An early Nathan Collins goal was enough as Ireland held on for a 1-0 win over Qatar in a game that will most likely be remembered for fan protests.
Ireland got off to a quick start with Jack Moylan winning a free kick in the fifth minute, before swinging in the cross and finding the head of Nathan Collins, who steered it past Abunada in the Qatar net, giving Ireland a 1-0 lead.
Ireland piled the pressure on Qatar in the tenth minute, with Jack Moylan nicking the ball off the centre-half, leading to a corner. The game was then briefly stopped as the Aviva crowd threw tennis balls onto the pitch in protest of the Nations League fixture with Israel later this year.
The game went into half-time with Ireland leading 1-0, but not before Moylan was very harshly shown a straight red card in the 45th minute for a challenge on Qatar’s Jassim Gaber, much to the disapproval of the Irish fans.
The second half started as the first half ended, with both teams having shares of possession but neither team threatening the opposition’s goal. The crowd livened up when Jaden Umeh was brought on for Chiedozie Ogbene with around 15 minutes left and immediately got a shot off. Minutes later, Qatar’s Al Moez Ali was sent off for an off-the-ball challenge on Jayson Molumby, and the game was 10 v 10.
Nathan Collins had a chance to score another header, with his attempt flying across the face of the goal, with nobody able to get a clinical touch on it. That was the last of the action as the ref blew his whistle minutes later, with Ireland winning 1-0. There weren’t many highlights on the pitch, but here are the main takeaways from it.
Moylan and Umeh are just what Ireland needs
Despite his red card on the stroke of halftime, Jack Moylan was the best player on the pitch in the first half.
Moylan brought an intensity to the game that had Ireland winning possession high up the field. He won a free kick in the fifth minute, swung the set-piece into the box himself, and found the head of Nathan Collins for the game’s only goal.
Jaden Umeh came on with 15 minutes left to the biggest cheer of the second half, and immediately received the ball, beat two players, and got a shot away, winning a corner.
In what was a dire second period, Umeh ignited the home crowd by showing the ability and confidence to take players on, something we see far too little of these days. The future looks bright for Irish football, with youngster Mason Melia also coming on to make his senior debut for the side, as well as Leece’s Corrie Ndaba, who also made his debut off the bench.
The back-five works, boring or not
37-year-old Seamus Coleman hardly put a foot wrong in the back five tonight; in fact, none of them did.
It was a rock-solid performance from the big backline, with Jake O’Brien, Nathan Collins, and Dara O’Shea getting their head on every ball that came near them.
Player of the Match, Liam Scales, was pressing the length of the pitch on Qatar’s goal kicks, not letting their defenders breathe on the ball.
On the other side, 37-year-old Seamus Coleman was up and down the wing all night, doing his defensive duties in the process. Substitutions James Abankwah and Corrie Ndaba came on for Dara O’Shea and Liam Scales and, once again, hardly put a foot wrong in the back line.
Heimir is turning the Aviva into a fortress
September 2024 was the last time Ireland lost at the Aviva, losing 2-0 to Greece. The Boys in Green have now won five and drawn three games in Dublin since then.
Heimir Hallgrimsson has made Ireland a hard team to beat at home, which will stand to the players when it comes to the upcoming Nations League campaign and a home European Championship in 2028.
