Kolarov puts Serbs firmly in box seat
REP OF IRELAND ............ 0 SERBIA ............................... 1
ALEKSANDAR Kolarov wrecked the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup dream as 10-man Serbia eased themselves to the brink of qualification on a controversial night in Dublin.
Kolarov’s 55th-minute piledriver secured a precious 1-0 win at the Aviva Stadium and guaranteed his side a top-two finish in Group D despite defender Nikola Maksimovic’s 68th-minute red card.
But Ireland were furious not to be awarded a penalty for Jagos Vukovic’s challenge on substitute Daryl Murphy six minutes later as Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir waved away their appeals.
Martin O’Neill’s misery was compounded by Wales’ 2-0 victory in Moldova, which means the Republic now sit third in the group with just two games to play and with key men Robbie Brady and James McClean suspended for the Moldovans’ visit to the Aviva next month.
On a night when victory was the only real option, Glenn Whelan and Harry Arter paid the price for their side’s poor first-half display in Georgia on Saturday as David Meyler and Wes Hoolahan, who had been nursing a groin problem, were drafted in.
O’Neill also opted to tinker with his system, handing Hull midfielder Meyler the task of patrolling the space in front of his back four at the base of a diamond which had creator in chief Hoolahan at its peak, and his boldness was rewarded with a much improved performance.
Hoolahan’s talent for finding space and picking out incisive passes invigorated the men around him and Shane Long, who had been fatally isolated in Tbilisi, suddenly found himself in the thick of the action with Jonathan Walters, McClean and Brady able to link with him at regular intervals.
There was an early scare for Ireland when Meyler surrendered possession inside his own penalty area and Shane Duffy had to hurl himself into the path of Nemanja Matic’s well-struck drive, but for much of the half, it was the Republic on the front foot.
Central defender Duffy saw a 10th-minute header correctly ruled out for offside after Brady and Hoolahan has worked a short corner move, and Serbia keeper Vladimir Stojkovic was relieved to get his fingertips to Long’s stinging 20th-minute effort.