Luxembourg 1-1 Republic of Ireland
Substitute Dylan Kuete's penalty denied the Republic Ireland a second successive European Under-21s Championship qualifying victory as Luxembourg hit back late to snatch a point.
Debutant Colm Whelan looked to have won it for the visitors with a 70th-minute opener after coming off the bench, but Kuete levelled six minutes from time to claim a 1-1 draw in Dudelange.
However, Jim Crawford’s men, who opened their Group F campaign with a 2-0 win in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday, were left kicking themselves after Tyreik Wright had missed from the spot before the break.
It was the visitors who exerted the early pressure and Luxembourg keeper Lucas Fox had to save from Will Ferry and Wright as the visitors looked for a breakthrough.
They had a glorious opportunity to take the lead 12 minutes before the break after they were awarded a penalty for Emre Erkus’ challenge on Ferry, but Fox made a fine save from Wright’s spot-kick to preserve his clean sheet.
The Republic continued to press as the whistle approached, but the sides were still level as they went in at the break.
Luxembourg continued to frustrate Ireland with, Fox keeping out Conor Coventry’s 66th-minute attempt, and Crawford opted for change seconds later when he replaced 16-year-old striker Evan Ferguson with Whelan and Ferry with Andrew Moran.
The move paid almost instant dividends when Whelan put his side ahead with 20 minutes remaining.
However, the hosts were level with six minutes left on the clock when defender Oisin McEntee was adjudged to have fouled Alessio Curci inside the box and Kuete stepped up to convert the resulting penalty.
Luxembourg: Fox; Schmit (Sacras, 77), Olesen, D'Anzico; Ikene, Latic, Medina (Turping, 77), Osmanovic, Erkus (Torres, 77), Bernard (Kuete, 54), Curci (De Oliveiria 85).
Republic of Ireland: Maher; O’Connor, McEntee, O’Brien, Bagan; Coventry © (Johansson, 81), Kilkenny, Devoy (Noss, 81); Ferry (Moran, 67), Wright, Ferguson (Whelan, 67).
Referee: Loukas Sotiriou (Cyprus)
