Two points dropped or one point gained. When the ref blew the final whistle on Saturday night, I wasn’t quite sure. Having had time to digest Ireland’s opener over the last 48 hours, I still can’t decide.
Football evolves and changes all the time; however, certain core principals remain at international level. Win your home games. Especially against your main rival. And we have failed at the first hurdle, again. However, experience tells me that there will be a twist up ahead, somewhere.
But make no mistake, this was a huge opportunity blown. Here we were, an opening game at home to our main rival for a play-off spot in front of a sold-out Aviva stadium. On a Saturday night no less. A gift.
Before I go off on a rant, I have to give the FAI credit for the pre-match anthem and Wild Rover acapella. It was spot on. It really struck a chord with the fans, and they loved it. The atmosphere was electric.
Then the whistle blew.
How can that group of players perform so abjectly? It was shocking. Granted it’s not the finest of Ireland teams, however, that’s a decent side. Yet, the defending for Hungary’s opener… I’ve seen better defending at the astro on a Sunday.
Before the game, we had the usual new campaign tropes bandied about. Energy, concentration, physicality… We even had a video package designed at getting people into the ground and supporting the Boys in Green.
The fans did their bit…
The Boys in Green, however, looked like a team of strangers. This was Heimir Hallgrimmson’s ninth competitive game in charge of Ireland and the eight were Ireland conceded first. They hadn’t learned a damn thing.
Matt Doherty, who has again found himself in hot water with Irish fans, had only half cleared the danger from a Hungary attack – heading straight to Callum Styles. The Wolves defender then compounded his error by playing Barnabas Varga onside, who then proceeded to slot home for the visitors. Disaster.
The Roar was silenced. Flat. Dead. We were only two minutes in…
The second, 14 minutes later, wasn’t much better in terms of defending. A bread-and-butter corner from Hungary’s main man Dominik Szoboszlai was turned into a five-course meal and Roland Sallai made no mistake with his header.
The reality is it could have been worse. No one would have complained if we were four down at the break. Thankfully it was only two.
Evan Ferguson, who had as much service as Dublin Airport’s metrolink, showed a glimpse of his quality. His touch and strength to bounce two defenders off his giant frame and carve out a shot from nothing was elite level stuff. Through no fault of his own, we just didn’t get enough of it.
At the break, the players were staring elimination in the face, and their coach Heimir Hallgrimson was perhaps facing the tin tack. AFTER THE FIRST GAME! Even Stephen Kenny didn’t manage that. I guess that made the half-time team talk rather easy don’t you think?
Surprisingly there were no changes at half-time, it was a case of “you got us into this, you get us out of it”
A reaction was expected, and a reaction was had. Just three minutes after the break, Ryan Manning’s free kick was met by a weak punch from Dibusz only for Sammie Szmodics to head back in for Ferguson to bundle over the line. After the all-clear from VAR, it was 2-1. Game On.
The crowd had woken up. It was electric. Things got even better when goal scorer Sallai got his marching orders with a straight red, ignoring his Captain’s plea (Szoboszlai) for calm a few minutes earlier. The Lansdowne Roar was at full pelt, it was amazing – a real throwback to better days.
The Boys in Green knew there was blood to be had here. However, Friday night showed again why we are blessed to have Caoimhin Kelleher. One of the top goalies in Europe, no doubt. Two class saves from Bolla and Styles kept the hopes of a comeback alive.
It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t sophisticated. It was as basic as a weekend away in Hastings. But it worked. Well, sort of. FORTY crosses were lashed into Denes Dibusz’s box in the second half. Martin O’Neill would have been proud.
Finally, after a few top saves from Dibusz, it was super sub and Swansea City’s newest acquisition Adam Idah who got the equaliser in the 93rd minute. The place came unglued with everyone dancing in the aisles, save for the Hungarians and Heimir Hallgrimmson. Who was probably more relieved than anything.
Questions have to be asked, though. The players, as mentioned, were dreadful. Bereft of creativity, guile and endeavour. And of course, Matt Doherty. I hate to single out players. But why was he playing at left back?
Over to you Mr Hallgrimmson. Why did we have a left back with little pace playing at left wing, with a proper left winger sitting on the bench? Why was Sammie Szmodics playing as a right winger, when he plays on the left for Ipswich, whilst two actual right sided wingers sat on the bench. Even though I think Szmodics is better down the centre behind a striker. It was strange stuff.
Up until Luxembourg away, I thought Heimir had rarely put a foot wrong. Okay, we lost 5-0 to England, but a red card and penalty can explain that away. However, his player rotation against Luxembourg had me baffled and deeply worried. Why choose an experienced line-up in a nothing game? Why not give it some meaning by throwing on Bosun Lawal and see if indeed he is the answer in midfield?
Last night, Jason Knight and Josh Cullen proved yet again why change is needed in the engine room. Sideways passes, going nowhere, will get us nowhere. We need someone to drive forward. Bosun could be that guy. However, we still don’t know.
We may have lashed the Hungarian’s box out of it (ooh er) in the second half; however, it was a scruffy set piece and some interplay around the D that brought about parity. It was desperation stuff really from Ireland. It was just a crazy game of football with absolutely no-one at the wheel.
It was said that ten points was the magic number for a play-off. Portugal look in fine form, so that’s probably the maximum we can expect. However, we have now made it incredibly difficult for ourselves. That’s the bad news.
The good news is, we’re still in this with a fair bit of football to be played. Tuesday against Armenia is a must win game. To be fair it always was. If we can come away with three points, you never know, Armenia might do us a favour further down the line. It’s happened before and football has a habit of repeating itself.
Anything less than that and we’ll be 24 years without a world cup and perhaps a manager.