Ghosts of Gdansk return to haunt Ireland

Ireland 0 Belgium 3: When Ireland’s Euro 2016 isn’t being very different to Ireland’s Euro 2012, it’s being, well, much too alarmingly like it.

The contrast, four years apart, between the opening group games – against, respectively, Croatia and Sweden – could only have been greater had Ireland taken three points instead of just the one against the Swedes.

Where the best Giovanni Trapattoni’s team could manage against the Croatians was a brief spell of parity on the scoreboard before a Luka Modric masterclass helped his side push on to a 3-1 win, Martin O’Neill’s men could and really should have been home and hosed against Sweden even before Wes Hoolahan’s stellar goal provided the breakthrough.