Goal drought continues but Republic grind out draw

Martin O’neill saw the Republic of Ireland scrap their way to just a second Nations League point as they ground out a 0-0 draw in Denmark last night.

Ireland, who were second best in their friendly stalemate against Northern Ireland on Thursday evening, were resilient in Aarhus as they held the Danes, who had already secured promotion to League A, to a goalless draw for the third time in four attempts in a little more than a year.

However, they rode their luck, the woodwork saving them in the second half, while the Danes’ penalty claims early on, when Enda Stevens appeared to tug full-back Peter Andersen’s shirt in the box, were dismissed by the referee .

The Republic failed to muster a single attempt on target and have now not scored in 397 minutes of football, while their nine games in 2018 have yielded just a single victory.

O’neill, who gave Southampton’s 18-year-old Michael Obafemi a debut as a secondhalf substitute, will take positives from a gritty display, but will face questions over his team’s lack of ambition, something which must change if they are to mount a bid for Euro 2020 qualification.