Collins stunner earns well-deserved point for Ireland in Lodz 

Ireland’s Nathan Collins celebrates scoring his side's goal. ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

UKRAINE 1 IRELAND 1 

Ireland’s recovery from a disastrous start to their Nations League campaign continued by holding top seeds Ukraine in a match best remembered for a superb Nathan Collins goal.

The giant centre-back’s first international goal highlighted his growing stature, dashing 40 yards past three defenders and applying an exquisite finish to give Ireland the lead on 31 minutes.

One defensive masterclass was slightly undone by shortcomings at the other end for the Ukrainian equaliser two minutes into the second half. Far too much space was offered to Andriy Yarmolenko and he availed with aplomb, crossing for Nottingham Forest target Artem Dovbyk to stroke home on the line.

This point, added to three accrued from Scotland on Saturday, at least gives Ireland a sight at challenging the Scots for second. Ukraine, despite playing home games on neutral territory of Lodz in Poland, still possess the assets to stay top and seal their return to League A.

Michael Obafemi’s unavailability due to the groin strain he suffered minutes after crowning Saturday’s first start with a goal presented Kenny with a selection dilemma. Chiedozie Ogbene’s slow recovery from his knock made him a risk and it seemed either Callum Robinson or Will Keane would be called upon but the manager went leftfield.

Scott Hogan, whose last start was almost three years ago, got the nod to operate alongside Troy Parrott, the second striker to come of age in a competitive match at the weekend.

Enforced changes were necessary in defence. The two defensive berths vacated by the suspension of Shane Duffy and the leave afforded to John Egan upon the birth of his child were claimed by Dara O’Shea and Darragh Lenihan, slotting in either side of Collins.

Inevitably, Ukraine made alterations to manage their larger workload of five matches in 14 days. That Dmytro Riznyk was their fourth goalkeeper to start across the window highlighted the rotational approach – as did the fact that only four players were in the line-up for last Wednesday’s meeting in Dublin.

Riznyk, one of six home-based players in Ukraine team, was earning only his second cap and his shakiness showed after just two minutes when he dropped Parrott’s cross. The look of relief on his face when referee Ali Palabıyık supplied a lifeline of the whistle said it all.

Armed with Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ruslan Malinovskyi within their three-man midfield, Ukraine’s quality was bound to tell but Josh Cullen and Jayson Molumby maintained what they delivered at the weekend by seldom allowing space without ankles being shadowed.

Atalanta man Malinovskyi, however, has an ability to ghost into dangerous areas undetected and on 11 minutes, Ireland were thankful to Caoimhín Kelleher for batting away the schemer’s 20-yard curler.

That chance wasn’t the precursor to one-way traffic, for Ireland fashioned a decent opportunity of their own six minutes later. Parrott, who initiated an attack by cutting out a loose Crossfield pass from Zinchenko on the halfway line, popped up at the back post to meet Jason Knight’s stood up cross. Maybe he had too much time to think as the unmarked Spurs striker sent his header wide of the opposite post with Riznyk rooted to the spot.

Malinovskyi’s influence was curbed following an off-the-ball challenge from Molumby, his ailment causing a series of stoppages for attention. Ireland were caught completely flat from the resumption of the first - Mykola Matvienko’s thunderous punt exposing Alan Browne and leaving Vitaliy Mykolenko charging towards goal unattended.

Kelleher, once again, came to the rescue by blocking the Everton defender’s shot with his legs and his attempts to convert the rebound were thwarted by Knight scampering back to smother the space.

Malinovskyi didn’t get to exact his revenge on Molumby, eventually succumbing to the pain of his hip and his absence left a creative deficit ripe for exploiting.

Nobody expected the opportunist would be strapping defender Collins. Sticking on the shoulder of Artem Dovbyk when the striker dropped deep beckoning a pass into feet, Collins pounced to intercept the ball and proceeded to drive towards the Ukraine boss. One by one, three defenders were dribbled past until the 21-year-old reached the edge of the box and bent a shot with the outside of his right foot beyond Riznyk.

Everything about the move – and his performance over this entire window – validated the growing interest in the pick of Ireland’s emerging bunch. He’s highly unlikely at this stage to operate in the Championship next season with relegated Burnley.

Most of the 10,641 were silenced by the cameo of skill, yet the response from their beloved Ukraine was as expected.

Mykhailo Mudryk, on for Malinovskyi, squared to the back post for Oleksandr Karavaev to unleash, only for the bounce to veer it over. Yarmolenko mounted a tenuous appeal for a penalty under O’Shea’s fair challenge, while Zinchenko was uncharacteristically blunt with his close-range volley that spun away into nothingness.

Call it signs or warnings but Ireland were absorbing the pressure. That was until two minutes after the interval.

Stretched on the break, Yarmolenko was left alone on the right darting towards the box. While it seemed he had been shepherded wide away from danger, the former West Ham United winger wriggled free of James McClean at the end-line and rolled the ball across the six yard box for Dovbyk to tap in.

In response, Lenihan booted wide of the near post before Parrott saw his left-footer deflect off-target. At the other end, the closest Ukraine came to plundering a winner was just past the hour mark. Mudryk’s intricate pass freed Vitaliy Mykolenko into the box but his low delivery squirted all the way across without any player on alert to finish.

UKRAINE (4-3-3): D Riznyk; O Karavaev, I Zabarnyi, M Matvienko (D Popov 73), V Mykolenko; R Malinovskyi, S Sydorchuk, O Zinchenko; A Yarmolenko, A Dovbyk (D Sikan 73), M Shaparenko.

IRELAND (3-5-2): C Kelleher; N Collins, D Lenihan, D O’Shea; A Browne, J Molumby (C Hourihane 68), J Cullen, J Knight (J Hendrick 67), J McClean; T Parrott (C Ogbene 80), S Hogan (C Robinson 57).

REFEREE: Ali Palabıyık (Turkey) 

ATTENDANCE: 10,641.