Ireland Avoids Relegation with Hard-Fought Win Over Finland
The Republic of Ireland picked up their second ever win under Heimar Hallgrimsson on Thursday night, as the hosts ran out 1-0 victors over Finland at the Aviva Stadium in the UEFA Nations League.
Evan Ferguson’s first half strike and a late Caoimhin Kelleher penalty save saw the Boys in Green take all three points as they enjoyed their second victory over Finland in as many months, avoiding automatic relegation from League B in the process.
The result leaves Ireland third in the group, six points off both England and Greece in the group, with a playoff to stay in Group B to come next March.
It was a tense affair in the opening 20 minutes in Dublin, with neither side registering a shot on target in a period where the visitors dominated possession.
As the clock approached the 23rd minute Sammie Szmodics had the ball in the back of the net, the Ipswich forward rounding Finland keeper Lukas Hradecky only to be ruled offside.
The visitors reverted to a stern back five when defending and made it very hard for Ireland to progress inside their box.
The best chance the game had seen came in the 30th minute when Minnesota United winger Robin Lod curled a left-footed effort onto Kelleher’s post, who was relieved to see the ball cannon back into play and not the back of his net.
Minutes later an acrobatic header from Benjamin Kallman came close, and the Cracovia forward went one-on-one with Kelleher moments after, later judged to be offside.
With half-time approaching Szmodics did well to manufacture a chance for himself and test Hradecky with his country’s first shot on target. The resulting corner eventually found the head of Liam Scales, the Celtic man unable to make meaningful contact as his attempt sailed harmlessly over.
Four minutes from the break Kelleher’s post was rattled again, as Oliver Antman’s low strike deflected off Nathan Collins and onto the woodwork.
Some trickery from Mikey Johnston created the perfect opportunity for Ferguson to head home just before the break, the Brighton & Hove Albion man rising highest to meet the cross and send his team in ahead at the half.
A second half devoid of concrete chances saw the hosts remain in the lead, Johnston once again getting the crowd off their feet after the hour mark with his whipped effort curling just wide of the post.
Daniel O’Shaughnessy, born to an Irish father, linked up with fellow substitute Joel Pohjanpalo who failed to work Kelleher from a good position, as Finland showed they remained a threat.
A 73rd minute VAR review resulted in a penalty for the visitors, Ferguson ruled to have handled the ball in his area, and Pohjanpalo stepped up for his side.
Hallgrimsson opted to make a triple change before the Finland striker could take his spot kick. Festy Ebosele was forced off through injury, joined by Ferguson and Matt Doherty departing the pitch, with Finn Azaz, Dara O’Shea and Jayson Molumby all in as replacements.
After a long wait Pohjanpalo finally took his penalty, denied by Kelleher who produced a double-save to the rapturous applause of the Aviva crowd, keeping his country in the driving seat.
The full-time whistle brought a nervy night to a close for Ireland, a game where the visitors may have deserved at least a point in truth.
All eyes will now be on Wembley, with the Boys in Green set to make the trip to London to face group leaders England this Sunday.
Ireland: Kelleher, Doherty, Collins, Scales, O’Dowda, Ebosele, Cullen, Knight, Johnston, Szmodics, Ferguson.
Finland: Hradecky, Alho, Hoskonen, Ivanov, Peltola, Uronen, Lod, Kamara, Kairinen, Antman, Kallman.