Booking mix-up could cost Andrews

REPUBLIC of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni last night admitted defeat in the case of mistaken identity, which means midfielder Keith Andrews is in danger of missing the second leg of the Euro-2012 play-off against Estonia next month for a foul he didn’t commit.

UEFA confirmed yesterday that Andrews was recorded as receiving a yellow card in the second half of Ireland’s final Group B match with Armenia two weeks ago, while the name of Aiden McGeady, who committed the foul which resulted in the caution being issued, was not included in the official report of Spanish referee Eduardo Itturalde Gonzalez. Andrews, who was close to McGeady when the foul occurred, did not wish to comment last night, but it’s understood he knew nothing about the booking until yesterday.

Andrews now faces the prospect of being banned for the second leg against Estonia if he is booked in Tallinn. And the fact that his midfield partner Glenn Whelan runs the same risk is bound to concern Trapattoni, who was alerted to the situation yesterday after the Irish Examiner raised the issue with the FAI.