IRELAND V AUSTRIA MART OF WAR
Kane rescues England after Hampden thriller O’neill warns his players retreat is not an option
GARETH SOUTHGATE believes Harry Kane came of age as England captain after scoring a dramatic equaliser to rescue a point at Hampden Park.
Kane, handed the armband for the first time, struck after Scotland striker Leigh Griffiths had turned the World Cup qualifier on its head with two sensational, late freekicks.
Southgate admitted: “It was an important moment – both for the team and, individually, for Harry.
“I have a feeling that if he hadn’t scored then, we would be talking about how long it has been since
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND v AUSTRIA
In competitive home games, the Boys in Green have a habit of starting slowly and making life tough.
Three points this evening will cement Ireland’s standing as genuine World Cup contenders with four more games to go.
And not for the first time, O’neill is urging his squad to summon the spirit of Lille last summer when Ireland floored Italy at the Euros. The Irish boss said: “That night the result was of great significance but we knew at the beginning that we couldn’t rely on anything else and that we had to win.
“When the mindset is like that it helps you focus and stops you thinking negatively. With five games left, this is a big match but it’s also a big game for Austria.”
O’neill added: “I don’t think we could have got these points on the board