Ireland finish top of group at U17 World Cup after stalemate with Paraguay
BATTLE: Jaden Umeh is tackled by Juan Miguel Ojeda during the FIFA Under-17 World Cup Group J match. Pic: Nikola Krstic/Sportsfile.
The Republic of Ireland earned the point they needed to finish top of Group J at the U17 World Cup as they were held to a scoreless draw by Paraguay on pitch five of the Aspire Zone in Doha, Qatar.
Following impressive wins over Panama and Uzbekistan and with passage to the knockouts stages already assured, Ireland knew a draw would be enough to finish top of the standings and with it secure a kinder tie in the Round of 32, which will take place on either Friday or Saturday.
In a tight and cagey first half it was Paraguay who were the first to threaten but striker Mauricio De Carvalho failed to capitalise fully on a mistake from Victor Ozhianvuna as he dragged his shot wide of the far bottom left corner from good position inside the box.
Ireland finished the opening period strongly though and Jaden Umeh almost gave them the lead in the 42nd minute but his low drive after captain Rory Finneran’s surging run and exquisite through ball was stopped by the feet of the keeper.
Grady McDonnell soon blasted Ozhianvuna’s clever clipped pass wide from a tight angle before substitute Jose Buhring headed over the same goal for the South Americans at the beginning of the second half.
The young Boys in Green soon regained control of proceedings and they believed they ought to have been awarded a penalty in 80th minute for a handball, so much so head coach Colin O’Brien handed a Football Video Support card – an new initiative being trialled at this tournament - to the fourth official so the referee could review the incident on the VAR monitor.
But after doing so, the Canadian official announced that the defender’s arm, under pressure as Umeh attempted to head home from a corner, was in a natural position and it wasn’t a deliberate handball.
Ireland piled forward in search of a late winner with Umeh, Ozhianvuna and Ramon Martos all going close but, in the end, they had to settle for the point they required to finish top of the group.
Noonan, Cullen (Ogbonna 62), Sherlock (McDonagh ht), Leonard, Butler, Finneran, McDonnell, McAteer (Martos 62), Noonan (McMahon-Brown 62), Umeh, Ozhianvuna.
Fernandez, Acosta (Tobias Ruiz 92), Cristaldo, Coronel, Aranda, Vera, Sanabria, Campss (Ojeda ht), Franco (Diego Ruiz 83), Villalba (Freyres 72), De Carvalho (Buhring ht).
Filip Dujic (Canada).
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