Chiedozie Ogbene said the Republic of Ireland have to learn from the defeat in Armenia, pick themselves up and rectify the result following the team's shocking defeat in Yerevan.
Ireland opened their Nations League campaign against the group’s lowest ranked side and came unstuck at the first hurdle, going down to Eduard Spertsyan’s 74th-minute strike, which proved to be the match-winner for the host nation.
Stephen Kenny’s side dominated possession and controlled the game, most notably in the first half, but they were unable to take the chances that presented themselves with the attacking unit guilty of profligacy in the opening 45 minutes, unable to test keeper David Yurchenko.
In fact, it took Ireland 62 minutes to work a chance on goal, as Shane Duffy’s tame header was easily dealt with, while the only other time they hit the target was a weak Jeff Hendrick effort that was also handy for the keeper.
Ogbene was named Ireland’s player of the match for his tireless work throughout, and looked like the man that was causing most problems for the solid Armenia defence.
And yet the Rotherham forward spurned what was without doubt Ireland’s best opportunity to score throughout the 90 minutes as he guided a close-range free header just over the bar.
"I was very disappointed with myself not to hit the target, especially from that close," admitted an upfront and honest Ogbene, speaking to RTÉ Sport after the game.
"You create those chances, you have to put them away, otherwise you feel like this after a difficult day."
Ogbene gave credit to Armenia for both creating and taking the main chance that they were presented throughout the game, and rued his side’s missed efforts, emphasising the need to be more clinical in the final third.
"I think today, football caused a big lesson, it can be a cruel game," said Ogbene. "I feel like we had a lot of chances.
"I felt like we weren’t clinical enough with the chances that we got and unfortunately we were punished.
"They had one good chance and they took it, and at this level that is all it takes. They took their chance very well, fair play to them."
Conditions inside the stadium were always going to be a factor in this Ireland performance with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees, which led to mandatory water breaks midway through both halves.
And while Ogbene admitted that it was a draining afternoon in Yerevan, he felt that the team had enough chances to take the three points in their group opener.
"The conditions were difficult, but I felt like we had enough chances to get something out of the game," said Ogbene. "But we will learn from this, review it and see where we went wrong.
"We were just unfortunate today, we need to review it and look at ways to make more chances.
"It was just one of those days, we're all very disappointed with the result, we have to review it and rectify it for next time."
Ireland have the perfect opportunity to immediately bounce back and rectify the result as they take on Ukraine in Dublin on Wednesday.
And Kenny’s side will need to win the game, and quite possibly all three remaining matches of this summer international window if they want to maintain their hopes of winning their Nations League group.
Eleven games without a win in this competition now for Ireland, yet the ambition remains and Ogbene feels the team need to pick themselves up from this disappointing trip east and focus firmly on the future.
"I want to win the league, the players want to win the league, not just the manager, and I’m sure the nation wants to win the league, but this is what football is," he said.
"We have to pick ourselves up, it’s a learning curve; sometimes you dominate possession but you don’t get the result, but next time we need to rectify it and make sure we get the result."
