Soccer: Under-21s squander lead in Austria

Republic of Ireland Under-21s squandered a 3-0 lead tonight in an entertaining friendly international in Austria.

With Dwayne Mattis injured, West Ham midfielder Shaun Byrne made an early impression on the game, netting in the 12th minute of the game.

Nottingham Forest’s Keith Foy doubled the advantage four minutes later and when his team-mate Andy Reid got a third after 58, Givens’ men looked set for the victory.

But Andreas Lasnik gave Willie Ruttensteiner’s Austrian youngsters hope three minutes later and Patrick Pircher reduced the deficit 10 minutes from time.

The Irish youngsters could not hold on and Joachim Parapatits notched the equaliser two minutes from time in front of a small crowd of 900 in Kindberg-Styria.