McClean magic keeps the Irish on top
It is a bold statement, which will require further scrutiny as this World Cup qualifying campaign advances, but Martin O’Neill is on course to displace Jack Charlton as the Republic of Ireland’s most successful manager after this brilliantly executed away win over Austria.
The victory strengthens Ireland’s position in Group D and they are now six points ahead of Austria, who were favourites to qualify alongside top seeds Wales.
O’Neill’s win ratio is now identical to Charlton’s at the same stage of his reign, although the Englishman had a superior, and deeper, pool of players to choose from. Comparing teams from different eras is a notoriously fruitless task, but not since Charlton has an Ireland manager inspired such confidence.
Having exceeded expectations in not only getting the Irish to the European championships, but also out of their group, it was feared Ireland would drop off in this campaign as O’Neill introduced younger players. If anything, they are getting stronger. Not just tougher to beat, but also capable of beating teams, like Austria, who are supposedly far better than them.
“It was a tough evening, we had to withstand a lot of early pressure,” said O’Neill, whose next challenge will be facing Wales in Dublin in March. “But I thought we started to come into the game at the end of the first half and got stronger and stronger.
“It’s an excellent win, nothing deflated us in the first half and to have 10 points from four games and be top of the group, we couldn’t have asked for any more.”
Austria dominated the ball, pushing and probing in the first half, but Ireland are a walnut of a football team – tough to crack. As threatening as Austria were in their build-up play, they had only one clear chance before half-time when Marcel Sabitzer chipped an effort against the crossbar.
Ireland had an even better one just before half-time. Robbie Brady and Wes Hoolahan combined down the left before Brady curled a wonderful cross into the path of Jonathan Walters. The striker was unmarked but, stretching to reach the ball, he put it over the bar.
Defensive but not passive, Ireland were still in the game and took the lead three minutes into the second half.
O’Neill has always rated James McClean, giving him his Sunderland debut in his first game as manager at the Stadium of Light, but has also been frustrated by the West Brom winger’s failure to progress since then. However, there are signs that, at the age of 28, McClean is finally making the most of his talent and his goal here made it three in his last four games for Ireland.
Ireland do not score many great goals, but this was one of them. David Meyler deserves credit, not just for breaking up an Austria attack, but for also delaying his pass to Hoolahan to let McClean get ahead of them both. Hoolahan had already spotted his run and the pass was perfect. McClean did not have to break stride and thumped a low shot past Ramazan Oscan.
“It was a brilliant, brilliant goal,” enthused O’Neill. “James wasn’t even sure he would be able to play, but I thought he was fantastic all night. He is proving what a big, big player he can be for us and that is what we wanted from him. He has improved a great deal over the last couple of years.”
The goal crushed Austria and Ireland thought they had a second, but Walters was offside when he headed home.
Austria captain Julian Baumgartlinger should have been sent off for a trip on Hoolahan after he had already been booked, but this was a joyous night for the Irish as Marc Janko missed a late chance to equalise when Baumgartlinger’s shot fell into his path.