The Republic of Ireland fell to a tame 1-0 defeat against the Netherlands in Amsterdam tonight, as a disappointing Euro 2024 qualification campaign ended with a whimper. Here's how we rated the players.
Gavin Bazunu 8 - The goalkeeper started off by showing his ability to pass the ball out, and that helped Ireland get around the Dutch press. Bazunu also made a string of excellent saves that kept Ireland fighting for at least a point at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
Matt Doherty 4 - A quiet evening for the full-back and Ireland captain, even with some good work done on the right. It could just be that he is more at home on the other side of the pitch, as he rarely looks comfortable on the right in a green jersey.
Dara O'Shea 4 - Stray passes combined with individual moments by the Dubliner. It was a lukewarm night for O’Shea in Amsterdam.
Nathan Collins 5 - A mixed bag for the defender, with the negatives outweighing the positives. Collins allowed himself to get drawn into a duel with Wout Weghorst and the former Manchester United player won. He continued to get sucked in, almost trying to prove himself, and it created gaps in the Irish defence.
Liam Scales 5 - The defender showed he is still getting used to the pace of international football as his uncertainty was clear when battling a trio of Weghorst, Cody Gakpo, and Xavi Simons. Despite this, he made a number of last-ditch tackles that stopped players like Denzil Dumfries from creating something inside the area.
Ryan Manning 4 - The full-back never stopped running, but that was it. He never asserted himself on the left wing in the same way that Séamus Coleman or Chiedozie Ogbene would on the opposite flank. Manning’s night petered out with the only takeaway being a pass to Adam Idah at the start of the second half.
Jason Knight 4 - The midfielder covered space, but failed to establish himself in midfield. He often looked lost, as if he was struggling to find out what his role was.
Josh Cullen 6 - It might be the smallest thing, but the midfielder’s natural instincts were on show as he helped Ireland get through the Dutch press. Cullen never panicked, never rushed himself, and worked seamlessly with Bazunu to keep Ireland in possession.
Alan Browne 6 - The midfielder’s night boiled down to covering space and plugging holes. Browne failed to impose himself going forward, something he does regularly for Preston North End. Maybe it is time to regularly position the midfielder as a six given his ability to read the from a defensive point of view.
Callum Robinson 5 - It’s hard to understand the forward’s role without looking at the bigger picture. He was up front while Evan Ferguson dropped back, acting as the decoy. This raises a question of why an inform goal scorer was told to fall back and Robinson, who traditionally plays out wide, was positioned in the centre. He did what he could, while repressing every natural instinct in Amsterdam.
Evan Ferguson 4 - It wasn’t a poor performance by the teenager, who returned to the international arena after missing games against Greece and Gibraltar last October. Ferguson just seemed unsure of the role he had to play and the lack of support around him. Robinson had to do the running, he was just there to create space and try and create something out of nothing. It wasn’t a bad performance by the teenager, it just shows the need for a 10.
Substitutes
Adam Idah 6 - The striker continues to show what he is capable of when given a chance, and he almost got a second goal against the Netherlands in 2023 at the start of the second half. The offside flag went up on that occasion and the Cork native was left holding his head in frustration.
Jamie McGrath 5 - The midfielder was sent on during a burst of chances for the Netherlands and he helped keep the tide at bay.
Mikey Johnston 6 - The winger is now making a case to start each week for the Republic of Ireland given his ability to change a game through pace and flare. Once again he caused problems and won Ireland set pieces in the final third, which they used to try and score a late equaliser.
Jayson Molumby 5 - Too little time on the pitch to do anything meaningful. By the time he crossed the white line, the seconds were ticking away and a win for the Netherlands seemed inevitable. A wasted opportunity to test the midfielder against one of the best teams in Europe.
Troy Parrott 5 - The striker was barely on the pitch, and injury time was his only real input. Parrott still looks like one to watch for the future, but the overall Euro campaign was a missed opportunity for the Dubliner.
