Ireland fall to another late goal as Austria clinch top spot
Ireland's Dara O'Shea dejected after the match. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
There would be no repeat of last November's heroics in Linz as Ireland lost their second game of the Uefa Nations League campaign in similar fashion to the first.
As was the case when Kosovo’s Vedat Muriqi inflicted defeat in September, Ireland lost to a late goal from a cross.
Substitute Sasa Kalajdžić supplied this one, poking the ball over the line with 11 minutes left after Ireland failed to clear a corner.
Austria’s win guarantees them top spot in the group, and with it promotion to League A, leaving Ireland requiring victory in Tuesday’s rematch against Kosovo to leapfrog their opponents in second.
By only drawing against Israel earlier in the day, Kosovo handed the initiative to Ireland to not only grasp second but potentially usurping the leaders for top spot.
Although Ireland created chances to nick the win, primarily Adam Idah’s glaring opening on 68 minutes, on too many occasions they were caught off-guard at the back.
A nervous opening didn’t help their cause. Heimir Hallgrímsson went with an attacking team, including Ryan Manning as his left wing-back, but they looked shaky when passing the ball around the back.
Veteran attacker Michael Gregoritsch wreaked havoc on Ireland when brought on during the 2-2 draw in Dublin, scoring the equaliser with a free-kick, and his physical presence is causing problems already.
Christoph Lang, playing in the stadium of his club LASK, was first to threaten on 15 minutes when sent clear. A late intervention from Liam Scales prevented the winger from getting a shot on goal.
Gradually Finn Azaz and Jayson Molumby got the upperhand in a midfield battle against Bayern Munich’s Konrad Laimer, providing Troy Parrott with the service he thrives on.
Ireland’s marksman forced Alexander Schlager into two saves, the first a volley off Dara O’Shea’s cross and then, on 29 minutes, tipping over from the striker’s sweet 25-yard strike.
Manager Ralf Rangnick was furious on the sideline at the space afforded to Ireland’s dangerman.
His opposite number was livid that Romano Schmid’s late challenge on O’Shea wasn’t punished with a red card, rather than yellow, but Jayson Molumby was almost left red-faced when his slip allowed Lang a clear sight on goal from 10 yards. Thankfully, his volley into the turf was turned over by Kelleher.
Space began to open up at both ends in the second half. Kelleher denied Baumgartner at his near post before the returning RB Leipzig attacker spurned a sitter by slicing wide after he’d eluded Dara O’Shea to sprint clear on goal.
At the other end, Alexander Schlager’s parry of Parrott’s rising shot from left offered Idah the simple task of slotting in the rebound but the Corkman miscued his volley, scooping it over the crossbar.
That was his last action before a treble substitution on 68 minutes but it was the Austrians who benefitted from their changes.
From a corner, Michael Gregoritsch was left alone at the back post to nod the ball across the six-yard box and there among a thicket of bodies was beanpole Kalajdžić to get the final touch.
O’Shea will be disappointed that his attempt to head clear only resulted in the ball looping towards Gregoritsch but he wasn’t the sole culprit.
Schlager made one brilliant save as Ireland chased the equaliser, turning Ogbene’s header over from a Scales cross. That attempt, with three minutes left, amounted to Ireland’s response as fellow sub Harvey Vale struggled to make an impact. His wild shot from outside of the box encapsulated Ireland’s latest frustrating night.
A Schlager; S Posch (S Horvath 76), K Danso, P Lienhart, P Mwene; N Seiwald, K Laimer; M Gregoritsch, C Baumgartner (R Florucz 76), R Schmid;. C Lang (S Kalajdžić 60).
C Kelleher; D O’Shea, N Collins, L Scales; J Abankwah (B Lawal 80), F Azaz, J Molumby, R Manning (J O’Brien 68); A Idah (C Ogbene 68), J Moylan (H Vale 68); T Parrott.
Irfan Peljto (BIH).
16,700.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
