Stephen Kenny: 'If that game was behind closed doors, we’d have lost it'

For the second time in four days, it was Shane Duffy’s presence that triggered the leveller, yet he didn’t need to touch the ball this time as Nikola Milenkovic’s farcical own-goal delivered a lifeline

Ireland manager Stephen Kenny applauds the fans after the game. Picture: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Stephen Kenny has admitted that only the brilliance of Gavin Bazunu prevented him falling to a fourth defeat in five World Cup qualifiers.

Serbia were a goal to the good, far superior in possession, and more dangerous in attack until the late stages when the traditional Irish method of sending up the towering centre-back yielded a reward.