[ad_1]
Stephen Kenny’s quest for a first victory as coach of the Republic of Ireland continues as England overtook them at Wembley.
Ireland’s first loss to the Three Lions in 35 years was a difficult observation for fans, as Gareth Southgate’s experimental team was left without comfortable winners.
The visitors got off to a brilliant start and looked ready to challenge it, but goals from Harry Maguire and Jadon Sancho saw England make it 2-0 at halftime before Dominic Calvert-Lewin added a third from the penalty spot.
Here’s how the Irish players rated:
Darren randolph 4
A Cruyff turn to dodge Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the opening minutes hinted that his lack of playing time hasn’t hurt his confidence, but it was an unusually error-ridden performance from Bray’s man.
His missed shot at a Mason Mount cross nearly gave Bukayo Saka a goal in the first half, but he was quick to block the effort, and Maguire nearly punished him in the second half by failing to claim a free kick from Saka.
Cyrus Christie 2
Selected on his preferred right side in the absence of Seamus Coleman, as Matt Doherty moved to the left, but did little to suggest he has the ability to make it his.
His poor clearance and lack of urgency to get back into position left a huge gap for Sancho to score England’s second.
And Arsenal full-back Saka forced him too easily to concede England’s third-party penalty before Stephen Kenny brought his nightmare to an early conclusion.
Shane Duffy 3
Duffy has had a shaky start to his career with Celtic, falling to the bench before the international break, and the captain endured a difficult night against England’s thrilling three forwards.
He was outscored by Maguire on England’s first goal and while he managed a good block to deny Calvert-Lewin soon after, he was too often desperate to defend.
He had three different middle half partners overnight, which may not have helped, but his passing improved in the second half as Ireland was able to play forward.
John Egan N / A
He collided with Conor Hourihane while defending an early corner kick and received a severe blow to the head, forcing him to leave after 13 minutes for further evaluation.
Matt Doherty 6
He has a lot of experience as a left back from his time at Wolves and was the most comfortable of Ireland’s defenders with most of the danger directed towards the opposite flank.
Conor Hourihane 4
He started the game well from a deep position in midfield, as Ireland looked to move the ball quickly to the flanks, but was forced to back down as England took over.
His languid style stands out in an Irish midfield as a worker, but he was too lazy on possession on several occasions when Ireland badly needed some ball control.
James McCarthy’s absence was deeply felt as the Aston Villa man offered little protection for their central halves as they struggled to contain clubmate Jack Grealish in the free role in attack.
Jeff Hendrick 5
Deployed in a deeper position than he is used to for Ireland, Alan Browne took the 10th position and worked tirelessly as always.
Ireland had a nominal extra man in midfield, but it rarely materialized as Hendrick was forced to fight metaphorical fires set off by Sancho and Grealish’s outstanding attacking move.
Perhaps he could have done more to close out Sancho for England’s second goal, but his was not the mistake to begin with.
Alan Browne 6
Charged with advancing to support Adam Idah in attack, his speed and athleticism were an advantage during the fruitful first 15 minutes for Ireland.
The unfortunate Idah couldn’t make out his career after a promising early passage, but was asked to progressively fall deeper as the middle progressed.
Ireland recorded the first shot on goal in the 71st minute, but were unlucky enough to lose their balance a bit when they hit the ball.
Callum O’Dowda 4
He started the game well on the ball when he joined Idah and Daryl Horgan and showed some good footwork to put his teammates into space.
His influence on the game waned as the first half progressed and it was no surprise to see him replaced in the hour.
Daryl Horgan 6
He seemed determined to seize his opportunity in the early stages with a series of promising runs that threatened to expose Saka’s inexperience in defense from the wing.
He easily beat Tyrone Mings for a cross as Ireland looked dangerous in the first 15 minutes, but, like O’Dowda, he found himself chasing the ball most of the time before being replaced.
Adam Idah 6
A lonely night for the Norwich City forward after a promising first quarter in attack, and the three England defenders found easy space for the crowd every time Ireland worked the ball forward.
His best work came when he ran the channels and connected with the dynamic Horgan, although he may regret a bad pass from Browne when the scores were level.
Subs
Dara O’Shea 6
He showed up early for his second international in place of the injured John Egan and performed well alongside the experienced Duffy.
He moved to the right back after Christie’s retirement and showed calm in possession and went up and down well.
Robbie Brady 4
Introduced for O’Dowda for the last half hour, but had trouble getting into the game.
James McClean 5
He injected his usual energy into the proceedings and England’s defenders seemed noticeably less controlled in possession as he approached them.
Kevin Long 6
He replaced Christie to form the third middle pair of the game with Duffy and Ireland enjoyed their best possession of the game while he was in play.
Ronan Curtis 6
He hit Dean Henderson in the palm of the hand with Ireland’s second shot on goal at the end, having replaced Idah in the closing minutes.
Jayson Molumby 6
He displayed energy and inventiveness in midfield during his brief stint on the field, with a clever pass from Browne giving Ireland the first clear chance.
[ad_2]