Wes Hoolahan The Hero As Ireland Draw With Sweden

Irish football fans faced a Rubik’s Cube of imponderables tonight after Martin O’Neill’s men got off to a solid start – but not a winning one – in Euro 2016.

It was an enthralling day of football in Group E, with Ireland facing Sweden in the opening game at 5pm Irish time. The tie at Stade de Francais in Paris, ended in a 1-1 draw, keeping both sides firmly in contention to qualify for the knockout stages. However, there was a view that life had become somewhat more complicated, later in the day, when Italy produced a powerful display to overcome Belgium 2-0, with goals from Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle leaving the much fancied Belgians rooted to the bottom of what may well be the tournament’s real Group of Death.

What that precious Italian victory will mean to the Irish remains to be seen. Might the immensely talented Belgians find their range and start to fire off winning combinations when they meet Ireland on Saturday afternoon? Or, on the other hand, are they now potentially demoralised, and effectively there for the taking, if Ireland can up their game a notch or two?

The galling thing is that the result today might have been even better for Ireland, after what was widely, and rightly, hailed as a fine performance by the men in green.

Captained by John O’Shea of Sunderland, Ireland began slowly – and the first 20-odd minutes will certainly go down as, at best, forgettable for both teams. But Ireland eventually settled and began to produce some genuinely good football – and a series of chances that on another day might all have been converted.

With Glenn Whelan dominating in his defensive midfield role and Wes Hoolahan gradually coming into his own, the shape of the game shifted. Robbie Brady began to raid with purpose down the Irish left side. Jeff Hendrick was a potent ally.

Thus in quick succession, Jeff Hendrick tested the Swedish keeper. Robin Brady fired just over from outside the box. And Hendrick was again to the fore driving through the Swedish defence to fire a brilliant strike against the bar. John O’Shea, meanwhile, just couldn’t get on the end of a ball that squirmed agonisingly across the opposition goalmouth.

At the far end, Sweden had barely troubled the Irish goalkeeper Darren Randolph and at half-time, the feeling was that Ireland were unlucky not to be at least a goal – and potentially two or three – to the good.

And so there was no great sense of surprise when Ireland opened the scoring just three minutes into the second half. Seamus Coleman had looked uncharacteristically nervy during the first half, but as the half began he seemed to have found his sea legs. The ball was fed to him on the right and he took on the nearest defenders, working his way to the end line before cutting back and bursting into the box. The fear of giving away a penalty may have forced caution on the Swedes but he was allowed enough room to dink a cross towards the inside left channel.

Wes Hoolahan had first darted forward and then, spotting the adjustment in Seamus Coleman’s run stepped back a couple of yards in anticipation. His intuition was precise. The ball bounced slightly behind him, but he was perfectly positioned to hit it on the half-volley. With his less favoured right foot, it was a sweet strike and powered into the left corner of the Swedish goal. 1-0.

The goal secured, it was, it has to be said, a time when – more than ever – cool heads were needed. Rather than slowing down the game and controlling the ball, Ireland allowed Sweden to wrest the initiative. There were close shaves – potential goals thwarted by a combination of excellent defending and a stroke of good fortune or two.

Watching the game, it was impossible to escape the mounting feeling that a goal was coming – and that it was only a matter of when. And so it proved. The Irish defence, well marshalled by John O’Shea, and with Glen Whelan doing an excellent job picking up Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he dropped deep, had kept the Swedish icon relatively quiet. However, he was not to be fully denied.

A slightly quicker response from John O’Shea might have made all the difference. But Ibrahimovic got the drop on the outside of the Irish captain. His cut-back was dangerous, for sure. But Darren Randolph might have smothered it if he had dived. Ciaran Clark, meanwhile, had opted not to drop right in, for fear that he might have left the route to the raiding Sebb Larssen clear. But with O’Shea and Randolph taken out of the equation, Clark had to attempt a diving, defensive header. To the consternation of the thousands of Irish fans in the stadium, and at home, rather than clearing the danger, he headed it into his own net – a nightmarish blot on what had otherwise been a fine performance by the Aston Villa central-defender. 1-1.

Forced to chase a goal to win, Ireland again began to dominate. James McClean, Robbie Keane and Aiden McGeady were introduced for a clearly wounded Jon Walters (who is now doubtful for the remainder of the tournament), for Wes Hoolahan and for James McCarthy. But none of the players could produce the magic that might have defined Ireland’s tournament – and the final whistle blew for a draw after 94 minutes.

Afterwards, Martin O’Neill hailed what had he said had been a magnificent performance by the Irish team. The players were feeling disappointed in the dressing room, he stated, but he had told them that they should be proud of the way they had played. It was a view with which it was hard to disagree.

On balance – as the RTE panel of John Giles, Eamon Dunphy and Liam Brady said – Ireland had looked the better side. We had created the more clear-cut chances. And the performance was encouraging, in that it suggested that we might just have what it takes to do the business against the Belgians and the Italians.

Just how badly that theory was undermined by what took place in the second Group E game later this evening is impossible to answer right now. In a commanding display, Italy absorbed everything that Belgium threw at them and sealed quite a remarkable victory with a goal in the dying seconds to win 2-0.

It was a consummate, professional performance by Italy that made the Belgian side look relatively ordinary, the glittering talents on display notwithstanding.

Might Belgium, like the proverbial wounded lion, come roaring back and pulverise Ireland to make amends for their below par football tonight? Or was their impoverished display a statement as to just how far sort of their apparent potential this really team is – suggesting that a resolute performance by Ireland might indeed see us taking all three points?

Right now, I am not sure. Kevin de Bruyne was thoroughly unconvincing for Belgum tonight. But how likely is it that he will have a second stinker of that magnitude? Eden Hazard showed signs of getting back to his best. But he too failed to unlock an Italian back-four, who along with keeper Gianluca Buffon, gave a masterclass in smart defending.

And what of Ireland? Are there changes that need to made it the Belgian joust in mind. The RTE panel seemed to be convinced that James McCarthy had played badly tonight and should be dropped. I didn’t see it that way at all.

It’s true that a more commanding display from him might have made all the difference. But there was a lot to admire about the way he went about things. A chest-down that didn’t quite come off led to a professional foul and a booking – which meant that he had to walk on eggshells later in the game. But overall he did okay.

Our most disappointing performer this evening was probably Seamus Coleman. He looked very nervous for the first 20 to 25 minutes and seemed to be seriously off the pace. That said, he did provide the assist for Wes Hoolahan’s superb goal – confirming that he still has the ability to bamboozle opponents if he gets far enough forward.

Shane Long had to take a terrible hammering throughout from the Swedish central defenders, but it was not one of his better gigs. And Jonathan Walters, who looked less than fully fit, also got a fierce kicking without ever seriously threatening the Swedish goal.

But there were enough positives in the performances of Robbie Brady, Jeff Hendrick, Wes Hoolahan and Glenn Whelan to balance the picture. All told, it was a good days work. Roll on Saturday…

Player ratings:

Darren Randolph 7; Seamus Coleman 6, John O’Shea 7, Ciaran Clark 7, Robbie Brady 8; James McCarthy 6, Glenn Whelan 8; Jon Walters 6, Wes Hoolahan 8.5, Jeff Hendrick 7.5; Shane Long 7. Subs: James McClean 7; Robbie Keane 6, Aiden McGeady 6.