A goal in each half sees Ireland U21s lose to experienced Swiss

Alex Gilbert of Republic of Ireland during the U21 international friendly match between Switzerland and Republic of Ireland at Dama de Noche Football Centre in Marbella, Spain. Picture :Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

U21 friendly: Republic of Ireland U21 0 Switzerland U21 2 

Switzerland's experience told as they brushed aside Ireland’s U21s despite some good spells by Jim Crawford’s side during today's first of three friendlies in Spain.

A goal in each half made the difference at the Marbella Football Centre. Despite Ireland reacting well to Leonidas Stergiou’s 12th-minute opener, they were unable to capitalise and duly got punished on the break by Gabriel Bares’ 52nd-minute second.

While Crawford only had new skipper Conor Coventry as a surviving mainstay of the last qualifying Euro campaign, Switzerland’s squad contained six members of the panel that reached the finals in March, where they beat England.

These included Alex Jankewitz, infamously sent off two minutes into his Southampton debut in the 9-0 walloping by Manchester United in February.

Stergiou, a regular with recently-crowned Swiss Cup winners St Gallen, was another of their Euros cohort and the defender pounced to bundle the ball home when Ireland failed to deal with a free-kick into the box.

Republic of Ireland captain Conor Coventry before the U21. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

With Jankewitz dominating midfield, Ireland struggled to contain the flow and almost fell further behind when Kastriot Imer’s shot flew a yard over.

Tyriek Wright had a penalty claim rejected when bundled over in the box as Ireland finally began to threaten approaching the break.

Debutant Oisin McEntee couldn’t angle his header on target from Wright’s cross, while the Aston Villa winger himself drilled a shot wide following a rehearsed corner from Louie Watson to the near post.

That would be as much as Ireland could conjure from the attacking standpoint, as the Swiss reasserted their stranglehold on key areas.

Imer's raid from just inside Ireland’s half was stopped by Festy Ebosele’s foul but the referee played advantage, allowing substitute Gabriel Bares to crack a shot straight inside Brian Maher’s near post for the second.

Next up for Ireland on Wednesday is Australia’s Olympics-bound U23s before they conclude against Denmark on Saturday.

IRELAND: B Maher; F Ebosele (S Flynn 77), M McGuinness, O McEntee, L Richards (G Kilkenny 57); C Coventry (L Connell 71), R Johansson (C Noss 46); L Watson (A Gilbert 70), C Grant (W Ferry 57), T Wright; JJ Kayode (J Afolabi 57).

SWITZERLAND: Saipi; Gantenbeim, Stergiou, Burch, Kronig; Sohm; Jankewitz, Males, Imeri, Mambinbi; Stojilkovic.