Samba Boys switch on magic

AT THE Emirates last night, Ireland might have discovered that they hadn’t used up all their bad luck in Paris when Keith Andrews put through his own net right at the end of the first half but, ultimately, it was sheer class which told as Robinho crowned his return to England with a sumptuous second-half goal that had ‘Made in Brazil’ stamped all over it.

From Don Givens to Don Giovanni, 20 games had elapsed since the last time Ireland met Brazil, another moment of class from the same Robinho settling a moderately entertaining affair at Lansdowne Road. That meeting in February 2008 took place in the limbo period between the end of the Steve Staunton era and the commencement of the Italian job. Much has changed since then – why, even the venue itself has disappeared, hence this latest excursion to London – but, even for a much more stable Ireland, there was still a transitional quality about last night’s match coming, as it did, between the end of one campaign and the beginning of another.

And with seven months still to go to the start of the Euros, Ireland could be looking quite different by the time we get to the business end of that long slog.