Evan Ferguson’s fourth senior international goal handed the Republic of Ireland a 1-0 Nations League victory over Finland as Caoimhin Kelleher saved a penalty to see them across the line.
The 20-year-old Brighton striker’s header in the final minute of the first half proved sufficient to add three more points to those his side secured in the reverse fixture in Helsinki last month, but only after Liverpool keeper Kelleher had kept out substitute Joel Pohjanpalo’s second-half spot-kick.
Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson has now won two of the five matches for which he has been in charge, but the fact that Ireland have tasted victory just eight times in their last 34 competitive outings fixtures serves as a reminder that they remain a work in progress.
FT | Three points and a clean sheet to secure third place in the group!#COYBIG | #IRLFIN pic.twitter.com/jOluJjSj0B
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) November 14, 2024
However, a fit-again Ferguson, aided by the invention of winger Mikey Johnston and the movement and industry of Sammie Szmodics and a general tenacity in defence suggests a measure of improvement even if theywere grateful to the woodwork for two first-half escapes.
Kaan Kairinen produced the game’s first attempt with 14 minutes gone, but cleared the crossbar by some distance, much to the enjoyment of the locals, although Liam Scales had to throw himself into the path of the midfielder’s 16th-minute shot after Nikolai Alho and Robin Lod had exchanged passes down the right to open Ireland up.
They thought they had taken a 23rd-minute lead with their most fluent move of the game to that point when Szmodics rounded keeper Lukas Hradecky to finish after running on to Ferguson’s superb pass, but he has slightly mistimed his run and an offside flag ruined his celebrations.
Ferguson saw a long-range attempt loop over with Hradecky wrong-footed two minutes later with Hallgrimsson’s men warming to their task, but they were fortunate to escape 14 minutes before the break when Alho robbed Johnston and fed Lod, who curled a left-foot shot across Kelleher, but saw the ball come back off the far post.
Striker Benjamin Kallman acrobatically headed just wide from an Antman cross and was then denied one-on-one by Kelleher, and Hradecky had to tip over Szmodics’ well-struck effort after he had muscled defender Arttu Hoskonen off the ball.
Matt Doherty – back in the starting line-up after initially being left out of the squad – powered a free-header wide from Johnston’s corner with four minutes of the half remaining, but it took Nathan Collins’ intervention to turn Antman’s goal-bound effort on to the same post which had earlier denied Kallman, and the Republic made the most of their second escape on the stroke of half-time.
Johnston tricked his way past Alho once again and chipped the most teasing of crosses into the box for Ferguson to head home from close range.
If the first half had ended in explosive fashion, the start of the second was prosaic by comparison with Szmodics’ foraging runs and Peltola’s willingness to drill cross-field passes out to Alho all it had to recommend it.
Johnston went just wide after cutting inside Lod from Doherty’s driven pass, but Kelleher was relieved to see Pohjanpalo steer a first-time shot just over from fellow substitute Daniel O’Shaughnessy – his father was born in Ireland – with 22 minutes remaining.
Ferguson’s evening took a turn for the worse with 14 minutes remaining when, after a VAR review, he was adjudged to have blocked O’Shaughnessy’s hooked attempt with his arm and German referee Harm Osmers belatedly pointed to the spot.
But Kelleher guessed correctly as he dived to his right to save Pohjanpalo’s attempt from 12 yards before claiming the loose ball, and the striker further fluffed his lines in stoppage time when he fell over inside the box after being presented with a chance to redeem himself.
Chelsea climbed back into the Premier League’s top four as Enzo Fernandez’s header early in the second half earned a 1-0 derby win over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.Enzo Maresca’s side were under pressure after limping into the international break playing football that had ceased to excite home fans, but they largely had the better of a disappointing Spurs team that failed to tak...
David Moyes believes James Tarkowski was lucky to avoid a red card for his reckless challenge on Alexis Mac Allister as Everton were beaten 1-0 by Liverpool on a controversial night at Anfield.Diogo Jota’s 57th-minute goal, which Moyes claimed should have been ruled out for offside, gave Liverpool a 100th derby win and moved them a step closer to the Premier League title, but both sides were...
Jack Grealish dedicated his goal to his late brother after scoring in Manchester City’s 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Leicester on Wednesday.The England international hit his first Premier League goal for 16 months, on his first start in the competition since last December, as City moved back into fourth with a comfortable success at the Etihad Stadium.It came on the 25th anniversary of...
David Moyes bemoaned an “offside” goal that gave Liverpool a 1-0 win over Everton – but admitted James Tarkowski was lucky to avoid an early red card on a controversial night at Anfield.Diogo Jota’s 57th-minute goal gave Liverpool a 100th derby win and moved them a step closer to the Premier League title, but both sides were left unhappy with decisions from referee Sam Barr...
Eddie Howe hailed Sandro Tonali’s shooting power after seeing him cap a fine display with a stunning winner to edge Newcastle into the race for Champions League qualification.The 24-year-old Italy international brought an incident-packed encounter to a fitting conclusion with a 74th-minute piledriver which beat goalkeeper Mark Flekken from an improbable angle to hand the Magpies a precious 2...
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery believes Marcus Rashford is “progressively getting better” in all aspects of his game following his first Premier League goal for the club.The on-loan Manchester United forward set Villa on course for a comprehensive 3-0 win over fellow European hopefuls Brighton with a 51st-minute finish at the Amex Stadium.Rashford’s milestone strike came three days ...
Southampton boss Ivan Juric vowed to keep fighting as relegation moved sharply into focus after Crystal Palace denied them only a third Premier League win of the season.Substitute Matheus Franca’s stoppage-time header, to secure a 1-1 draw for the Eagles, means Saints will be down at the weekend if they lose at Tottenham and Wolves beat Ipswich.If relegation is confirmed on Sunday, Southampt...
Derby boss John Eustace insists his side are reaping the rewards for the hard work they have put in since he was appointed as manager after the Rams earned a 2-0 win over Preston to climb out of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.Derby came out firing after a lacklustre opening period and Craig Forsyth coolly slotted the hosts in front with his fourth goal of the season.The Rams doubled thei...
Notts County manager Stuart Maynard hailed a “massive” three points as his side comfortably saw off MK Dons at Meadow Lane to maintain their promotion challenge.Two stunning strikes from David McGoldrick and Will Jarvis from the edge of the box, either side of Nick Tsaroulla’s close-range effort, earned County a convincing 3-0 win.“I think every three points is massive now,...
Kieran McKenna was not getting too giddy dreaming of a miracle escape from relegation after Ipswich beat Bournemouth 2-1 to pick up their first Premier League win of 2025.Goals from Nathan Broadhead and top-scorer Liam Delap did the damage as Ipswich put a further dent in Bournemouth’s hopes of qualifying for Europe.McKenna, whose side are still nine points adrift of 17th-placed Wolves who t...
- 1 Hot WAG flaunts 'astonishing' washboard abs in bikini
- 2 Danny Rohl hails Sheffield Wednesday resilience in draw at Cardiff
- 3 Alfie May double sends Birmingham step closer to Championship
- 4 Marcus Rashford scores first Premier League goal for Villa in win at Brighton
- 5 Ryan Lowe and Conor Hourihane felt team deserved more as Wigan and Barnsley draw
- 6 Mat Sadler hails Taylor Allen set-piece skills after Walsall snatch draw
- 7 Chris Davies says Alfie May’s goal drought never concerned him
- 8 Football fan 'eats' raw pig's head in ultimate insult
- 9 Marcus Rashford still looking to improve after firing Villa into FA Cup semis
- 10 Chelsea prepare €70m for Barcelona defender