WES STEALS THE LIMELIGHT
Hoolahan scores a beauty but Zlatan provides the answer
THE shot was struck sweetly on the halfvolley, perfectly aimed, perfectly weighted — and the stadium roared at the sight of a 34-year-old forward still operating at the peak of his powers.
Down the other end, Zlatan Ibrahimovic grimaced. Sharing his hero’s podium in Paris with — who? Wes Hoolahan? Who is this Hoolahan? This was not a good look for Zlatan. Zlatan was not happy with this.
So Zlatan did what Zlatan does. Zlatan got the last word. He made the goal that earned Sweden the draw as Ireland tired.
It was far from the greatest goal. It was actually an own goal. But it got Sweden a point they scarcely deserved and that was the best he could do on a day when Ireland outplayed them and should have won.
Ireland’s starting line-up included several reserves, the odd decent turn from the Championship and three players relegated from the Premier League this season. Yet only when the effort of containing Ibrahimovic and Sweden took its toll on the legs did their opponents come to the fore.
They earned a point, which was unfortunate for Martin O’Neill’s men but this was a creditable performance that should give them confidence with Belgium up next.
They will need it, though. Group E is arguably the toughest and even with three countries potentially progressing, Ireland will need to beat Belgium or Italy to stand a scuffler’s chance of getting into the mix for the knockout rounds.
For England, hooligans, for Ireland, Hoolahan. What a goal he scored in the 47th minute. Credit Seamus Coleman on the right, too, who beat his man once, came inside and beat him again for good measure before crossing.
It was behind his intended target, but Hoolahan anticipated that, meaning he checked back and — now in space — hit it low with curl across goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson and into the net.
It was no more than Ireland merited having been by far the superior team in the first half. A disappointment in 2012, Ireland were more convincing and ambitious this time and let down only by failures in front of goal.
Directly in front of goal in the case of John O’Shea and Shane Long, who both missed chances inside the six-yard box that should have given Ireland a lead. Add a Jeff Hendrick shot that hit the bar, a fine save by Isaksson and a close shave from Robbie Brady and Ireland could have had this done before half-time. With Belgium and Italy up next that would have been advisable. Given the schedule, Ireland had to make the most of Sweden — Ibrahimovic or not. And for much of the game, it was not. Ibrahimovic (below) may have scored 50 goals in all competitions for Paris Saint-Germain this season and he may be on his way to Manchester United this summer, but France’s Ligue 1 does not contain the same type of cussed stopper he will encounter in England. Ireland’s starting XI does and, watched closely by Glenn Whelan, Ibrahimovic was dropping deeper and deeper in search of space and the ball. In the first half he found neither with regularity. Ireland lacked a cutting edge but that was all. In every other area, they were superior. Whelan broke up the midfield, even if one challenge strayed into brutality, Hendrick was the pick of it creatively, Brady always involved on the left flank. A pity about the finishing. Saves are to be expected, so too longrange shots that miss narrowly. O’Shea and Long, however. Oh dear. In the ninth minute Hendrick, whose contractual status at Derby may be tested if he does well here, had a fierce shot tipped round by Isaksson.
From the next attack, Ireland should have been ahead. Brady took the corner from the left, won by Ciaran Clark at the near post. He flicked it across goal but O’Shea simply missed his kick with the target begging. It wasn’t that he couldn’t get there. He made it sure enough, but with no connection.
Tail up now, three minutes later Brady tried a shot from 25 yards that flew just over the bar.
In the 33rd minute, Hendrick, having a stormer on the inside left of midfield, played a lovely one-two with Long that he then sent fizzing towards goal, good pace on the ball, but just inches short with his accuracy. It beat Isaksson but not the bar. Then, with four minutes to go before half-time, a second calamity — Brady again with the cross and this time it was Long, failing to get his head on the ball under pressure from Martin Olsson.
Not as bad as O’Shea’s miss, but costly nonetheless.
Having watched England fail to take advantage of a strong first half against Russia on Saturday, Ireland may be made only too aware of the consequences of wastefulness.
As for Sweden, they only came to life by way of response and forced the first real save from Darren Randolph shortly after Ireland scored. It was a chance that Emil Forsberg should have buried after the goalkeeper could only push it out.
Yet as they grew stronger — Olsson was impressive on the flank — so the equaliser grew likelier. In the 71st minute, it arrived.
Ibrahimovic surged past O’Shea and struck a cross that panicked Clark at the near post.
Worried about what lurked on his blind side, he ducked in and tried to head the ball out, but only succeeded in powering it past Randolph and into the net.
It was fraught after that, Olsson creating plenty, Hendrick involved again, even forcing another save from Isaksson.
It will be hard for Ireland now but after this it is plain they will not go out without a fight. A sporting fight.
The sort that does the participants credit and means the tournament will miss them if they go. REUTERS