Ref’s the villain in Corry episode
NORTHERN IRELAND face an uphill battle to end their 32-year to wait to reach the finals.
A controversial penalty by Ricardo Rodriguez here last night installed Switzerland as firm favourites to emerge with the ticket to Russia when the teams meet for the second leg in Basle on Sunday.
Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan stunned the Irish by awarding a 57th minute spot kick against Corry Evans when he blocked Xherdan Shaqiri’s volley with his shoulder rather than his arm.
Evans was turning away from the shot and his arm was down by his side but Hategan ignored the heated protests while Rodiguez kept his nerve to send Michael McGovern the wrong way with his spot kick.
To add insult to Irish injury, Evans picked up a booking for the ‘handball’ and will be suspended for Sunday’s game.
And late in the game their own appeals for a penalty when Rodriguez appeared to handle were rejected.
But the Irish could not argue that the Swiss were not the better team and missed a number of chances to have put the tie beyond them.
Michael O’Neill’s team created only one clear chance – headed wide by Josh Magennis – and while they still have a chance they will need to play a lot better than this on Sunday to keep their dream alive.
O’Neill’s team responded to the cracking atmosphere whipped up by the sell-out crowd and made a positive start to a half spent mainly on the back foot.
Kyle Lafferty, goalscoring talisman of their qualification campaign for the Euros, flicked an early chance wide, before Stuart Dallas’s surging run down the left flank was brought unceremoniously to an end by Fabian Schar’s crude challenge, which earned the Swiss defender a caution.
While the Irish had only four Premier League players in their starting line-up, the Swiss included stars from all of Europe’s top leagues and were soon showing their class.
Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka should have done better with two early chances to give his country the lead. After Jonny Evans had made a vital block on Blerim Dzemauli’s closerange effort, the ball bounced out to Xhaka who hit his firsttime effort just off target.
Then, when Steven Zuber played the ball back to Xhaka, the Gunners midfielder could not find the target from 22 yards.
Switzerland’s other Premier League star, Stoke’s Shaqiri, produced a superb diagonal cross to set up Haris Seferovic, but the Benfica striker’s goal-bound flick lacked the power to beat McGovern, who dived to his left to keep the ball out.
It was an impressive early statement of intent by the Swiss and Evans and West Brom team-mate Gareth McAuley needed to call on all their defensive experience to keep the visitors at bay, while Steven Davis had to work overtime in midfield on the night he won his 100th cap. But the Irish weathered the storm and as the half progressed began to keep possession a little better although they had to rely on set pieces as their main source of attacking threat.
The Irish were fortunate to go in at the break still level but they continued to live dangerously in the second half. The Swiss were inches away from taking the lead in the first minute of the second half when Chris Brunt appeared to misjudge Rodriguez’s deep cross from the left.
It left Shaqiri with the time to take the ball down and take aim but his curling left foot shot was just too high.
The Irish had another let off when Seferovic was inches away from connecting with Dzemaili’s cross.
It was not a surprise that the Irish fell behind – but the manner of the Swiss goal was highly controversial. Hategan stunned just about everyone in the stadium by pointing to the penalty spot despite heated Irish protests. Rodriguez kept his nerve to send McGovern the wrong way from the spot, with Evans’ caution ruling him out of the return.
The Irish took until the 70th minute before creating their first real chance and then Magennis headed wide from Brunt’s free-kick.
Brunt then found the power but not the accuracy with another free-kick from 30 yards. The Irish pressed towards the end but the Swiss held out.