Ireland have been left with the unenviable task of having to defeat hosts Argentina by three goals on Saturday to have any chance of keeping their World Cup qualification hopes alive.
That is the nightmare scenario facing Paul Revington’s side, after the Irish somehow contrived to let a two-goal lead slip against the Czech Republic before being held to a 2-2 draw.
Following Tuesday’s 3-0 crash to Belgium, Ireland knew they had to win against the Czechs – a side they routed 10-0 the last time the sides met at the European Nations Cup in 2007 – to keep their destiny somewhat in their own hands.
But this slip-up left them hoping for a Belgian victory against Argentina, and although the former themselves recovered from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw – an Argentinean win would have taken things completely out of Ireland’s hands – that result now means only an improbable three-goal victory over the hosts will suffice on Saturday.
Ireland’s set-piece has been a worry all tournament, with just three goals coming from this facet prior to this match, and it let them down once more today despite a promising start.
John Jermyn’s penalty stroke put them in front on 12 minutes, and when he rattled home a drag-flick ten minutes later, the Irish seemed to be on their way.
But when a second stroke was saved by Czech netminder Filip Neusser, a vital opportunity to kill the game as a contest was lost, and gave the Czechs a glimmer of hope going into the break.
Ireland wasted short corners either side of a 55th-minute strike from Martin Babicky after the break, and Babicky subsequently made them pay, slapping the ball into the ground and over the helpless David Harte for his second with four minutes to go, to earn a share of the spoils.
Revington’s charges had already left themselves with it all to do after Tuesday’s disappointing loss to the Belgians.
They found themselves two down inside nine minutes; Thomas Briels caught Tim Lewis in possession at the back and hammered low past Harte – who was earning his 50th cap – for the first, before Jerome Dekeyser finished off Xavier Reckinger’s pass on nine minutes.
Benjamin van Hove did likewise from Loic Vandeweghe a minute after the break to kill the game as a contest. While Ireland had a couple of short corner attempts to reduce the arrears, they couldn’t give themselves or Eugene Magee – who became the youngest player to notch up 100 caps at 23 years and 231 days – anything to shout about.
Standings: 1. Belgium 10 pts (+15) 2. Argentina 10 pts (+10) 3. Ireland 7 pts (+5) 4. Czech Republic 4 pts (-8) 5. Chile 3 pts (-9) 6. USA 0pts (-13)
