SCOTS VICTORY A SET-BACK TO IRISH CHANCES
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IRELAND’S hopes of claiming runners-up spot in Nations League Group B1 suffered a huge setback last night.
Scotland’s 3-0 hammering of Ukraine at Hampden Park sent
Steve Clarke’s side to the top of the group on nine points — two ahead of Ukraine and five better off than Stephen Kenny’s men.
The Scots — hammered 3-0 in The
Aviva last June — were a revelation and took the game to Ukraine.
However, a string of misses and stout Ukrainian defending prevented the hosts from taking the lead until the 70th minute when John McGinn drove home off the post.
Swivel
On the edge of the box, the captain, with his back to goal and a defender right at his backside, used his butt to swivel his man and rifle home a left foot shot.
The goal would have been worthy of Kenny Dalglish in his heyday, and the legend himself was there looking on, and beamed in enjoyment from the stands.
Substitute Lyndon Dykes then added two more to complete a compelling Scottish performance.
Steve Clarke’s side were terrific and won by the length of Sauchiehall Street.
Back in July, defeat to Ukraine felt like the end of the world for the men in blue.
But last night’s win breathed new life into a Nations League campaign that looked snuffed out almost before it had got started with that horror show in Dublin 10 days after Ukraine had smashed
Scotland’s World Cup hopes.
Last night, against the same opposition, felt like a new beginning for Clarke’s side.
Stephen Kenny said yesterday he hoped that Ukraine could take maximum points from last night’s match and the countries’ final encounter in Poland next Tuesday to allow his side to grab second spot.
However, even victories for the Boys In Green in Glasgow on Saturday night and against Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday may still not guarantee Ireland such an outcome.
In fact, if Ireland don’t beat the Scots at the weekend then their meeting with the Armenians will decide who finishes bottom and are thus relegated to League C for the 2024 competition.
Ireland are already set to be a third seed for the Euro 2024 qualifiers that will be held in Frankfurt on October 9.
But the knock-on effect of failing to claim the runners-up spot in this Nations League group would leave Ireland in danger of not being able to make the cut for one of the 12 Euros’ play-off slots that will produce the final three teams for the tournament in Germany.
Meanwhile, the FAI have confirmed that Ireland will take on
Erling Haaland’s Norway in an Aviva friendly on November 17 before travelling to Malta to face the hosts in a second friendly
three days later.