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Republic of Ireland 3 Scotland 0 - Dark Blues handed heavy Nations League defeat in Dublin

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
AuthorDamian Spellman
Published date11 June 2022
Publication titleEdinburghLive (Scotland)
The 21-year-old Swansea frontman drilled home a 30-yard piledriver to cement a 3-0 League B Group One win at the Aviva Stadium, just Ireland's third victory in 18 competitive games under manager Stephen Kenny

It could hardly have come at a better time after back-to-back defeats by Armenia and Ukraine which had raised fresh questions over Kenny's tenure and prompted a defiant response from the 50-year-old.

The Republic's first competitive win in Dublin since they beat Gibraltar in a Euro 2020 qualifier in June 2019 was set up by first-half goals from Alan Browne and Troy Parrott, who doubled Ireland's entire Nations League tally inside eight minutes, which was thoroughly deserved as the Scots wilted in Dublin.

John McGinn passed up two first-half chances for Steve Clarke's men, but they rarely threatened to get themselves back into the game once they went behind on a dismal afternoon for the 2,500 travelling Scotland fans among a crowd of 46,947.

As expected, Kenny shuffled his pack, handing Obafemi a first senior start for his country in one of five changes to the side which lost to Ukraine in midweek, while Grant Hanley and Scott McTominay were drafted into the Scotland line-up in place of Rangers new boy John Souttar and Stuart Armstrong.

Ireland, stung by the criticism they had received after a poor start to the campaign, started with real tempo as Jason Knight snapped into tackles and wing-backs Browne and James McClean worked their way into advanced positions.

The visitors quickly settled, however, and, with McTominay orchestrating from the middle of the field, pushed the home side back towards their own goal.

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Obafemi was unable to make the most of Hanley's early slip which looked to have put him in behind the Scottish defence, but Browne had to block Andy Robertson's goal-bound 12th-minute strike and goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher had to get down well to field McGinn's skidding attempt seconds later.

The Republic lacked penetration as Scotland sat back and denied space when...

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