Ireland force late leveller through calamitous Serbia own goal
John Egan and Shane Duffy celebrate Ireland's equalising goal. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie
Rarely has a draw to confirm Ireland’s elimination from World Cup contention with three qualifiers left been greeted with such enthusiasm.
A goal down at the break and outplayed for 85 minutes, Stephen Kenny’s side gained some respite when their goalscorer Sergej Milinkovic-Savic booted his clearance off Nikola Milenkovic and back into the net for the equaliser.
There was even time for Ireland to clinch an unlikely victory in stoppage time - Andrew Omobamidele’s thunderous shot forcing Predrag Rajković to push the ball around the post.
Equally, the Serbs might have nicked it at the death, as Nemanja Gudelj long-range curled clipped the top of the crossbar.
That would have been a harsh way for Gavin Bazunu’s night to end, for again he was Ireland’s man-of-the-match and responsible for keeping them in the game against the slick Serbs.
After starring on his first start in Faro last Wednesday, it was surprising to see Jamie McGrath airbrushed completely out of Saturday’s visit of Azerbaijan but it was rectified by the midfielder coming in to support Adam Idah.
He was one of four changes; the injured pair of Aaron Connolly and Seamus Coleman being replaced by Alan Browne and Omobamidele.
Jeff Hendrick came in for Troy Parrott as Kenny tried to solidify a midfield that got overrun too many times against the group’s seeds.
For Serbia, their big boost came in the form of Aleksandar Mitrovic brushing off a broken cheekbone he sustained against Luxembourg to take his place leading the attack.
The striker is the top scorer across all 10 qualifying groups, commencing his spree off the bench in the reverse fixture in March by bagging a brace. Sporting a shiner from his skirmish, he was in such a hurry to add to his tally that he prematurely broke away following their own national anthem just as Amhrán na bhFiann was about to belt out.
Mitrovic and Co were fully intent on dishing out a bloody nose to the Irish defence in their hunt for the points to stay level with Portugal at the summit.
Twice within the first three minutes, they forced corners and only two more had elapsed when Bazunu was called into action.
Fractures in Ireland’s policy of playing across their box were exposed, as Shane Duffy allowed a pass dribble under his stud.
Dusan Vlahovic – the Fiorentina striker linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur last month – pounced on the loose ball but the angle was tight and the teen goalkeeper smothered his near-post effort.
Dragan Stojković had promised attacking intent from his away side and the addition of Vlahovic as a second striker showed he meant business.
It was soon apparent that another of his newcomers, Filip Đuričić, was deployed to rattle James McClean down the right. The Derryman has devoted tremendous service to his country – who could forget his winners in Vienna and Cardiff – but as illustrated for Portugal’s equaliser, he can easily be got at.
By contrast, age hasn’t proven an enemy to another 32-year-old, Dusan Tadic. The Ajax playmaker was never blessed with pace but poise, composure, and artistry are his hallmarks.
His performance over 83 minutes here, seemingly effortless while brushing off his markers to release teammates, had Ireland fans hankering for another Wes Hoolahan. How we do with a dynamo of his ilk.
That initial scare survived, Ireland gradually made headway into the Serbian half.
A rash challenge by Strahinja Pavlović on Matt Doherty near the right touchline presented an opportunity from a set-piece but it was the first of many to be delivered aimlessly.
Out of nothing, though, Hendrick got a sight at goal on 17 minutes, drilling wide from 20 yards.
He had brushed off his marker Nemanja Gudelj to create the space, getting much closer to the Seville midfielder than when he’d burst clear to rattle a couple of pot-shots towards goal.
Bazunu’s coolness made the saves look easier than they were but the Manchester City rookie had his arms and legs outstretched when Serbia got their breakthrough on 20 minutes.
Stojković’s vow to purvey beautiful football was there to see in the goal’s genesis, a swift left to right move resulting in Mitrovic having the ball cleared from toe six yards out.
By sacrificing the corner, Ireland had to be alert but assigning Alan Browne the job of marking Milinkovic-Savic was a bad start and liable to disaster.
And so it transpired as the 6’ 3” powerhouse dashed to the near post to meet Tadic’s inswinger, flicking his header across goal into the top corner.
Though Bazunu managed to get a part of his hand to the ball, it wasn’t enough to prevent it whizzing into the net.
A trip on McGrath five minutes later gave Ireland a free on the edge of the box which Hendrick fired through the wall but not past Rajković.
Back up the other end, Filip Kotsic nipped in behind Matt Doherty to square the ball all the way across the box. Milenkovic, up from the back, blazed wide.
The boys from the Balkans were toying with Ireland, playing intricate passing triangles, and from a deft flick into the box, Vlahovic chested the ball into the path for Mitrovic to draw a brilliant one-handed save by Bazunu.
Whatever about McClean’s defensive frailties, his wing play was Ireland’s main outlet after the break in pursuit of an equaliser.
Browne glanced his header wide and from a second McClean delivery, he miscontrolled the ball six yards out.
From the 57th minute onwards, it was the Gavin Bazunu show.
He blocked a couple of Mitrovic’s shots from point-blank range, the second a save Pat Jennings would have been proud of, and then denied substitute Nemanja Radonjic.
The longer the second goal eluded the Serbs, the more Ireland grew in confidence about a leveller. With five minutes left, the crowd were baying for punts into the box and when it finally came, Serbia were undone.
With Duffy shunted forward, he was in the box for substitute Callum Robinson's cross and the mayhem led to the visitors throwing away two points.
G Bazunu; S Duffy, J Egan, A Omobamidele; M Doherty, J Cullen (J Molumby 66), J Hendrick (C Hourihane 78), A Browne (C Robinson 58), J McClean; J McGrath (D Horgan 67), A Idah (J Collins 78).
P Rajkovic; N Milenkovic, M Veljkovic, S Pavlovic; F Duričić (N Radonjic 71), N Gudelj, S Milinkovic-Savic; F Kostić (D Lazović 87); D Tadic (N Maksimovic 83), A Mitrovic, D Vlahovic (L Jovic 71).
Jose Maria Sanchez (ESP).
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