Despite taking a first-half lead the Republic of Ireland were defeated by France in the opening match of the UEFA U-17 European Championship final tournament in the Mardan Stadium, Antalya, in Turkey today.
A resurgent French team scored twice in the second half to inflict a narrow defeat on the Irish in an exciting match that was played in searing heat as the temperature rose to more than 30 degrees.
Ireland now face a huge task against Switzerland and the reigning champions, Spain, if they are to claim one of the top two places in Group B of the Championship finals and go on to the knock-out semi-finals.
Ireland will play Switzerland on Wednesday and Spain on Saturday next and they will be hoping that some of the players whose involvement against France was curtailed by illness and injury will be available.
Ireland had the better of the opening half and were boosted by a superbly taken goal in the 37th minute. Ireland’s left-back, Gavin Gunning, was level with the 18 yards line when he launched a throw-in to Greg Cunningham.
Cunningham took the ball on his chest and turned sharply to lose his marker and cross low for Paul Murphy to finish with aplomb with a delightful touch as he turned the ball in at speed with his instep from six yards.
The goal reflected the edge that Ireland enjoyed in the opening half. They forced the pace of the game and with Robbie Brady playing with skill and incisiveness on Ireland’s left wing they had the French at full stretch.
Aaron Doran epitomised the confidence that was surging through the Irish side when he produced an audacious scoring attempt from a free fully 40 yards out in the 25th minute. The French goalkeeper had difficulty in deflecting the ball over the crossbar.
The French gave plenty of evidence of the quality in their side and they were always a threat. They created a great chance from a corner in the 33rd minute played in by Kakuta to Fofana. The French captain made a poor attempt when he headed wide after escaping his marker, much to the relieve of the Irish.
The second half saw France grow in effect and they created a growing number of chances which paid dividends when they equalised in the 64th minute. French attacker, Tafer, made a great run through to Irish defence taking a composed shot from 18 yards, placing it beyond Hanley’s outstretched left hand.
Ireland were not without chances themselves but their prospects were not helped when the dangerous Robbie Brady was forced off in the 49th minute. He had received treatment for an injury to his hip flexor muscle in the lead-up to the game and was forced to withdraw when he suffered a recurrence of the injury.
Ireland battled hard to defend the point they would have deserved but their gallant effort was doomed to failure when Gunning, for once, failed to get in an effective clearance. The ball fell kindly for Lacazette who scored in the 80th minute with a powerful volley.
TEAMS
Republic of Ireland:
Ger Hanley (Salthill Devon), Padraic Ormsby (Crumlin United), Danny Joyce (Belvedere), Mark Connolly (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Gavin Gunning (Blackburn Rovers), Conor Clifford (Chelsea), Gearoid Morrisey (Ringmahon Rangers), Aaron Doran (Blackburn Rovers), Paul Murphy (Ipswich Town), Robbie Brady (Manchester United), Greg Cunningham (Manchester City)
Substitutes: Shaun Timmons (Birmingham City) for Doran 72 mins; John Sullivan (Crumlin United) for Murphy 41 mins; Darragh Satelle (Hull City) for Brady 49 mins.
Unused Subs: Gavin Carlin (West Brom)
France:
Anthony Mfa Mezui, Sebastien Faure, Gueida Fofana, Thimothee Kolodziecziak, Loic Nego, Enzo Reale, Andre Auras, Gael Kakuta, Clement Grenier, Yannis Tafer, Gilles Sunu.
Substitutes: Yannis Salibur for Clement Grenier 54; Alexande Lacazette for Sunu 59
Report courtesy of www.fai.ie
