OUR SAVING GRACE
Bazunu spares Irish blushes in Amsterdam as only Dutch of furtune keeps score down
GAVIN BAZUNU pulled off a slew of scintillating saves to spare Ireland from a total horror show in Amsterdam.
The history books might – at first glance – paint this deadrubber in a better light, having lost by just one goal.
But delve behind the scoreline for the real story as this was no close run thing. Not by a long shot.
It’s true that Stephen Kenny’s side have brought the fight to top nations like France, Holland and Portugal during his three year spell.
But this time it’s a wonder how the Boys in Green got away without a proper pummelling in what is set to be Kenny’s last competitive game in charge.
Substitute Adam Idah had an Irish goal scratched off for offside in the second-half but snatching a point here would have been quite the injustice.
It would have spoiled Holland’s qualification party too, but Wout Weghorst’s winner has secured their ticket to the finals.
Bazunu (right) made six goal-saving interventions to maintain respectability, while Holland left other scoring chances behind them.
And yet, late in the game, Ireland were forcing corners and free-kicks in their pursuit of that most Irish of scorelines – the battling 1-1 draw. Nothing materialised though as the curtain fell on an utterly deflating qualifying campaign where all six of Ireland’s points came against group minnows Gibraltar.
Kenny limps on to Tuesday’s home friendly with New Zealand – billed as James Mcclean’s last international, but set to be
Kenny’s too as the Ireland boss.
Weghorst, the ex-manchester United striker, sealed Holland’s come-from-behind win in Dublin two months ago and he returned to haunt Ireland here.
His 12th minute goal settled the game but Ronald Koeman’s men ran amok.
Ireland’s defence was tied up in knots and did themselves no favours trying to deal with the giant striker for that winner.
Nathan Collins’ attempt to shackle Weghorst was feeble and the striker spun off him all too easily, with Ryan Manning then clattering into Collins in the aftermath.
With both defenders taken out, and Liam Scales preoccupied with livewire Xavi Simons,
Weghost raced in before unleashing a fierce drive high into Bazunu’s net.
Holland should have been home and hosed by half-time but Bazunu did well to deny Liverpool ace Cody Gakpo while Simons let fly from distance.
Ireland were struggling to win tackles, never mind the game, and the Dutch sliced their way through the paper-thin cover.
Celtic star Scales made a vital intervention at the near post to thwart Gakpo at close range.
Simons’ movement in between the lines was a constant headache with Irish defenders unsure how to handle him.
And but for a key Collins block, Gakpo would have been in one on one with Bazunu after
Simons showed great vision.
But the pressure was relentless and Bazunu was tested again, this time scrambling well to deny Tijjani Reijnders.
And he pulled off another after the break, denying Simons following a sweet one-two with Dumfries after a devastating break at speed.
The Ireland keeper was the busiest man on the pitch and continued to answer SOS calls with big saves to keep Ireland in it – on the scoreboard at least.
Simons, Dumfries and Weghorst combined in one brilliant move but Bazunu produced the goods again to deny the striker.
And moments later, he parried a Reijnders shot onto the post at full stretch which Matt
Doherty hacked clear.
Some Ireland fans booed Kenny’s decision to replace Evan Ferguson with Jamie Mcgrath after only 55 minutes.
But the star striker carried a knock at the start of the week and later received treatment.
He faced a thankless task anyway, rendered a bystander with the deadly Dutch practically camped on Ireland’s box until those late stages.
Idah thought he had scored when Verbruggen spilled his low, stabbed shot over the line, but the striker was deemed offside when latching onto Ryan Manning’s goal.
The win sealed Holland’s ticket to the Euros. For Ireland, it’s back to the drawing board.