Through the Bosnian fog Ireland gained a tantalising glimpse of the finals. A draw and a potentially decisive away goal by Robbie Brady means Martin O’Neill’s team go into Monday’s second leg in Dublin with qualification for Euro 2016 within their grasp.
They would have had a fair grip on it if they had not conceded to Eden Dzeko within three minutes of taking the lead but Bosnia-Herzegovina ended the game with more regrets and must fear they have let slip their best chance of a first appearance in the tournament.
Ireland will be bolstered by the return of the key players who were ruled out of this one – Jon Walters, John O’Shea and possibly also Shane Long, who hopes to have recovered from a knee injury – and their confidence will be reinforced by the way they generally contained Bosnia at a venue where their the hosts consider themselves formidable.
Long before kick-off the locals broke out fireworks, flags and throbbing chants to generate the atmosphere that convinces Bosnia to stage critical matches in a dinky 12,000-seat stadium in the city of Zenica, far from the capital, Sarajevo. If that was partially to intimidate the visitors, O’Neill’s teamsheet, at least, did not betray any meekness: the Irish manager’s decision to include Wes Hoolahan, whose only previous away start in the campaign had been in the inevitable win over Gibraltar, suggested a degree of boldness.
As it turned out, Hoolahan, his country’s most creative player, was not able to exert as much influenced as hoped and, after the Norwich City midfielder was substituted in the second half, his club-mate Brady shifted into his position and scored, retrieving a punt downfield before cracking a low shot past Asmir Begovic in the 82nd minute.
That followed a rare venture forward by Ireland, who spent most of the match repelling Bosnia’s earnest but imprecise attacks. Bosnia’s manager. Mehmed Bazdarevic, had declared his intention to go for an early goal and his players tried to put what he had preached to practice.
From the outset the two wide players, Edin Visca and Senad Lulic, showed their zeal to race forward and effectively form a four-man frontline. But Ireland were well organised and it was not until the 11th minute that Bosnia managed a shot, Miralem Pjanic firing over from the edge of the box after a run and cross by Visca.
Three minutes later two Irish defenders collided with each other in their eagerness to cut out a corner by Pjanic, leaving Ervin Zukanovic free nine yards out, but he fluffed his header. Bosnia were highly driven but not particularly polished and there was scope for Ireland to test the solidity of a home defence that looked jittery, but the visitors’ passing in the first half was sloppy, meaning they enticed further pressure instead. Stephen Ward, the Burnley left-back who has barely played for his club this season, was suffering at the feet of Visca, who whizzed past him again in the 19th minute before crossing to Vedad Ibisevic, who shot into the sidenetting.
Soon after, Ward was booked for pulling the shirt of his tormentor. There was no chance of Visca relenting and in the 32nd minute he crossed for Zukanovic, whose weak header was saved easily by Darren Randolph.
Maybe it was the tension of the occasion, but the overall quality of play was such that the first half could have been seen not so much as a last chance to qualify as an argument against expanding the finals to 24 teams.
That was not Ireland’s concern. At the break they had a scoreline they would be content to take home, and the crowd’s fervour had turned to anxiety. The onus was on Bosnia to plot a route to goal and that would also entail finding a way through the thick fog that descended in the second half. Visibility was poor but Visca clearly remained the most dangerous Bosnian.
A cross from the winger in the 52nd minute would have given Dzeko a close-range tap-in if not for an excellent sliding intervention by Ciaran Clark who, along with Richard Keogh, performed well in central defence. Ireland bared their teeth for the first time when Brady delivered a deep cross from the left and Jeff Hendrick headed just over. Hoolahan, closely tracked by Edin Cocalic throughout, was replaced by James McClean after an hour. Moments later Ireland contrived to present the home side with their best chance so far, Brady and Keogh botching a clearance and allowing the ball to break to Lulic.
Randolph reacted brilliantly, surging off his line to block the forward’s shot. Marc Wilson came on for Ward in the 67th minute to bolster Irish resistance. Moments later Bazdarevic took off Visca, explaining to puzzled Bosnian journalists afterwards that the winger was tired. He replaced Visca with the 6ft 6in striker Milan Djuric but Plan B was about to go badly wrong for the hosts. Eight minutes from time Brady collected a long ball, turned past Toni Sunjic and shot into the net.
The home crowd were silenced, the Irish players rejoiced. But their joy was short-lived when Ognjen Vranjes did a fine impression of Visca, hurtling down the right and delivering a low cross that Dzeko sidefooted into the net.
