Ireland 1-1 Switzerland
An 85th minute header by David McGoldrick rescued a vital point for Ireland tonight, which keeps Mick McCarthy’s side three points clear at the top of Group D.
A match between two of the best organised teams on the planet, Euro 2020 Ireland vs Switzerland was always going to be a battle of attrition, and so it was until it came to life in the latter stages.
A 74th minute strike by Fabian Schar looked to have given the Swiss a priceless win but Ireland fought back for a deserved point. The Men in Green started the game six points clear of the Swiss and head coach Mick McCarthy said he’d be happy with a point when asked the question last week. Ireland is still unbeaten in the big man’s second reign and he’ll be delighted by his team’s brave performance.
The Ireland vs Switzerland betting odds pointed to a tight game with the visitors marginal favourites. Swiss coach Vladimir Petkovic has said Ireland is an unpleasant side to play against, which I’m sure the Irish took as a complement!
Highlights of the game
Burnley’s Jeff Hendrick was making his 50th appearance for Ireland tonight and he looked lively on the opening stages, bursting through with lovely control and sliding a ball into the path of James McLean but his shot was blocked by Nico Elvedi.
Shane Duffy headed a late equaliser to grab Ireland a point against Denmark recently, but he does his most sterling work at the back, and he made a superb block before launching another Ireland breakaway.
Switzerland skipper Granit Xhaka expressed his disappointment at Xherdan Shaqiri’s late request to be omitted from the Swiss squad and that was the big Ireland vs Switzerland news in the run up to the game. Xhaka tried to make up for the Liverpool man’s absence but he fired his first attempt on goal, a 25 yard free-kick, well wide.
In an encouraging first half for the Irish they had the crowd on its feet just before the break when Callum Robinson was inches away from turning in a David McGoldrick cross.
We tipped a half time stalemate at odds of 1.94 and Robinson was mighty close to scuppering that one!
Switzerland looked the more threatening side in the second half and Breel Embolo had a great chance to finish off a slick move. But he lost his footing at the crucial moment, and Seamus Coleman made a timely interception to head a dangerous cross from Embolo over his own bar.
Things began to heat up when Shane Duffy went down injured and that prompted a bout of pushing and shoving. But Switzerland delivered a huge blow minutes later when, after a quick passing move, Embolo squared to Fabian Schar and he fired low into the corner.
With just 15 minutes to go, Ireland came out on the attack and Stevens won a corner which was cleared desperately by Switzerland.
And then on 84 minutes, Glenn Whelan came within a whisker of levelling when he hit a scorching shot which crashed back off the crossbar. But the Irish recycled the ball and when McLean’s cross was deflected, McGoldrick was there to head home his first goal for his country.
And what a vital goal that might turn out to be.
Key Statistics
The pre-match SBOBET odds had the draw at 3.00, with 1-1 at odds of 5.40, and in the end that was a fair reflection of the game.
The last time Switzerland beat Ireland was back in 2004 in Basel, but saving this game was particularly sweet for McCarthy. In his first stint as Ireland head coach he suffered a 1-2 defeat at the hands of the Swiss in his opening game.
Goals have been a problem for Ireland with none of the four strikers in their squad having scored an international goal, before McGoldrick popped up with five minutes to go.
It was Switzerland centre-back Fabian Schar’s eighth international goal, but his first for three years and he’ll be gutted it was only worth one point.
What’s next?
Full back Enda Stevens picked up a yellow card and that means he’s unavailable for Ireland’s next competitive game, a trip to Georgia in October. Before that the Irish have a friendly at home to Bulgaria on Tuesday.
Switzerland is at home to Gibraltar next, where the minnows were on the end of a 0-6 thumping at the hands of Denmark tonight as Christian Eriksen bagged a brace.
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