A controversial injury-time goal gave Greece a share of the spoils as Ireland drew 1-1 in their their opening UEFA European Under-17 Championships encounter at Tallaght Stadium.
Matt Everitt’s close-range strike looked to have given Ireland an opening win in this Group A match but Colin O'Brien's side had to settle for a point following the last-gasp goal.
The late, late strike from substitute Dimitrios Arsenidis was initially waved offside by the assistant referee but overruled by the referee, which proved to be the last kick of the game.
O'Brien's Under-17 side dominated play from the early stages and were finally rewarded early in the second half as Everitt bundled the ball home following an Ireland corner.
Greece pushed hard for an equaliser in this entertaining Group A encounter but Ireland never looked like relinquishing the lead and top the table following the first round of games.
Ireland 1-0 Greece - Matt Everitt gives Ireland a deserved lead in their U-17 European Championships opener #rtesoccer pic.twitter.com/TX63vbalos
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) May 3, 2019
A decent crowd of 4265 turned out at the Tallaght venue for the Euro opener and there was no sign of nerves as Ireland started well, holding possession and playing out from the back – Timi Sobowale of Manchester City looking immediately calm and composed in the heart of the defence.
Greece appeared happy to sit deep to attempt to dampen the hosts’ early enthusiasm, but Ireland took complete control of the encounter early on and in the eighth minute, the first chance dropped to Manchester United youngster Charlie McCann who found himself in space on the edge of the box following good work from the lively Matt Everitt and captain Seamas Keogh.
McCann caught a crisp half-volley cleanly but the powerful shot was always rising and flew just over the bar.
And so it continued, as Ireland maintained possession, with Sobowale dictating play from the back, taking the ball out into midfield, unchallenged.
In the 14th minute, some dodgy goalkeeping gifted Ireland possession on the edge of the box and they were then awarded a free kick as Festy Ebsoele was chopped down.
Everitt tried to deceive the keeper with a cheeky effort around the wall but the ball was a yard the wrong side of the post.
And two minutes later, more Irish pressure led to another chance on goal following some neat play between McCann and Ebsoele with the latter just dragging his shot wide of the post.
Greece were yet to test the Ireland goal with the ball now firmly camped in the visitors’ half.
And then in the 19th minute, Ireland best chance came from a quick-paced counter-attack started and finished by McCann, however, the final effort was deflected wide for a corner, the midfielder opting to shoot for the near post.
More Ireland pressure led to another free kick in the 21st minute, this time just outside the box on the left as Ebosele was chopped down, but again the set-piece failed to result in a decent chance, as the ball was clipped to the back post but Sobowale could not make clean contact.
The one-way traffic continued and Hodge’s effort from distance had the keeper scrambling across his goal, Tzolakis happy to see it fly wide of the far post.
There was 40 minutes on the clock before Greece finally start to play a bit as Giannis Karakoutis caused problems on the left before getting hauled down by Sean McEvoy, who picked up a yellow card for his troubles.
A decent delivery into the box followed and with a player arriving late, Hodge did well to get his head on the ball to clear.
Moments later a snap-shot by Vasileios Grosdis flew towards the near post but Gavin Bazunu was well placed to watch it go wide.
But good pressure from the Greeks to end the half, including another effort on goal from Vasileios Pavlidis, this time saved by Bazunu, which would no doubt give them confidence going into the second half.
Both sides had a go early on without really threatening but the opening goal would arrive in the 58th minutes as Ireland scored from a set piece.
James Furlong travelled the length of the pitch to take the corner from his opposite flank and it turned out to be worth the trek as his deep cross was helped back into the mix by Omobamidele, the ball eventually falling to Everitt arriving at the far post.
And at the second time of asking, the Brighton midfielder helped the ball home to hand Ireland a deserved lead.
Minutes later, Ireland were forced into a change as Timi Sobowale had to come off injured with Anselmo Garcia McNulty slotting into the middle of the defence.
And it coincided with some sustained Greek pressure as the visitors chased and equaliser, but despite their momentum they were unable to really test Bazunu in the Ireland goal.
Ireland looked to counter at every opportunity with Everitt really looking dangerous down the right flank, while Conor Carty continued to work tirelessly up front on his own.
Greece piled on the pressure in the final ten minutes with Christos Tzolis stinging a shot into Bazunu at the near post but the former Shamrock Rovers keeper stayed big and made the save look straightforward.
Three more Greek subs were sent on for the final five as they continued their push for an equaliser but it was Ireland breaking at pace that looked more likely to score a second.
Five minutes of injury time was added and it looked as though Ireland had seen it through before Arsenidis snuck the ball home to start the celebrations off the Greek bench as Ireland were stunned by both the strike and the referee’s decision.
Ireland 1-1 Greece - A hugely controversial end to the game as Greece snatch an injury time goal and a late draw, despite the linesman's flag being raised. #rtesoccer pic.twitter.com/GbuN05RCgq
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) May 3, 2019
Republic of Ireland: 1. Gavin Bazunu; 2. Sean McEvoy, 5. Andrew Omobamidele, 4. Timi Sobowale (Anselmo Garcia McNulty 67), 3. James Furlong; 6. Joe Hodge, 8. Seamas Keogh (capt), 10. Charlie McCann (Ronan McKinley 80), 11. Festy Ebsoele, 7. Matt Everitt (Sean Kennedy 90); 9. Conor Carty.
Greece: 1. Kostas Tzolakis; 2 Angelos Tsavos, 5. Panagiotis Panagiotou (capt) (Aslanidis Kyriakos 85), 16. Vasileios Pavlidis, 14. Aventis Aventisian; 8. Thomas Karamperis, 6. Antonios Siatounis (21. Christos Liatsos 67); 10. Vasilis Sourlis (Dimitrios Arsenidis 85), 17. Vasileios Grosdis (Belevonis Christos 85), 11. Giannis Karakoutis (Kotopoulos Nektarios 73); 9. Christos Tzolis.
Referee: Serdar Gozubuyuk (NED)
