Video replays took centre stage as Spain beat France 2-0 in a friendly at the Stade de France.

Let us transport you back to primary school geography when knowing the most capitals in the class was a much sought after accolade.

A Cork couple are running the Cork City Marathon in memory of their baby Beth, a man has been arrested in connection with the shooting dead of a former IRA commander in Belfast, the people on the Vote No posters are in favour of marriage equality and the Cork school friends who share family links with the Lusitania. Catch up with this evening’s top and most read stories on irishexaminer.com.

A Madrid nurse infected with ebola fought for her life last night as across the world authorities tightened screening of travellers and contain public panic over the spread of contagion.

Macedonia has confirmed it is checking for the ebola virus in a British man who died within hours of being admitted to hospital in the capital Skopje yesterday.

UEFA president Michel Platini’s vision of a European Championship spread across the continent came to fruition in Geneva yesterday, as Wembley Stadium was chosen to host the climax of Euro 2020 with 12 other cities — including Dublin — joining the party.

There is quiet confidence but no certainty of success on the part of the Irish delegation in Geneva ahead of Uefa’s long-awaited announcement this lunchtime of the host nations for the European Championship finals of 2020.

Mario Balotelli fired Italy to next year’s World Cup finals as the Azzurri came from behind to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in Turin last night.

Macedonia 1 Scotland 2

Robin van Persie struck an injury-time penalty as The Netherlands maintained their unbeaten record in World Cup qualifying with a last-gasp draw in Estonia tonight.

WORLD CUP QUALIFYING GROUP C:

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has made clear to captain Vincent Kompany he expects him to put club before country.

Republic of Ireland U19 international Brian Lenihan has committed his future to Cork City after agreeing a new deal that will keep him at Leeside until the end of the 2014 season.

With leaders Sligo Rovers eight points clear with just four games remaining in the Airtricity League Premier Division, it looks increasingly like a battle for silver between St Patrick’s Athletic and Drogheda United.

Icons in a Macedonian church have started to shine without an explanation.

THE stout woman behind the ticket booth at Istanbul’s sprawling Otagor bus station looks quizzical, “Thessaloniki?”.

WITH tonight’s second leg all but a dead rubber, thoughts are already turning to next summer and the possible composition of the squad Giovanni Trapattoni might take with him to eastern Europe.

IT isn’t so long since we faced the prospect of Irish national teams playing their home games on foreign soil while Lansdowne Road was being given its facelift.

LET there be no more talk of Paris.

Macedonia 1 Slovakia 1

SIMON COX was one among a number of Irish players who found it impossible to sleep during the squad’s arduous trip home from the Pyrenees over the weekend and he may well have endured another restless repose last night.

About 200,000 people gathered in Macedonia’s capital Skopje to attend celebrations for the Balkan country’s 20th anniversary of independence.

THREE games to go in European Championship Group B qualifying and, according to Giovanni Trapattoni, that translates into “three cup finals” for Ireland.

Glenn Whelan is hoping the Republic of Ireland have had their sticky patch as they attempt to book their place at the Euro 2012 finals.

SHAY GIVEN is successfully fighting through the pain barrier to be fit for Ireland’s game against Slovakia on Friday.

ROBBIE KEANE, Shay Given and Sean St Ledger all generated headlines this week by declaring the FAI should not delay any longer in giving Giovanni Trapattoni a new contract.

FORMER Wales boss John Toshack has taken over as manager of Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2012 qualifying rivals Macedonia.

HE MIGHT have been a stayaway but he hasn’t gone away, you know.

STEPHEN HUNT is confident the Republic of Ireland’s unbeaten end to the season will spur the team on to greater things when hostilities are resumed.

Stephen Hunt is confident the Republic of Ireland’s unbeaten end to the season will spur the team on to greater things when hostilities are resumed.

Giovanni Trapattoni challenged his Republic of Ireland players to take their impressive form into their remaining Euro 2012 qualifiers after seeing them claim a famous victory over Italy.

THIS was the kind of night that could just give the meaningless end of season friendly a good name, as an Irish side which spent most of the 90 minutes defending as if for its very life, somehow ended up recording a memorable, if almost inexplicable, 2-0 win against Italy.

WHILE the Republic of Ireland were boosting their Euro 2012 qualification hopes with a Robbie Keane-inspired win over Macedonia in Skopje, the man who may one day be the answer to Giovanni Trapattoni’s midfield prayers was en route to America.

Republic of Ireland 2 Italy 0

PAUL MCSHANE will captain the Irish team against Italy in Liege tonight, making it a doubly emotional couple of days for the Wicklow boy.

IF tonight’s friendly in Liege might seem something of an anti-climax for Ireland after that high-stakes game in Skopje, for Italy the feeling must be closer to after-shock.

John O’Shea has hailed Shay Given’s stubborn resistance as the bedrock of the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2012 victory in Macedonia.

RECORD-BREAKING Robbie Keane was the toast of his team-mates and the Irish supporters in Skopje on Saturday.

THE manager calls them the little details, the sort of things that can make all the difference between winning and losing in places like Skopje.

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI was ready to head for the exit door and the airport when a local journalist got to his feet at the post match press conference on Saturday night and unveiled a speech more at home in yesterday’s Macedonian elections.

Republic of Ireland winger Stephen Hunt is targeting at least four points from the September showdowns with Slovakia and Russia to make his Euro 2012 dream a reality.