It has been a low-key enough build-up to this match, but it’s an important game for Ireland against Finland, who they beat in Helsinki in the reverse fixture last month.
If Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men win or draw, they will avoid automatic relegation and Finland will drop down to League C.
Third-place is almost certainly the best Ireland can hope for, however. If England avoid defeat in Greece tonight, they will be guaranteed to finish second in the group at worst.
So presuming Ireland and England don’t lose tonight, the Boys in Green can look forward to a two-legged playoff on 20 and 23 March against a second-place League C team.
Of course, relegation to League C would impact the team’s chances of qualifying for the next World Cup and Euros in terms of seeding, so the significance of a positive result this evening should not be underestimated.
7 hrs ago
7:05PM
Confirmation of the Ireland team below with Matt Doherty, Festy Ebosele, Mikey Johnston and Callum O’Dowda all coming into the starting XI.
STARTING XI | Ireland v Finland
Four changes to the side for tonight's fixture with Festy Ebosele, Mikey Johnston, Matt Doherty & Callum O'Dowda all coming into the team 👌
O’Dowda stops it but gets booked in the process for a late tackle on Lod.
6 hrs ago
7:51PM
6 mins: Ebosele goes on a run but can’t beat Peltola.
The Finland defender then wins a free kick as he’s fouled by the man making his full debut at international level.
6 hrs ago
7:58PM
11 mins: Ireland have had the better possession and territory in the opening minutes.
One promising moment saw Knight release Szmodics on the counter-attack, but the Ipswich star’s attempted cross was blocked by Peltola.
As I type, Knight is somewhat harshly booked for a late challenge, becoming the second Irish player to receive a yellow already.
6 hrs ago
8:00PM
15 mins: Johnston slips through Ferguson, but the Brighton defender’s low cross is easily collected by Finland goalkeeper Hrádecký.
Chances have been at a premium but Ireland have carried the greater threat going forward.
6 hrs ago
8:02PM
17 mins: Half chance for Finland.
Alho’s cross finds Kairinen, whose low shot deflects off Scales for a corner.
6 hrs ago
8:06PM
20 mins: Knight shoots a few inches over from about 30 yards out.
Just before that, Cullen did well to pick out Ebosele with a through pass, but the Wexford native could not pick out an Irish jersey with his cross.
6 hrs ago
8:10PM
24 mins: Ireland have the ball in the net but it’s offside.
Ferguson plays through Szmodics who rounds the goalkeeper before slotting home.
It’s the correct decision judging by replays but was still a nice finish.
As I type a powerful Ferguson effort deflects narrowly over.
6 hrs ago
8:12PM
27 mins: Cullen gets a good block in to prevent Källman getting a shot on target from the edge of the area.
This game has livened up in recent minutes.
6 hrs ago
8:16PM
30 mins: Let off for Ireland.
Johnston loses the ball on the edge of the area and Lod is afforded too much space and his curled effort comes back off the post.
6 hrs ago
8:21PM
34 mins: A decent spell for Finland.
Källman goes close twice in quick succession.
Initially, he evades the attention of Collins and heads a cross narrowly wide.
Moments later, he runs through on goal but his low finish is straight at Kelleher.
In the latter incident, the striker looked offside so it may not have counted.
5 hrs ago
8:23PM
Cullen slips through Szmodics.
The attacker does well to win a 50:50 ball before his powerful strike is tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper.
5 hrs ago
8:24PM
39 mins: O’Dowda crosses for Scales after a set piece is taken short.
The ball in is a little too high for the Celtic star and he can’t quite direct his header on target.
5 hrs ago
8:26PM
41 mins: Johnston’s corner finds a completely unmarked Doherty on the run.
But the Wolves man heads just wide.
5 hrs ago
8:28PM
42 mins: Collins has stopped what looked like a certain goal.
Finland counter. Antman is given far too much time and space to run through the midfield, but his low, goalbound shot is deflected onto the post by the Irish captain’s trailing leg.
So Ireland lead at the break in a first half that could have gone either way.
It’s been very open and at times feels more like a friendly than a competitive fixtures
The visitors and Källman missed some good chances to open the scoring before Ferguson’s goal.
Ireland had promising moments too — Doherty came close to marking his return with a goal while Szmodics has looked lively having been picked in a more central role than in previous games.
Heimir Hallgrímsson will be pleased that Ireland are ahead, but the manager will be less thrilled at how easily the hosts have conceded chances.
90 mins: There will be six minutes of stoppage time.
Pohjanpalo has just missed a golden chance.
A low cross was played into the Finnish attacker on the counter but he completely miscued his finish and couldn’t get any proper connection on the ball.
4 hrs ago
9:34PM
Kelleher has been named man of the match.
It’s a fair choice given he made that crucial penalty save.
4 hrs ago
9:36PM
Just a minute of action remains and Ireland look pretty comfortable…
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As it happened: Ireland v Finland, Nations League
Ireland 1-0 Finland
Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.
It has been a low-key enough build-up to this match, but it’s an important game for Ireland against Finland, who they beat in Helsinki in the reverse fixture last month.
If Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men win or draw, they will avoid automatic relegation and Finland will drop down to League C.
Third-place is almost certainly the best Ireland can hope for, however. If England avoid defeat in Greece tonight, they will be guaranteed to finish second in the group at worst.
So presuming Ireland and England don’t lose tonight, the Boys in Green can look forward to a two-legged playoff on 20 and 23 March against a second-place League C team.
Of course, relegation to League C would impact the team’s chances of qualifying for the next World Cup and Euros in terms of seeding, so the significance of a positive result this evening should not be underestimated.
Confirmation of the Ireland team below with Matt Doherty, Festy Ebosele, Mikey Johnston and Callum O’Dowda all coming into the starting XI.
And here is the Finland team for tonight…
Heimir Hallgrímsson gives his thoughts ahead of the game…
Who do you think will win tonight?
Poll Results:
We’re underway…
1 min: Ireland have started on the front foot.
Mikey Johnston puts in a cross that’s cleared.
4 mins: Finland threaten their first attack.
O’Dowda stops it but gets booked in the process for a late tackle on Lod.
6 mins: Ebosele goes on a run but can’t beat Peltola.
The Finland defender then wins a free kick as he’s fouled by the man making his full debut at international level.
11 mins: Ireland have had the better possession and territory in the opening minutes.
One promising moment saw Knight release Szmodics on the counter-attack, but the Ipswich star’s attempted cross was blocked by Peltola.
As I type, Knight is somewhat harshly booked for a late challenge, becoming the second Irish player to receive a yellow already.
15 mins: Johnston slips through Ferguson, but the Brighton defender’s low cross is easily collected by Finland goalkeeper Hrádecký.
Chances have been at a premium but Ireland have carried the greater threat going forward.
17 mins: Half chance for Finland.
Alho’s cross finds Kairinen, whose low shot deflects off Scales for a corner.
20 mins: Knight shoots a few inches over from about 30 yards out.
Just before that, Cullen did well to pick out Ebosele with a through pass, but the Wexford native could not pick out an Irish jersey with his cross.
24 mins: Ireland have the ball in the net but it’s offside.
Ferguson plays through Szmodics who rounds the goalkeeper before slotting home.
It’s the correct decision judging by replays but was still a nice finish.
As I type a powerful Ferguson effort deflects narrowly over.
27 mins: Cullen gets a good block in to prevent Källman getting a shot on target from the edge of the area.
This game has livened up in recent minutes.
30 mins: Let off for Ireland.
Johnston loses the ball on the edge of the area and Lod is afforded too much space and his curled effort comes back off the post.
34 mins: A decent spell for Finland.
Källman goes close twice in quick succession.
Initially, he evades the attention of Collins and heads a cross narrowly wide.
Moments later, he runs through on goal but his low finish is straight at Kelleher.
In the latter incident, the striker looked offside so it may not have counted.
Cullen slips through Szmodics.
The attacker does well to win a 50:50 ball before his powerful strike is tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper.
39 mins: O’Dowda crosses for Scales after a set piece is taken short.
The ball in is a little too high for the Celtic star and he can’t quite direct his header on target.
41 mins: Johnston’s corner finds a completely unmarked Doherty on the run.
But the Wolves man heads just wide.
42 mins: Collins has stopped what looked like a certain goal.
Finland counter. Antman is given far too much time and space to run through the midfield, but his low, goalbound shot is deflected onto the post by the Irish captain’s trailing leg.
IRELAND 1-0 FINLAND (FERGUSON 45)
Ireland are ahead and Mikey Johnston is the architect.
The winger dribbles with the ball down the left before hanging an inviting cross that Ferguson heads home emphatically from close range.
HALF-TIME: IRELAND 1-0 FINLAND
So Ireland lead at the break in a first half that could have gone either way.
It’s been very open and at times feels more like a friendly than a competitive fixtures
The visitors and Källman missed some good chances to open the scoring before Ferguson’s goal.
Ireland had promising moments too — Doherty came close to marking his return with a goal while Szmodics has looked lively having been picked in a more central role than in previous games.
Heimir Hallgrímsson will be pleased that Ireland are ahead, but the manager will be less thrilled at how easily the hosts have conceded chances.
Here’s a look at the game’s only goal…
In the other game in this group, England lead Greece 1-0 at half-time.
Ollie Watkins, who is starting ahead of Harry Kane, gave the visitors a seventh-minute lead.
The second half has begun…
Here’s a look at that great bit of defending from Collins in the first half.
51 mins: Ebosele’s long throw is half-cleared.
It falls to Cullen on the edge of the area, but the midfielder’s volley is well off target.
It’s been a pretty serene start to the second half in contrast with the eventful end to the first.
55 mins: Interestingly, there have been times in this game where Szmodics is operating as the main striker.
Ferguson is in the number 10 role sporadically, which makes sense, as he often drops deep playing for Brighton.
58 mins: Finland make an injury-enforced chance.
Peltola is replaced by the Irish-sounding O’Shaughnessy.
60 mins: After a promising build-up, Knight blasts wastefully over from the edge of the area.
The Bristol City star didn’t have any conviction behind that effort.
62 mins: Johnston flashes a shot narrowly wide of the far post.
That chance emanates from a clever crossfield ball by Doherty, who so far is having one of his better days in an Ireland jersey.
64 mins: Finland make a double change.
Antman and Uronen are off. Pohjanpalo and Håkans are on.
68 mins: Half-chance for Finland.
O’Shaughnessy’s cross is met on the half-volley by fellow substitute Pohjanpalo, but he can’t hit the target as he steers the ball over the bar.
70 mins: Collins makes another good block to stop a Håkans cross.
The winger was given far too much space by Ireland there and the hosts were lucky not to be punished.
PENALTY TO FINLAND!
A Kamara cross was volleyed by O’Shaughnessy onto the hand of Ferguson.
75 mins: Ireland make a triple change.
Ebosele (who has picked up a knock), Doherty and Ferguson are replaced by Azaz, Molumby and O’Shea.
77 mins: Penalty saved!
Kelleher guesses correctly to keep out Pohjanpalo’s spot kick.
The goalkeeper appears to have injured himself in the process — he collided with Lod as both players tried to get to the loose ball.
He looks okay to continue.
80 mins: Källman gets a shot away but it’s straight at Kelleher.
The official attendance is announced as 39,163, which is a few hundred more than attended the FAI Cup final on Sunday.
Here’s a look at the penalty incident…
83 minutes: Ireland counter and Szmodics runs through on goal.
However, Hrádecký gets down well to keep out the Ipswich star’s low finish.
85 mins: More substitutions.
For Finland, Pukki and Niskanen replace Alho and Källman.
For Ireland, Manning and Cannon are on for Johnston and Szmodics.
England are now 3-0 up in Greece by the way.
So a win over Ireland at the weekend could secure top spot for the Three Lions.
Here’s a look back at the Kelleher penalty save…
90 mins: There will be six minutes of stoppage time.
Pohjanpalo has just missed a golden chance.
A low cross was played into the Finnish attacker on the counter but he completely miscued his finish and couldn’t get any proper connection on the ball.
Kelleher has been named man of the match.
It’s a fair choice given he made that crucial penalty save.
Just a minute of action remains and Ireland look pretty comfortable…
Corner to Finland.
They will have one last chance.
FULL-TIME: IRELAND 1-0 FINLAND
Right, that’s all from me for now.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
We’ll have more reaction to follow.
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