Ireland and Sweden shared the spoils in Group E, but John O’Shea believes his team were the better team on the night and should have taken all three points.
An own goal from his defensive partner Ciarán Clark ensured the Swedes, who failed to muster a single shot on target in the 90 minutes, claimed a point after a brilliant opening goal from Wes Hoolahan after the break.
Martin O’Neill’s side had the better of the first half opportunities, Jeff Hendrick going the closest when his rasping shot his the crossbar, though Ireland did concede possession and territory after taking the lead.
"We were definitely the better team"
O’Shea says that it remains a “positive” result ahead of fixtures against Belgium and Italy to come.
“We could definitely had three points, we were definitely the better team, but also the performance to take out of it and the chances we created,” he told RTÉ Sport, with the Sunderland defender close to sliding the ball past Andreas Isaksson in the opening 45 minutes.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a dangerous presence throughout and while his creativity engineered the own goal, O’Shea says the Irish rearguard coped manfully at the Stade de France.
“The domination we had for large spells and we coped with their spell and their crosses. There was just one we couldn’t keep out, but we reacted brilliantly to that and almost went back in front again.
“There was great courage, there were lads playing through the pain barrier so overall lots of positives.”
While Darren Randolph wasn’t overly tested in the Irish goals, the experienced defender admitted that the inability to control proceedings after Hoolahan’s strike was costly.
“I think Sweden recognised that they needed to go for it a bit more and they took more chances.
“We probably needed a bit more composure at certain times because we weren’t retaining possession and it was going back to them a little bit too much.”
O’Shea, like the goal scorer Hoolahan, says that they group are already focssing on the next challenge.
“On to Belgium now. Lots to look forward to.”
