AND THE SUN shines sightly brighter again on the Republic of Ireland, as the lope slowly from their years-long sentence in the dark and dreary doldrums.
This is not a side rocketing to competitiveness among Europe’s elite but it is one slowly, slowly improving; cohering around a clear system of play that won’t win tactical admirers for its complexity, but nor is it entirely rudimentary, either.
It also helps that Ireland have two elite-level talents in both boxes. First Evan Ferguson minted his best-ever Irish performance with a goal just before half-time, and then Caoimhín Kelleher secured that goal’s worth by saving Joel Pohjanpalo’s second-half penalty.
In between these poles was a diligent Irish team who pressed hard, threw themselves into challenges, created more chances than this crowd are used to while also riding their luck.
The ultimate outcome is a guarantee of third place in this Nations League group, meaning Finland are relegated and Ireland must play off against a League C runner up next March to guarantee their status. Ireland go to Wembley on Sunday with nothing to play for but the chance to maintain this sense of progress.
Heimir Hallgrimsson has been balancing the need for results with a desire to experiment ahead of next year’s World Cup qualifiers, so tonight most – but not all – his changes were enforced. Dara O’Shea has been struggling with a back problem and so Matt Doherty was hauled further in from the cold to start at right-back, with Callum O’Dowda and Festy Ebosele replacing the stricken Robbie Brady and Chiedozie Ogbene.
Tonight’s audition went to Mikey Johnston, playing tonight where Finn Azaz was selected last month in Helsinki. Johnston naturally started off the left, which allowed Sammie Szmodics play more centrally, and closer to Ferguson.
The system was the same as in Helsinki: a 4-4-2 without the ball but a 3-4-2-1 with it, with Callum O’Dowda pushing high from left back and allowing Johnston play more centrally as a number 10.
Hallgrimsson’s message to his players this week has been to play without heed to the scoreline: he diagnosed an eternal Irish problem this week when he reviewed last month’s double-header and found Ireland played their best football once they fell behind. “Once we had nothing to lose, we played really well”, said Hallgrimsson.
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And so Ireland sprung out of the traps with intensity and vigour, pressing Finland high. Early in the game Liam Scales found himself jumping into challenges halfway into the Finnish half, only for Finland to play their way out. That the referee blew for an O’Dowda foul rather than allow play develop was more than a small mercy.
Finland left out a trio of their U21 players to allow them compete in a Euro 2025 play-off at that age-grade, and they also switched up their system, swapping to a back three. The width in their play caused Ireland some headaches, with Scales forced to block Kaan Kairinen’s sweep toward goal when he found himself unmarked in the box from a move whose genesis was a Finnish carve-up of Ireland’s right hand-side.
The game rolled enjoyable back and forth, with Ireland relying on good fortune not to fall behind. First Johnston was clumsily dispossessed on the edge of the Irish box by Robin Lod, who curled a shot against the post with Kelleher rooted to the spot.
Later, Ireland’s enthusiasm to press was exposed when Finland passed the ball through a Josh Cullen-shaped gap in midfield, with Oliver Antman sashaying into the box before sending a goal-bound shot that was brilliantly deflected onto the same post by a splayed Nathan Collins.
Ireland, however, created chances at the other end. Szmodics barrelled his way through a a defender and onto a Cullen through-ball to sting Hradecky’s gloves, while a later Cullen corner was planted wide by Doherty at the back post.
The biggest single positive of the Irish performance, however, was Evan Ferguson. Where Hallgrimsson had been trying to play Ferguson back into rhythm without Brighton’s assistance across September and October, more playing time at club level saw him much sharper tonight.
His work-rate was outstanding, constantly pilfering the ball back, while he showcased his passing range with a delightful through-ball for Szmodics, who rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home in a sweep of conviction that was undone by an immediate offside flag. Szmodics looked at the linesman and pinched together a finger and thumb: it was close.
Ireland, however, need Ferguson to be at his best inside the box and, happily, he was just before half-time. Johnston forgot a fitful performance to jink to the endline and pitch the ball into the six-yard box, where Ferguson was in the right position to rise highest between a pair of defenders and steer the ball in. It was a moment of pure, centre-forward efficiency, and frankly the kind of thing Ireland have been lacking since Robbie Keane retired to complicate his legacy.
Ferguson remained a reliable out-ball for Ireland after half-time: fizz the ball to his feet, and it generally stuck. One gloriously fluid drop of his shoulder and touch took him around a defender and into space, and though Ferguson could’t quite find Szmodics running in behind, Ireland recycled possession before Johnston cut in and curled a shot just wide of the post.
Ferguson would regrettably be influential in the other penalty area before his night was done. Rushing out to block a ball into the penalty area, Finland substitute Daniel O’Shaughnessy got their first, and hooked the ball onto Ferguson’s dangled arm at point-blank range. It was obviously not a deliberate handball, but the VAR deemed it worthy of a review given Ferguson’s hand was raised.
The penalty was awarded after a brief review – the prosecution led the witness by first showing the referee a still image of the ball hitting Ferguson’s hand – but Joel Pohjanpalo had to wait an age before taking the spot kick, as Hallgrimsson cannily made a triple substitution to run down the clock a little further.
Kelleher saves Pohjanpalo's penalty. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Caoimhín Kelleher took his sweet time before handing Pohjanpalo the ball, too, and then threw himself to his right to palm away the penalty before rushing across goal to collect the rebound from the rebound. A reprieved crowd shook out a few Ole, Ole, Oles.
The penalty came at the end of Ireland’s first real spell of passivity in the game, with Finland prodding a few holes in the Irish defence without truly troubling Kelleher.
Ireland needed one final moment of fortune as the game ticked into six minutes of stoppage time: scythed open down their right, Pohjanpalo fluffed his lines and fell over in the Irish box just as Kelleher was readying himself for more necessary heroics.
These are hardly heady days for Ireland, but they are encouraging nonetheless.
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Ferguson and Kelleher the heroes as Ireland maintain progress in Finland win
Republic of Ireland 1
Finland 0
AND THE SUN shines sightly brighter again on the Republic of Ireland, as the lope slowly from their years-long sentence in the dark and dreary doldrums.
This is not a side rocketing to competitiveness among Europe’s elite but it is one slowly, slowly improving; cohering around a clear system of play that won’t win tactical admirers for its complexity, but nor is it entirely rudimentary, either.
It also helps that Ireland have two elite-level talents in both boxes. First Evan Ferguson minted his best-ever Irish performance with a goal just before half-time, and then Caoimhín Kelleher secured that goal’s worth by saving Joel Pohjanpalo’s second-half penalty.
In between these poles was a diligent Irish team who pressed hard, threw themselves into challenges, created more chances than this crowd are used to while also riding their luck.
The ultimate outcome is a guarantee of third place in this Nations League group, meaning Finland are relegated and Ireland must play off against a League C runner up next March to guarantee their status. Ireland go to Wembley on Sunday with nothing to play for but the chance to maintain this sense of progress.
Heimir Hallgrimsson has been balancing the need for results with a desire to experiment ahead of next year’s World Cup qualifiers, so tonight most – but not all – his changes were enforced. Dara O’Shea has been struggling with a back problem and so Matt Doherty was hauled further in from the cold to start at right-back, with Callum O’Dowda and Festy Ebosele replacing the stricken Robbie Brady and Chiedozie Ogbene.
Tonight’s audition went to Mikey Johnston, playing tonight where Finn Azaz was selected last month in Helsinki. Johnston naturally started off the left, which allowed Sammie Szmodics play more centrally, and closer to Ferguson.
The system was the same as in Helsinki: a 4-4-2 without the ball but a 3-4-2-1 with it, with Callum O’Dowda pushing high from left back and allowing Johnston play more centrally as a number 10.
Hallgrimsson’s message to his players this week has been to play without heed to the scoreline: he diagnosed an eternal Irish problem this week when he reviewed last month’s double-header and found Ireland played their best football once they fell behind. “Once we had nothing to lose, we played really well”, said Hallgrimsson.
And so Ireland sprung out of the traps with intensity and vigour, pressing Finland high. Early in the game Liam Scales found himself jumping into challenges halfway into the Finnish half, only for Finland to play their way out. That the referee blew for an O’Dowda foul rather than allow play develop was more than a small mercy.
Finland left out a trio of their U21 players to allow them compete in a Euro 2025 play-off at that age-grade, and they also switched up their system, swapping to a back three. The width in their play caused Ireland some headaches, with Scales forced to block Kaan Kairinen’s sweep toward goal when he found himself unmarked in the box from a move whose genesis was a Finnish carve-up of Ireland’s right hand-side.
The game rolled enjoyable back and forth, with Ireland relying on good fortune not to fall behind. First Johnston was clumsily dispossessed on the edge of the Irish box by Robin Lod, who curled a shot against the post with Kelleher rooted to the spot.
Later, Ireland’s enthusiasm to press was exposed when Finland passed the ball through a Josh Cullen-shaped gap in midfield, with Oliver Antman sashaying into the box before sending a goal-bound shot that was brilliantly deflected onto the same post by a splayed Nathan Collins.
Ireland, however, created chances at the other end. Szmodics barrelled his way through a a defender and onto a Cullen through-ball to sting Hradecky’s gloves, while a later Cullen corner was planted wide by Doherty at the back post.
The biggest single positive of the Irish performance, however, was Evan Ferguson. Where Hallgrimsson had been trying to play Ferguson back into rhythm without Brighton’s assistance across September and October, more playing time at club level saw him much sharper tonight.
His work-rate was outstanding, constantly pilfering the ball back, while he showcased his passing range with a delightful through-ball for Szmodics, who rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home in a sweep of conviction that was undone by an immediate offside flag. Szmodics looked at the linesman and pinched together a finger and thumb: it was close.
Ireland, however, need Ferguson to be at his best inside the box and, happily, he was just before half-time. Johnston forgot a fitful performance to jink to the endline and pitch the ball into the six-yard box, where Ferguson was in the right position to rise highest between a pair of defenders and steer the ball in. It was a moment of pure, centre-forward efficiency, and frankly the kind of thing Ireland have been lacking since Robbie Keane retired to complicate his legacy.
Ferguson remained a reliable out-ball for Ireland after half-time: fizz the ball to his feet, and it generally stuck. One gloriously fluid drop of his shoulder and touch took him around a defender and into space, and though Ferguson could’t quite find Szmodics running in behind, Ireland recycled possession before Johnston cut in and curled a shot just wide of the post.
Ferguson would regrettably be influential in the other penalty area before his night was done. Rushing out to block a ball into the penalty area, Finland substitute Daniel O’Shaughnessy got their first, and hooked the ball onto Ferguson’s dangled arm at point-blank range. It was obviously not a deliberate handball, but the VAR deemed it worthy of a review given Ferguson’s hand was raised.
The penalty was awarded after a brief review – the prosecution led the witness by first showing the referee a still image of the ball hitting Ferguson’s hand – but Joel Pohjanpalo had to wait an age before taking the spot kick, as Hallgrimsson cannily made a triple substitution to run down the clock a little further.
Caoimhín Kelleher took his sweet time before handing Pohjanpalo the ball, too, and then threw himself to his right to palm away the penalty before rushing across goal to collect the rebound from the rebound. A reprieved crowd shook out a few Ole, Ole, Oles.
The penalty came at the end of Ireland’s first real spell of passivity in the game, with Finland prodding a few holes in the Irish defence without truly troubling Kelleher.
Ireland needed one final moment of fortune as the game ticked into six minutes of stoppage time: scythed open down their right, Pohjanpalo fluffed his lines and fell over in the Irish box just as Kelleher was readying himself for more necessary heroics.
These are hardly heady days for Ireland, but they are encouraging nonetheless.
Republic of Ireland: Caoimhín Kelleher; Matt Doherty (Dara O’Shea, 75′), Nathan Collins (captain), Liam Scales, Callum O’Dowda; Festy Ebosele (Jayson Molumby, 75′), Josh Cullen, Jason Knight, Mikey Johnston (Ryan Manning, 84′); Sammie Szmodics (Tom Cannon, 84′) Evan Ferguson (Finn Azaz, 75′)
Finland: Lukas Hradecky (captain); Nikolai Alho; Arttu Hoskonen, Robert Ivanov, Matti Peltola (Daniel O’Shaughnessy, 58′); Jere Uronen (Daniel Hakans, 63′); Oliver Antman (Joel Pohjanpalo, 63′), Kaan Kairinen, Glen Kamara, Robin Lod; Benjamin Kallman
Attendance: 39,163
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Finland finnishing the job Republic Of Ireland Soccer uefa nations league