O’Neill’s men struck by an Earthquake!
San Jose midfielder Kazaishvili earns point for Georgia to deal major blow to Ireland’s hopes
A LITTLE-KNOWN midfielder with the San Jose Earthquakes has sent a tremor rippling through the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup prospects.
Valeri Kazaishvili, the lone MLS player in the Georgian squad, scored the first-half equaliser to shift the plates under Group D for Martin O’Neill’s men.
Now nothing short of a home victory against Serbia, 3-0 winners over Moldova in Belgrade, on Tuesday will suffice if the Irish are to revive ambitions of qualifying for the finals as group winners.
O’Neill recognised as much, saying after the game: ‘Yes, Serbia won and it will have to be a phenomenal effort to beat them on Tuesday. That’s what we have to do.
‘We have to obviously play better and give the Serbians less room to play than we gave the Georgians tonight, particularly in the first half. We’ll have to be really, really at our best to win the game — but we can do that.’
If further points are dropped, the Republic could yet face a make-or-break showdown against Wales in Cardiff next month for a play-off spot.
On a sticky night in the Caucasus, Ireland chose the wrong moment to record one of their sloppiest performances under O’Neill. Usually adept at protecting a lead, they scored early through Shane Duffy before a collective sense of apathy seemed to blight the green shirts.
Across midfield, the Irish were outgunned as Georgia, technically superior, dominated possession and dictated play.
For close to an hour, the visitors played second fiddle to Georgia, who fully deserved their 34thminute leveller, and might have gone in front but for resourceful Irish defending, in which Brighton defender Duffy was immense.
It took the introduction of Aiden McGeady to apply a tourniquet to the bleeding but Ireland couldn’t prise an opening as they recorded a third successive draw — and this one may come back to haunt them.
O’Neill made two changes from the team which drew with Austria in June, recalling Ciaran Clark in central defence and Shane Long in attack.
As expected, Jon Walters was passed fit to win his 50th cap, becoming the 38th Irish player to reach a half-century of appearances, with Glenn Whelan keeping the captain’s armband.
O’Neill stressed the need for Ireland to get on the front foot and to keep the ball better than they had against Georgia last October.
He could not have wished for a better start as his team drew first blood from their opening foray into the home territory.
After Walters was fouled on half-way, Cyrus Christie pumped the free-kick into the box where Clark and Duffy were two on one against keeper Giorgi Makaridze.
As Clark and Makaridze collided, Duffy towered over them both to direct his header into the now unguarded net.
The centre-half’s first Irish goal compensated for the late effort against Austria in June which was controversially ruled out. The early strike should have settled Ireland but instead it was Georgia who were provoked as they set about in search of an equaliser.
With their full-backs raiding to good effect on either flank, Ireland were pinned back for a spell and became reliant on sporadic counter-attacking.
Even so, they should have stretched their lead in the 20th minute when Shane Long and Jon Walters combined on the right and the latter’s cross picked out James McClean in space.
From eight yards out, however, the winger’s header lacked conviction and accuracy.
It was to prove a costly miss as Georgia seized the initiative with Spartak Moscow play-maker Jano Anandize repeatedly threading holes in the Irish cover.
A water break had been due at the 25th minute, but it was cancelled as the temperature in Tbilisi dropped before kick-off.
How O’Neill could have done with a time-out to re-organise his troops.
Instead, the white onslaught continued with Anandize, inevitably, involved in the equaliser when
he ghosted past Irish lines, deftly evaded Christie and teed up Kazaishvili to slip the ball under the advancing Darren Randolph.
Ireland were up against it but they lifted the siege just before half-time when Duffy almost scored again. From Robbie Brady’s corner, the giant stopper sent his header goal-bound but Makaridze beat the ball away.
The pattern of play continued initially after the break but the Irish defence held firm and Georgia found it hard to pick gaps.
The pace of the game gradually slowed as the heat sapped strength from tiring limbs, prompting O’Neill to replace Harry Arter with McGeady, the Irish match-winner in Tbilisi three years ago.
The switch enabled Ireland to seize a foot-hold and set about seeking a second goal. A slick counter attack involving Christie and James McClean ended with Walters heading a fraction over.
McGeady then dribbled from deep and tried his luck with a shot that was blocked, before Brady tested the keeper from distance.
Late on, McClean surged into the box but Makaridze denied him. The best late chance fell to McGeady, but he could only blaze over from close range. It was better from Ireland but it was never enough.
‘I have seen it back since and it obviously didn’t fall that kindly for him [McGeady],’ said O’Neill. ‘But he has the ability to get it under control and score.’