A Ciaran Clark own goal earned Sweden a fortunate 1-1 draw against a spirited Ireland side in their Euro 2016 Group E opener at the Stade de France Monday.
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That may seem extremely premature, but it is one of few possible conclusions from what amounted to an effective play-off between these teams – unless something drastic changes.
Ireland’s next game is against Belgium in Bordeaux on Saturday, with Italy their other opponents in Group E.
“Italy got a good result against a good team like Belgium and is one of the favourites to advance. If he puts in another performance like he did against Sweden, it’ll do us a load of good”.
For all those reasons, Ireland should feel that this was much more of a wasted opportunity for them rather than Sweden.
O’Neill said: “Three points would have been fantastic”.
“I think the players have come on leaps and bounds at global level”.
“We forced him away from our goal as much as we could, it worked a treat. The players have to take great credit for that”.
“What was happening was that Sweden were getting a bit of joy down the left-hand side, which was a concern”, O’Neill said. He said he felt his achilles really early on in the match. This 1-1 draw was not the story of the one big star stepping up.
Returning to the scene of Thierry Henry’s infamous handball for France that crushed its 2010 World Cup qualifying dreams in an unforgettable playoff, Ireland was the better side for most of the game.
That defence was finally breached three minutes into the second period. The goal was richly deserved.
“We’re disappointed we conceded but I thought – first half especially – we played really well”.
Robbie Brady shot just over, before the outstanding Jeff Hendrick cracked the crossbar after a clever one-two with Brady.
It wasn’t only the goal that caught the eye in Hoolahan’s performance.
The Norwich City playmaker’s crowning moment came shortly after the break, when he crashed home an unstoppable half-volley from Seamus Coleman’s cross to prompt bedlam among the hordes of green behind the goal.
From the way they were playing, that should have been the foundation for a fine Irish win just four years after the disaster of three defeats at Euro 2012.
Ibrahimovic then had the chance to put Sweden ahead on 82 minutes when Martin Olsson fired a ball across the area, but he could not make contact.
Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill has called on his players to show spirit in their remaining group matches at Euro2016.
It typically took Ibrahimovic, however, to convert that pressure into a goal.
“Wes did brilliantly to keep it down, it’s not his strong foot and it was a great goal”, he said.
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Sebastian Larsson was waiting to finish it in any case, but it was still Ibrahimovic that everyone ran over to celebrate with.
