternatively, you could have Coleman at wing-back, with Collins in defence and Ogbene in more of an attacking role.
Koni De Winter of Belgium collides in the air with Evan Ferguson of Ireland. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
23 Mar
5:47PM
45 mins: Close!
It’s route one as a long ball is played up to Ferguson, he heads on for Szmodics, who gets in behind the defender but blasts a shot from a tight angle over the bar.
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As it happened: Ireland v Belgium, international friendly
Ireland 0-0 Belgium
Hello and welcome to today’s liveblog.
The John O’Shea interim era gets underway and it’s a big test for the Irish team.
They face a Belgium team ranked fourth in the world, and who are in the midst of a six-match winning run.
They haven’t lost a match since being beaten by eventual semi-finalists Morrocco in November 2022 during the World Cup.
However, the visitors have a few big players missing so Ireland will view this as a potential opportunity to get a statement win against a top international side.
New eras invariably at least start with a sense of positivity so the Aviva crowd will be expecting a good game today.
Confirmation of the Irish team…
And here’s how Belgium line up…
There’s some debate in the press room about how will Ireland line up.
Much of it will depend on where Seamus Coleman plays.
If he is part of a back three, then Nathan Collins could be pushed into midfield, with Chiedozie Ogbene at right wing-back, where he often plays at club level.
Alternatively, you could have Coleman at wing-back, with Collins in defence and Ogbene in more of an attacking role.
Who do you think will win today?
Poll Results:
We’re underway…
3 mins: Ireland have started with Collins at centre back and Coleman as right wing-back.
Early on, there’s a great chance.
Szmodics slips Ogbene through on goal, but the Luton man can only find the side-netting with his finish.
6 mins: Ireland have been a bit sloppy early on.
Kelleher and Smallbone have both played stray passes that put the team under pressure.
9 mins: Out of possession, Ireland are essentially playing a 5-4-1 with Ogbene and Szmodics drifting to the wings.
As I type, Trossard beats Ogbene on the left but his cross is headed well wide by Tielemans.
15 mins: There hasn’t been much goalmouth action in recent minutes.
Belgium have dominated possession without looking too threatening.
18 mins: A ball is played down the channels for Openda but Collins makes the challenge and it goes out for a corner.
Belgium have been camped in the Irish half for a good portion of this game so far.
Here’s a look at the one attacking moment so far that got the crowd excited, even if it was ultimately offside.
PENALTY TO IRELAND!
PENALTY MISSED!
28 mins: Ireland may come to rue this moment.
Collins wins a header from a set piece. It falls to O’Shea whose volley deflects off the hand of Vermeeren.
Ferguson steps up but his penalty is down the middle and Sels manages to palm it away.
Not long after the Ferguson penalty miss, Ogbene dragged a shot from a difficult angle wide.
Ireland can at least take encouragement from the fact they are causing Belgium some problems.
Here’s a look at the Ferguson miss.
40 mins: Bakayoko’s corner is overhit goes straight out of play.
The visitors have shown very little from an attacking perspective.
45 mins: Close!
It’s route one as a long ball is played up to Ferguson, he heads on for Szmodics, who gets in behind the defender but blasts a shot from a tight angle over the bar.
HALF-TIME: IRELAND 0-0 BELGIUM
So that’s that. A decent first half from an Irish perspective.
They dealt effectively with Belgium’s below-par attack and looked well-organised, reducing the visitors to half-chances at best.
They threatened sporadically as well. The Ferguson penalty miss was the big one, but they also went close through Ogbene and Szmodics.
Kelleher hasn’t had much to do but has done the basics well.
The second half has begun.
Belgium have made changes
Trossard, Tilemans and Castagne are off.
Doku, Meunier and Batshuayi are on.
Straight away, Ireland have a half-chance as Ferguson heads off just over from a Brady cross.
50 mins: Decent chance for Belgium.
A crossfield ball finds Bakayoko, who heads it back to Openda, whose first-time shot is too close to the goalkeeper to seriously trouble Kelleher.
53 mins: Great work by Ogbene.
He carries the ball for an extended period before eventually winning a free kick near the corner flag.
54 mins: Disappointing from an Irish perspective as Brady curls his free-kick out onto the roof of the net.
Moments later, the same player’s cross narrowly misses the onrushing Ogbene.
It’s a good spell for Ireland.
61 mins: It’s been an uneventful last few minutes.
Belgium are coming more into it again after a decent Irish spell.
64 mins: More Belgium changes.
Bakayoko and De Winter are off.
Onana and Lukebakio are on.
67 mins: Good work from Ogbene and Smallbone after a great crossfield pass from Collins ends with Szmodics’ goalbound shot being blocked.
Ireland have been the better team for a good portion of this half.
70 mins: Changes for Ireland now.
Ogbene, Ferguson and Szmodics are off.
Knight, Idah and Johnston come on.
75 mins: Good save from Kelleher.
Batshuayi escapes from Brady down the right and crosses for Meunier, whose low shot is parried away.
Moments later, Doku blasts the ball a few inches over the bar from the edge of the area.
79 mins: There are claims for a penalty as Openda goes down with Kelleher nearby.
However, looking at the replay, it would have been harsh as the contact appears minimal.
Meanwhile, Ireland make another change with Matt Doherty coming on in place of a tiring Robbie Brady.
83 mins: Another change for Belgium.
Goalkeeper Sels is replaced by Thomas Kaminski.
86 mins: Another change for Ireland.
Smallbone is replaced by Ebosele, which presumably means Knight will drop back into midfield.
90 mins: Josh Cullen is named player of the match.
There will be three minutes of stoppage time.
FULL-TIME: IRELAND 0-0 BELGIUM
Right, that’s all from me for now.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
We’ll have more reaction to follow shortly.
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