ALEXANDER ISAK brought his sparkling Premier League form to the international stage as a young, inexperienced Northern Ireland were soundly beaten 5-1 in their friendly in Sweden.
Newcastle star Isak made one and scored one as the visitors’ five-match unbeaten run was ruthlessly brought to an end.
Michael O’Neill’s side had their chances under the roof at Stockholm’s Strawberry Arena, but they were wasteful until Isaac Price scored a late consolation while the Swedes were clinical.
Northern Ireland came into the match on the back of an encouraging 1-1 draw with Switzerland, but they had lost Trai Hume and Ethan Galbraith from that game with Portsmouth full-back Terry Devlin and Leyton Orient’s on-loan Tottenham forward Jamie Donley handed full debuts.
Sweden, by contrast, were smarting from Saturday’s 1-0 defeat in Luxembourg, and they clearly meant business by going ahead after only seven minutes.
Isak, with 23 goals for his club this season, was the creator, expertly bringing down a high ball in the area and turning away from his markers.
The Magpies’ Carabao Cup hero nine days ago jinked his way across the box before rolling the ball out to Emil Holm, who was free at the far post to slot beyond Pierce Charles from six yards out.
O’Neill’s side had actually made a bright start, with Justin Devenney forcing a save from Sweden keeper Viktor Johansson inside the first minute and Ruairi McConville heading a free-kick into the side netting.
But with Isak on the prowl, the hosts were always menacing going forward, and moments later, Sweden’s number nine swept past Paddy McNair before hitting a rising shot which flew just over Charles’ crossbar.
Back came O’Neill’s side and Price, their goalscorer against Switzerland, saw a shot saved before Brodie Spencer curled narrowly over the top.
Getting to half-time only one goal down would have given them real grounds for optimism for the second half, but instead, they conceded another after 33 minutes.
Charles could only push a low cross from Gabriel Gudmundsson straight to the feet of Benjamin Nygren, who was left with a tap-in into an empty net.
To their credit, Northern Ireland continued to press, and Johansson had to come up with an acrobatic save to tip a George Savile curler, which was destined for the top corner, over the crossbar.
But just before the hour mark, Sweden had a third when Nygren turned Sebastian Nanasi’s free-kick onto a post and former Watford winger Ken Sema lashed in the rebound.
Five minutes later, Isak had his goal, capitalising on some sloppy Northern Ireland passing on the right flank and curling a superb drive home from the edge of the box.
Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga, on as a substitute, tapped in the fifth with 13 minutes left before Price hit a deflected consolation in the 90th minute to give the 450 hardy members of the green and white army something to cheer.
But O’Neill’s side will have to learn from a lesson in finishing when they go into June friendlies against Iceland and Denmark before the start of World Cup qualifying in September, where Germany await, along with Luxembourg and Slovakia.
Elsewhere, Iran became the second Asian side to secure their place at the 2026 World Cup after twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 with Uzbekistan in Tehran on Tuesday, handing organisers a likely diplomatic headache.
Iran, the second-highest ranked AFC side in the Fifa standings, needed only a point to join Japan in qualifying for the finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Iran will, however, head to North America with relations strained as US President Donald Trump takes a hard line over opening new nuclear talks with Tehran.
The Group A leaders were made to work hard at the Azadi Stadium by upward-trending Uzbekistan, with Mehdi Taremi scoring seven minutes from time — his second of the match — to seal the point.
“We have to thank the fans who filled the stadium today, and thank God they did not leave empty-handed,” said Iran captain Alireza Jahanbakhsh.
Seeking to qualify for a first World Cup, Uzbekistan opened the scoring on 16 minutes through Khojimat Erkinov, before Inter Milan striker Taremi scored his first of the night shortly after half time.
Parity lasted only one minute, with Abbosbek Fayzullaev restoring Uzbekistan’s lead.
Again, Taremi was the man to pull his team back into the game and ultimately book a spot in North America, when he finished past goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov late on.
Iran will be appearing at a fourth successive World Cup and seventh in all.
Taremia expressed his “happiness” with the result but admitted his team had “tactical problems” after conceding twice.
Uzbekistan remain on course for an inaugural appearance at the finals.
Sitting second on 17 points, a win in June either away to third-placed UAE or at home to Qatar, in fourth, will be enough, though they could book their place sooner.
The UAE, locked on 10 points with Qatar, take on bottom team North Korea later on Tuesday. A defeat for the UAE will send Uzbekistan to the finals.
The top two go straight to the World Cup, with teams finishing third and fourth in the three Asian groups entering a further round of qualifying.
- Knife edge race -
Earlier on Tuesday, Australia beat China 2-0 to boost their chances of automatic qualification, but Saudi Arabia stayed in touch in Group C with a goalless draw in Japan.
In Asian Group B, Son Heung-min’s South Korea remain top and favourites to progress, but they put in another toothless performance as they were held at home for the second match in a row – this time 1-1 by Jordan.
Australia’s victory, courtesy of first-half goals from Jackson Irvine and Nishan Velupillay, left the Socceroos second in Group C on 13 points with two to play, three points ahead of Saudi Arabia with a much better goal difference. Japan are already sure to finish top.
Australia host Japan and travel to Saudi Arabia for their final qualifiers in June, leaving the race for the second direct qualification place on a knife edge. China stay bottom on six points, but they can progress to a further qualifying stage by finishing third or fourth.
Indonesia moved into fourth on nine points thanks to a 1-0 win over Bahrain.
Oxford United forward Ole Romeny scored his second goal in as many games to give Netherlands and Barcelona great Patrick Kluivert his first victory since becoming manager.
South Korea drew 1-1 with second-placed Jordan in Suwon after registering the same scoreline against Oman last week.
Two wins would have seen South Korea qualify with two matches to spare.
They face a tricky away trip to Iraq in June and a final home clash against Kuwait, needing four points to be certain of progressing without having to rely on other results.
Jordan are three points behind South Korea, but Iraq can leapfrog them and close the gap to one point at the top of Group B if they beat Palestine in Amman later.
Additional reporting by AFP
Attaboy ROG. Well deserved!
Only question is why it took so long?
@MK76: I was wondering that but when you look at the age profile of the other 11 (bar BOD who went in 2 years ago) it seems we are just getting around to this era now.
Well deserved, legend of the game
Brilliant stuff and well deserved. Rog isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but there’s no denying his class. 3 lions tours, two Heineken cups, Ireland’s and Munsters top points scorer ever and 128 caps. That’s a phenomenal career. His points total is unlikely to be beaten for a long time to come in an Irish jersey.
@Jim Demps: I really like ROG and he was a fantastic player for ireland. but I always wonder why three lions tours is the first thing on his list of honours. To be an out half on tour you have to be the best in your country and then it’s between you and three other out halfs for three spots. 75% chance is pretty good odds. I think ROG will admit that the lions is all about test starts. Did he have one? I think the heiniken cups are a greater achievement
@Jim Demps: if you mention the Lions tours one has to note he cost the lions the tour in 2009 being a road bump for Fourie and a few minutes later giving away the silliest penalty imaginable.
@Andrew Hurley: you’re old enough to know that a single mistake doesn’t lose a game of rugby. Disappointing that that’s the only comment you have to make about a guy who just got inducted into the hall of fame is to bring up a bad game of his. I’m yet to see a player not make a mistake.
@James Kelleher: doesn’t matter if it’s first or last, his career stats are the same either way. The lions is a big achievement though because you are being recognized for being the best among your peers. Take George ford. He starts every English game but he’s a long way off being a lion.
@Andrew Hurley: while concussed at the time. Easy to put your own spin on things isint it?
@Andrew Hurley: I’d suspect that he was concussed at the time in fairness to him. He’d have been replaced today.
@Andrew Hurley: can we not celebrate an Irish legend. Well done ROG. This man has done a mountain of work to push Irish rugby forward.
Well deserved.
@James Kelleher: Far greater competition in ROG’s time with Wilkinson and Stephen Jones in the NH (not to mention probably the world’s greatest ever outhalf, Dan Carter). We’ll never see such a crop like them again at the same time. It would be interesting to see if Sexton would be starting Lions outhalf if Stephen Jones was around now with Gatland coaching or against New Zealand with Woodward coaching.
@Jim Demps: he deserves it no doubt but unlike say ODriscoll his rugby career is far from finished and the way his coaching career is going he may well find himself getting a second induction purely for coaching achievements .
@Limón Madrugada: I get the feeling you’re right there. He’s an ambitious guy and I get the feeling he is eyeing up a bigger job than assistant coach somewhere
@Limón Madrugada: but he hasn’t even had a head coach job anywhere! Why the need for such hyperbole? He has had many achievements to get inducted so why not stick to them?
@Jim Demps: dear Jim. I make it as the other things go without saying but you referenced the Lions. In 2001 he got beat up by a back & in 2009 the Lions WOULD have drawn (or have had the opportunity to draw) the series without his contributions. That’s undeniable considering his ‘tackle’ was the last act in open play. I haven’t seen any evidence he was concussed, and he certainly wasn’t when Fourie treated him like a schoolboy. Even Stringer wouldn’t get smashed like that.
@Andrew Hurley: Negative as ever. Do you ever have anything positive to say? Yeah he missed a tackle but no need to blow it out of all proportion. Lots of errors from both players and management led to them losing that series. As for the tackle it easy to criticise from the comfort of your armchair but when you look a bit closer at it it’s not as bad as it’s often made out. 20 seconds earlier he was rolling on the ground clutching his head having taken down Pierre Spies. He could’ve easily stayed down but he had the guts to get back up and put his body back on the line. And yeah his technique was poor and Fourie bowled through him but he’d an awful angle to attempt the tackle, Fourie was a massive man playing at the height of his powers and both Mike Phillips and Tommy Bowe (both far bigger men and better defenders) had a chance to tackle Fourie and they both missed too. Why do people only talk about O’Gara? Because he’s one of those lighting rod players that people love to hate. And you know what he’s had the balls to front up to those errors, admit his fault and even have a joke at his own expense.
As for 2001 he is a back. What’s the shame in getting beaten up by another back? Do you have a personal issue with the guy because you rarely miss the opportunity to have a go at him. And anyway I don’t know why I’m getting sucked into the negativity. This is a chance to celebrate a legend of Irish rugby not nit pick about a couple of mistakes.
@Eddie Hekenui: my original post stands. That Hurley lad has had three posts now and all of them negative about an Irish player who’s just been inducted into rugby’s hall of fame. I think it reflects more about Andrew Hurley than anything else.
On another note, welcome back. Looking forward to another season of rugby and stupid arguments?
@Jim Demps: Can’t wait for the rugby. Should be an exciting season. I think Munster and Connacht have both improved while Ulster will hopefully move onwards and upwards after their annus horribilis. Leinster will be right up there as the best side in Europe if not the World and then there’s the small matter of the World Cup to look forward too. Plus my Crusaders just dominated Super Rugby again to kick off this season for me!!
@Jim Demps: Yeah totally agree with your original post. How are you feeling about the season ahead. Do you think Munster can get over the hump in either/both Europe or the Pro14
@Eddie Hekenui: I haven’t been as excited for a season in ten years. Van graan gets a preseason and we have made 3 of the most exciting signings in europe. Add to that the return from injury of cloete, farrell and taute, all who missed large parts of not all of last season and it’s like we’ve another 3 new signings on top of the 4 that we’ve made. With everybody fit we will be very hard to beat.
@Martin Quinn: his name was Duncan McRae and you’re right, it was assault. 11 punches in total. He never even apologized in person to o gara.
@Jim Demps: u can’t be inducted twice
@Jim Demps: Having the coaches in place for a full pre season will be huge. Easy to forget the turnover they’ve had in the last few years.
@Andrew Hurley: Andrew when you’re off social media trying you’re hand at the newest trolling media in 30 years time ROG will be a two time Hall of Famer , you read it here first
It’s not negative – if you want to state an accomplishment then by all means do say – but the Lions tours were a low point for O’Gara and I don’t see what is wrong with saying so.
It’s great to see you all so morally decent wrt that Aussie back – do you feel the same about the likes of Clohessy et al, that they shd apologize to those they hit?
@Andrew Hurley: Yes I’m sure O’Gara views getting selected on 3 Lions tours as a career low point.
@Andrew Hurley: if you want to get out of the hole you’re talking through then quit digging. You seem to look for the cloud in every silver lining and your posts are annoyingly thick.
The author should include a brief explanation to his career as a lot of ‘fans’ nowadays don’t know much about rugby 5 years or more in the past.
I even read a comment on here last week the the sexton o’gara debate is over (in sextons favor),
Spoken truly out of naivety and most likely on the basis of having watched the winding down of o’garas career and the beginning of sextons.
Anyone who has followed rugby for a considerable amount of time should be aware of o’garas contributions and how they haven’t been close to been repeated on these shores, him reaching over 1000 test points can attest to this, along with his pin point spirals in behind teams.
Sexton a gift and class act to have in irish rugby who may well continue and create and similar legacy or better.
O’gara a legend that was a master of his trade. Congratulations on a well deserved recognition.
@baw baw: Or, you know, it could’ve been a ‘fan’ who just truly believes that Sexton has been a more rounded and more impactful player at a slightly higher level without that being a sleight on ROG who was a key part of a breakthrough generation.
Just a thought like…
@Oval Digest: ROG always gave me a Royal pain. I don’t like listening to him on the tv. He is a bit rough around the edges as a person. This award now will go to his head and he will be even more painful. Himself and Sexton were both good at kicking the oval shaped ball between the posts but why wouldn’t they be? They practiced it often enough in training. I’ve no interest in debating which is better. It’s like debating your favorite color with somebody – utterly pointless!
@baw baw: Why did you bother writing that? Do you have nothing better to do? This is fairly typical in the42 comments section now. ‘I don’t agree with this poster, therefore he must be a new fan to the game.’ Even if it were true, we all start somewhere. You’re one fan, and that poster you refer to is one fan. You’re not worth more just because you have a high opinion of yourself.
@baw baw: why do you want to attract negative comments on what should be a day to celebrate an Irish legend.
@Sean: One man’s meat is another man’s poison. Just heard Des Cahill of RTE Sport saying that Ronan O’Gara was his all-time favourite sports person – not just because he was a great player, but his mischievious personality.
great, thanks for the input lads
Paul O’ Connell?
@Gone Fishing: You’d imagine he’ll be inducted in the next 2-3 years.
Good for ROG but Ollie Campbell isn’t in the Hall of Fame yet? I’m stunned!
@JJ Griffin: as good as he was, he only played 22 times for Ireland and even in the amateur era that is not a hall of fame career. There are just 142 overall so the criteria must be pretty tough.
@JJ Griffin: never heard of him. What sport did he play?
Good stuff. Just spotted him yesterday in Cork and was thinking how much he contributed to Irish rugby. Happy memories.
@Kevin McCarthy: Stalker alert! (Smiley face)
@Sean: fk off Sean
About time too. Let’s hope his coaching career will be as successful. (Looking good so far.)
Legend! We’ll never see another player like him.
Woop woop ! Delighted for Ronan truly deserved
The omission of Terry Kingston makes it a farce for me
@Roy Ska Butler: Eddie Hekunni
A well deserved honour for a true legend of Irish and Munster rugby. At his best one of the best game manager’s I’ve ever seen in action. There was times when he seemed to have laser guided accuracy with his kicks to touch and he’d an absolutely massive set of stones on him. With the game on the line and your team in drop goal position there are very few players I’d want there ahead of him. Also he’s one of a host of guys across the provinces, foreign and domestic, that helped drive Irish rugby to the position it’s in today. He wasn’t happy with being a plucky underdog or gallant in defeat and that’s how every Irish rugby player feels taking the field today because of guys like O’Gara. Thanks for the memories.
Special mention to Bryan Williams a real giant fo the game in NZ. Surprised it’s taken so long to get him on there
Fantastic, truly deserved.
Surely the article could name the 12 Irish, as a matter is interest can anyone name them?
The the anglo 12 list ever get released?
Big Paulie should have been in the same group ..
Ahh well what’s another year because by God
That Man is going in that Hall of Fame..