So, that’s about us - thanks all for your company and comments; enjoy the rest of your weekends.
Full-time: Ireland 1-1 Austria
So Ireland keep their unbeaten record, and for the moment top Group D with 12 points; Serbia, who play Wales presently, have 11, Austria have 8, and the aforementioned Wales have 7. At the end of this round of games, each team will have four remaining.
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90+4 min So, one last effort for Ireland ... Randolph slams long ... but the ball runs through to Lindner.
90+2 min This has been a really enjoyable second half. The shame, if you’re Irish, is that there’s no reason why the first half couldn’t have been this way too.
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90 min There shall be four added minutes.
88 min Again, Ireland burst forward, and again it’s Walters, just on the edge of the box, right of centre this time - he’s led the line very well indeed. The ball runs loose into his path as is its wont, but as he draws back his right foot he clips Lainer behind him, a contact which sends the shot squirting square.
87 min Ireland win a corner, and Long is up! Grillisch slices his header off the line, but it loops up towards his own goal, and Walters and Duffy piles after the loose ball, the latter heading home from under the bar! But the ref disallows it! I don’t know ... there was contact, but nothing illegal-looking to me, just two shtarkers competing fairly.
WHAT A GOAL! Ireland 1-1 Austria (Walters 85)
For the 49th time today, Walters powers after a high ball, and when Dragovic dallies underneath it, it runs loose, so he composes before, from left of centre, smacking a right-footer across Lindner and into the corner. That is a brilliant finish!
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84 min Austria are threatening again, Grillisich wins the ball in midfield, spreads it right, takes the return, and though he’s held up by Long, spins into a shot that has Randolph plunging left to tip around the post; the corner comes to nothing.
82 min I don’t know about that - a draw might’ve been manageable. But giving a rival three points is problematic; if Wales can beat Serbia, we’ll be in for a terrific finish.
82 min Before the game, O’Neill warned Ireland that only a win would do...
80 min Defending a corner, Austria make a change, Grillitsch on for Junuzovic. And what a delivery from Brady, flat and swerving; Long gets the head to it and LAINER CLEARS OFF THE LINE! He’s had a fine game in his first competitive international.
78 min Austria are sitting deeper and deeper. Tangentially, what a phase this was; dear oh dear.
77 min A final change for Ireland: McGeady replaces Whelan. He’s on the right, and Hoolahan will presumably move into the middle.
75 min Off goes Burgstaller, on comes Harnik.
73 min Christie’s long ball sets Walters away at inside-left. Without the pace to run by anyone, he holds up very well and lays off to Hoolahan, whose cross is a jazzer! But Murphy can’t quite get to it, and Lainer, not expecting possession so quickly, takes a swing, directing the ball towards his own net but straight into Lindner’s arms.
72 min Hard to disagree with this, as it is that Arter, Ireland’s other ball-player, should be the man to make way.
hoolahan comes on, 70 minutes too late, replacing arter
— Ken Early (@kenearlys) June 11, 2017
71 min I’d have lozzed Whelan myself, but O’Neill goes for Arter; Hoolahan is upon us.
69 min Burgstaller absolutely rousts Duffy on the outside, and has Alaba in the middle. But his desire to move the ball onto his right foot allows Christie back to challenge, at the cost of a corner. In it comes, and Birgstaller tries a scissors kick at the back post, Mark Hughes v Everton-style, and the ball skids off to the side. The crowd chortle into their Bovrils.
68 min Austria have done a decent job of slowing things down these last few minutes, but there’s the ball again, dispatched into their box. Both Walters and Murphy battle for it, but neither can get a hold and eventually Lainer wallops clear.
66 min This is a much more enjoyable game now. It’s fun to watch a side smash the ball into danger areas and pile into them after it.
64 min Dragovic allows a long hump to bounce and as a consequence, the ball reaches McClean. He picks up on the right and drives across the pitch, surveying his options before swivelling to drag a shot just wide of the near post. Ireland must be rueing their tame start to this one.
62 min Respite for Austria, who get the ball into Ireland’s half and have a rest.
60 min Ireland are putting Austria under now, getting men into the box and the chucking the ball in after them. And from Christie’s long throw, the breaks to Arter once more! Again, he imparts laces to leather, but can only tenderise Dragovic’s midriff.
58 min There’s much more intensity in the Irish performance now, and they win another free-kick just inside their own half. Again, it’s welted long for Duffy, and he nods back across ... Prodl slides in before it reaches Murphy. That’s a great interception, and the corner looks to have come to nothing, except a succession of errors results in another corner. This one is fisted away by Lindner, and is eventually thrashed clear by Dragovic.
56 min Total football for Ireland now: Murphy replaces Ward, going up front with Brady back to left-back.
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55 min Duffy hits it long and hopeful, McClean is up to lay back, and eventually the ball bounces for Walters. He’s unloaded by Prodl, but then Arter has a chance to shoot! He can’t quite get over it though he makes good contact, sending a shot over the top.
54 min Hendrick and Whelan have been very quiet so far; the former in particular hasn’t been able to get into the game, which is unusual for someone so adept at scrapping.
52 min This becoming a decent period for Ireland, and they win a free-kick down the right. Brady, restored to the left in open play, comes across to take it, but hits the first man; the delivery really needs to improve if Ireland are to get something out of this game.
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51 min A hopeful ball finds Walters in behind Prodl and Dragovic! Prodl tries to seize him by the armpit hair, misses, and Dragovic slides in to poke the ball back to Lindner, taking plenty of Walters too. On the touchline, O’Neill is storming, presumably claiming a backpass, because that was a fine challenge.
49 min Lovely from Lazaro, who’s been quiet so far. But not now! He picks up possession on the right, chucks in a couple of stepovers to hoodwink Christie, then drills a low cross that Alaba and Burgstaller both contrive to evade.
48 min Lovely from Austria, Alaba driving at the heart of a backpeddling defence and sliding left to Kainz. He then crosses low to meet Alaba’s stride ... Alaba slides in hard and sends the ball just to high.
47 min Ireland win a free-kick in their own half, so naturally send up the big men from the back. Arter drives a diag into the box, and Duffy is up, but from 10 yards he’s not going to score, and Lindner is happy to allow it just past the near post. Good effort, but.
46 min Hoolahan was warming up at half-time, but Ireland could also use a presence next to Walters.
46 min Austria set us away again.
A cautionary tale, courtesy of the superb United We Stand fanzine.
@PeteBoyle70 @DavidMay04 pic.twitter.com/NnMyI9c4P2
— Robbie McGuinness (@Nudger31) June 10, 2017
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Half-time: Ireland 0-1 Austria
O’Neill and Keane have work to do. Ireland were threatened far more than they threatened in that half, and now need to find a way not only of playing better, but of halting Austria’s momentum. It’s time for Wesley, I shouldn’t wonder.
While we wait to find out, make sure you miss the unmissable no longer.
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45 min There’ll be no added time; let’s be grateful for small mercies.
43 min Whelan bursts through midfield, so Hinteregger administers the bodycheck. But the ball breaks to Walters so the ref waves play-on - good call, that - only Walters, looking for the far corner, drags his shot wide of the far post.
43 min I’m just checking, you did see Walters’ miss last week didn’t you? It was and is special.
This miss from Jon Walters is majestic pic.twitter.com/MnjAM69SpR
— Daniel Harris (@DanielHarris) June 4, 2017
41 min Bit petulant, but I like it. Hinteregger will get the goal in the end.
31: Goal Austria. Dragovic finishes from 10 yards. (0-1) #COYBIG
— FAIreland (@FAIreland) June 11, 2017
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39 min Better from Ireland, who’ve discovered some intensity - as you might, with the haranguing nearly upon them. Christie wins a corner and Brady’s delivery is good, looking for Long, but neither he nor those near the ball than him can get a touch, and eventually Lainer hooks clear.
38 min Nice from Brady, spinning close to the touchline to lift a pass along it for Christie. He then bursts into space and crosses, becoming peeved when no one is around to stick it hame.
37 min “Well, I say this game is terrible and you say it’s beautiful,” says JR. “Perhaps the compromise is ‘a terrible beauty’. Ah, And there’s a goal. Ireland deserve nothing more than that.”
Yes, I’d agree with that - on the basis that it’s been scored, obviously, the evidence which proves deservation of every goal.
35 min Ireland need to have a rethink. They’ve not been dominated or anything, but they’ve shown little sign of threatening. I’m sure Roy will have some gentle encouragement for them when they get back to the dressing room.
34 min “Given the numerous key absences in the Austrian side today, one could reasonably interpret their odd shape as a ‘circle the wagons’ formation,” reckons Peter Oh. “However, I prefer to see it as the ‘eye of the hurricane’, with number 10 Zlatko Junuzovic set to breach the Irish defence.”
Or Piggy, as he’s now known.
WHAT A GOAL! Ireland 0-1 Austria (Hinteregger, 30)
Austria force three corners in quick succession, and when one’s hit low from the left, Prodl and Dragovic run over it. This creates space for Hinteregger, who smacks a low sidefooter into the bottom corner. I love it when a plan comes together.
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29 min Burgstaller moves away from Brady, who kicks right through him and is booked.
28 min I understand why Ireland have Brady on the right, but he just isn’t all that effective there. Maybe they could move McClean through the middle?
26 min McClean sprints like billy-o towards a loose ball and swings hard, looking to hump clear. But Junuzovic is competing to, taking an almighty boot to the body in the follow-through; will that rouse Ireland?
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23 min But here come Ireland! Whelan lays a lovely pass into space, meeting the path of Ward, who cuts back for McClean. He gets to the line and looks up, cutting back for Walters close to the edge of the box. It’s so difficult it’s barely a chance, but he makes it harder by leaning back and trying to sidefoot into the far top-corner when he might lace into the near bottom; the ball squirts over.
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22 min “This game is more woeful than I anticipated,” reckons JR in Illinois. “I guess that means things can only get better? Ireland should be taking advantage of the fact that Austria’s squad is banjaxed. No signs of doing so at the moment though. Ugh.”
That’s why it’s so beautiful.
19 min Prodl crosses low and dangerously from the left so Bray blocks behind and the eventuating corner is a goodun. It eludes Dragovic by millimetres, and Januzovic at the back post too.
18 min it’s fair to say that Austria look the classier team, but then we knew that. I’m just not sure that’ll be enough to win them this game; Ireland just have a way of finagling goals.
16 min Ireland are looking to put some pressure on now, but eventually Ward wastes a cross, and no one was alive to where it might go.
14 min Dragovic is deemed to have fouled Walters 30 yards out, fractionally left of centre ... and Brady crunches it into the wall.
13 min This game is now an absolute mess. O’Neill will be delighted.
11 min “According to the live commentary on the Austrian FA website,” emails Peter Oh, “Sky reckon incorrectly. Austria are playing with four at the back: debutant Lainer, Prödl, Dragovic, and Hinteregger.
I should think so too. I feel vindicated.
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10 min Keano with a fade, I really have seen it all.
🇮🇪 #COYBIG pic.twitter.com/4HFm08ygHf
— FAIreland (@FAIreland) June 11, 2017
8 min Ireland have turned things lovely and scrappy these last minutes, and Prodl is enticed to foul Walters. So Brady lofts the free-kick from centre to left, seeking Duffy at the far post, but Dragovic does enough to force him into heading behind.
7 min Alaba wins a corner down the right and curls it in towards the middle of the box. But Duffy is up really well to reach the ball ahead of Burgstaller, clumping his header away.
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6 min All Austria so far, with the majority of the play coming down their left-hand side. Ireland try and get the ball forward, hitting long to Walters, and Prodl leaps high to clatter right through him.
4 min Burgstaller wins the ball in the centre-circle and feeds Junuzovic who pastes forward. On his left is Kainz, who he feeds, who slots him back in, and Randolph has to be sharp to field his low shot.
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2 min Austria win a free-kick close to the left touchline, 40 yards out; it’s swung out towards the edge of the box, where Walters heads it clear easily.
1 min Sky reckon Austria are playing three at the back; Uefa not so.
1 min Away we go.
Austria huddle. They say things like “run”, “pass”, “tackle”, “shoot”, I reckon. Oh and “lots of talkimg”.
Diagonal handshakes take place; they will be savoured and treasured forever.
Some anthems. Lot of kavanah from the Austrians.
Out come the teams!
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In the Sky studio, Phil Babb draws our attention to James McClean, and it’s true that without him, Ireland don’t have much edge. He scored a lovely goal last week; Austria will need to watch him carefully.
Martin O’Neill is after “a perfect performance to be perfectly honest”. He extolls the brilliance of the preparation - well done me! - and says Kevin Long has earned his place with his performances.
Some people, walking.
🙌🏻 #COYBIG pic.twitter.com/QH5wd36w5x
— FAIreland (@FAIreland) June 11, 2017
Ireland are unbeaten in eight home games under Martin O’Neill. Avoiding defeat wouldn’t be terrible for them this evening, but win and there’s even more pressure on Serbia and Wales.
One player I was impressed with against Uruguay was Cyrus Christie. If he and Robbie Brady can get going, Ireland will be in business.
I wonder if Martin O’Neill might’ve found room for Wes Hoolahan, who made a difference when he came on last week, as he often does. Other hand, having him in reserve for when the opposition are tiring is pretty useful.
So Ireland make one change from last week’s impressive win over Uruguay: McClean comes in for Haynes, which is to say that Long keeps his place at the expense of the more experienced Keogh and O’Shea. Austria, meanwhile, who’ve not played since the end of March, change three of their front six from their last competitive game: out go the suspended Arnautovic, along with Sabitzer and Ilsanker. Lainer and Kainz makde their competitive debuts.
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Teams andat.
Ireland (a viscous 4-5-1): Randolph; Christie, Long, Duffy, Ward; Brady, Arter, Hendrick, Whelan, McClean; Walters.
Austria (a circular 4-3-3): Lindner; Lainer, Dragovic, Prodl, Hinteregger; Baumgartlinger, Junuzovic, Alaba; Lazaro, Burgstaller, Kainz.
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Preamble
“Aggression is what I do. I go to war. You don’t contest football matches in a reasonable state of mind.” Of course, there is only one man in the world capable of such reflection, and on Friday, Roy Maurice Keane is back with more. “We want players to go to war,” he threatened. “You want players playing on the edge, we want players putting their bodies on the line, which lads have done before, people like Seamus Coleman,” he menaced. There’s a pretty good chance Ireland will try their darndest in this game, I’d say.
And they’ll need to. Austria, though they disappointed at the Euros, have some properly talented players, and Group D is seriously competitive. At the top of it sit Serbia on 11 points - the same as Ireland - but they entertain Wales tonight, who have seven, the same as Austria. Top spot qualifies for Russia by right, second gets a play-off, and third and fourth cry at home. This is absolutely enormous.
Kick-off: 5pm BST
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