Ireland outclassed by clinical France in Euro 2024 qualifier
FORGET PARIS: Alan Browne of Republic of Ireland after his side conceded a first goal, scored by Aurélien Tchouameni at Parc des Princes in Paris. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
There was nothing complicated about this; a gulf in class luckily not translated into the margin of defeat for Ireland.
Whereas they were well in the contest until the end of the first game in Dublin six months ago, France bossed the rematch from start to finish, On a sticky night in Paris, they pulverized Ireland in the chance count by 25 to five.
This was always a long shot for Ireland but the fact the opener came from another one – Aurélien Tchouaméni’s strike their eleventh concession from outside the box since 2021 – has to be a source of frustration.
By the midway point of the second half, after another goal from substitute Marcus Thuram had the hosts in exhibition mode, the Irish fans resorted to singing Argentina in a failed attempt at mocking the beaten World Cup finalists.
They didn’t have much entertainment from their side to feast on. Sunday’s visit of Netherlands, 3-0 victors over Greece, is officially a must-win, not that anyone rational interpreted it otherwise.
As flagged yesterday, Stephen Kenny chose Alan Browne to operate as the right-wing back responsible for shackling Kylian Mbappé. Normally an attacking midfielder with the club he captains, Preston North End, his experience of deputising there previously was influential to the selection.
Séamus Coleman mastered that role in the March meeting but his injury, coupled with an extra game suspension for Matt Doherty, forced the manager to redeploy one of more advanced players. Being overlooked for that part didn’t prevent Jason Knight getting the nod, for he flanked Chiedozie Ogbene as one of two supports to sole striker Adam Idah.
John Egan overcame his double trouble of knee and ankle complaints to skipper the side and he was joined in the back-three by an old acquaintance. Shane Duffy, for various reasons, hadn’t featured for Ireland since the 3-0 win over Scotland 15 months ago but he was parachuted straight in ahead of Dara O’Shea.
They had to contend with the presence of Oliver Giroud in attack, given a knock to Randal Kolo Muani prevented the €95m striker from lining out in his new club home.
Duffy, retaking his spot in the middle of the trio, had to be alert after just three minutes to divert Giroud’s goalbound poke out for a corner.
The left-wing cross had actually come from Theo Hernández, while the Irish defence were distracted honing in on Kylian Mbappé’s threat.
In his attempt to pivot to meet the delivery, Giroud hurt his ankle and lasted only 20 more minutes before making way for Thuram.
Losing your striker might impact on most squads but not the French, whose status as Europe’s highest ranked team, second behind Argentina in the world, owes much to their depth of personnel.
Ordinarily behind Kolo Muani in the pecking order, Thuram was still bought by Inter Milan in the summer and added his first international goal here to the one he recently bagged for his new club against Fiorentina.
An early foray by Ogbene that won a free-kick pointed to an adventurous outlook by Ireland but it was the first of several set-pieces Ireland wasted. Sadly, the aerial power of Duffy marked the biggest threat for the visitors and they couldn’t get the fundamentals right on that front.
It would be a long night for Ireland once Les Bleus reflected their early dominance by dashing into an 18th minute lead. Tchouaméni’s brilliance was underlined by curling his right-footer beyond Bazunu from 20 yards.
A team whose last home defeat in Euro qualifying came 13 years ago were never adopting a cautious approach by the breakthrough facilitated a spell of keepball, toying with Ireland and springing their defence once the holes appeared.
Gavin Bazunu, who looked a tad shaky when an early cross from Antoine Griezmann rebounded off his chest, denied Adrien Rabiot and Mbappé either side of the goal.
The Ireland goalkeeper was eventually beaten by Mbappé 10 minutes before the interval, only to be rescued by the offside flag. Ousmane Dembélé had drifted beyond the last defender to receive the long pass but fortunately for Bazunu the Mbappé shot he let squirm under his body was ruled out.
For all the guile of Ogbene and hold-up play by Idah, Ireland as an attacking force were bankrupt.
It wasn’t ‘til they conceded the second within two minutes of the restart that they belatedly gained some traction in the box.
A chastening return to the team for Enda Stevens ended at the break when replaced by James McClean but the second left wing-back of the night was similarly exposed by the galaxy of speedsters in the French ranks.
Mbappé was at the forefront, switching flanks to equal effect, weaving to the six-yard box before being thwarted.
When the ball was recycled and telegraphed from the left this time, his effort on the swivel was blocked by Duffy but the scrambling Irish defence didn’t pick up the awaiting Thuram.
It wasn’t the cleanest of strikes but didn’t have to be as his sliced effort from eight yards sailed into the top corner.
Two goals behind against the rampant favourites must’ve instilled a fearlessness, for Ireland's best spell came after that concession.
Idah lacked the pace and confidence to avail of Jayson Molumby’s through ball on 51 but when the passage was expanded to McClean on the left, his caressed cross found Ogbene at the far post but his downward header was batted away by the outstretched hand of Mike Maignan.
A minute later, the Corkman fashioned another chance by cutting in from the right and whipping his shot a yard over. Ireland also had a penalty claim rebuffed close to the hour when Theo’s brother, Lucas Hernández, kicked out at Nathan Collins in the box. Bizarrely, the Swiss referee taking charge of his first qualifier awarded a free out.
In truth, it was only a minor respite. France were superior in every department and with better finishing might have racked up a landslide.
Dembélé smacked one off the near post from an acute angle and Thurman nodded wide when left unmarked at the far post. How Mbappé didn’t swell his record of 40 goals from 71 matches was a mystery. Perhaps he was glad the offside flag was raised after he bent his rasping shot marginally off-target when sent free for one on one with the goalkeeper.
A debut off the bench for Festy Ebosele represented one positive but they were elusive on a night where repercussions of falling to a third seeds in draws was hammered home.
: (4-2-3-1): M Maignan; J Koundé (B Pavard 88), W Saliba, L Hernandez, D Upamecano, T Hernandez; A Rabiot, A Tchouaméni; O Dembele (K Coman 73), A Griezmann (E Camavinga 88), K Mbappé; O Giroud (M Thuram 36).
(3-4-2-1): G Bazunu; N Collins, S Duffy, J Egan; A Browne, J Molumby (W Keane 68 inj – A Connolly 77), J Cullen, E Stevens (J McClean 46); C Ogbene (F Ebosele 84), J Knight; A Idah (D O’Shea 68).
: Urs Schnyder (SUI)
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