Bosnia & Herzegovina 0-2 Republic of Ireland
Tyreik Wright and Conor Coventry scored as the Republic of Ireland launched their European Under-21s Championship qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Aston Villa striker Wright, currently on loan at Salford, converted a 52nd-minute penalty before skipper Coventry wrapped up the points with 17 minutes remaining on a difficult pitch in Zenica to open Ireland's Group F account at the first time of asking.
The visitors enjoyed a 15th-minute escape when Bosnia captain Dorde Milojevic headed the second of two Amar Dedic corners in quick succession just wide of the far post, with the home side retaining the ball well in open play during the early exchanges.
However as Coventry, Ross Tierney and Gavin Kilkenny started to forage in midfield, Jim Crawford’s men worked their way into the game and full-back Andy Lyons sent in an inviting 34th-minute cross from the right with which striker Josh Kayode only just failed to make meaningful contact.
Debutant Jake O’Brien might have given Ireland the lead within three minutes of the restart when he dived to meet Kilkenny’s inviting free-kick, but the Crystal Palace defender failed to find the target with his header.
However, the visitors were ahead with 52 minutes gone when, after Kayode had been bundled over by defender Luka Malic inside the area, Wright confidently converted the resulting spot-kick.
Goalkeeper Brian Maher had to dive full length to claim Dedic’s threatening 61st-minute free-kick as the home side responded, and his side might have doubled their advantage had opposite number Belmin Dizdarevic not managed to block Wright’s effort after Louie Watson had played him in with 20 minutes remaining.
Amar Begic drilled a shot across Maher’s goal from an unlikely angle two minutes later, but Ireland did extend their lead through Coventry after Kilkenny and Watson had worked a 73rd-minute short corner move to set him up.
Sixteen-year-old Brighton striker Evan Ferguson was handed a debut with time running down as Ireland finished on the front foot to seal a fine win.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Dizdarevic (GK); Dedic, Milojevic, Baarisic, Malic (Alic, 78); Savic (Dokanovic, 64), Begic, Savic (Drlj, 64), Kulasin (Tahric, 78), Basic, Masic.
Republic of Ireland: Maher (GK); Lyons, McEntee, O'Brien, Ferry (O’Connor, 83); Coventry © (Johansson, 88), Kilkenny, Tierney; Watson (Noss, 80), Wright, Kayode (Ferguson, 83)
Referee: Kristoffer Hagenes (Norway)
Follow the Republic of Ireland v Azerbaijan via our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app, watch live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, or listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport.
