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Rocco Vata plunders hat-trick as Ireland U21s rout San Marino

Updated / Friday, 22 Mar 2024 20:42
Joe Hodge, Andrew Moran, Tayo Adaramola, Matt Healy and Rocco Vata celebrate the second goal of the game
Joe Hodge, Andrew Moran, Tayo Adaramola, Matt Healy and Rocco Vata celebrate the second goal of the game

UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier

San Marino 0-7 Republic of Ireland

Rocco Vata plundered a second-half hat-trick as the Republic of Ireland under-21s continued their European Championship qualifying campaign with a comfortable 7-0 win over San Marino.

Jim Crawford's side also saw Sinclair Armstrong get onto the scoresheet, while Andrew Moran and substitute Armstrong Oko-Flex helped themselves to goals at the San Marino Stadium in Serravalle.

The result keeps the Boys in Green second in Group A, one point behind Italy, who beat Latvia 2-0.

Ireland had beaten the Sammarinese 3-0 in the home game at Tallaght Stadium last September and went into this fixture as heavy favourites.

However, while dominant, the first half proved a frustrating one as the Irish side struggled to break down a deep-lying home outfit.

The best chances came from the numerous corners Ireland won but it wasn't until the 26th minute that they were able to prise open their opponents.

Captain Joe Hodge, impressive throughout with enterprising runs from deep, drove forward and, at the edge of the box found Moran, who like the QPR loanee will be linking up with John O'Shea senior squad for the upcoming friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland.

Moran in turn teed up Armstrong, who rifled the ball home to make it 1-0.

Armstrong and centre-back Bosun Lawal would both hit the crossbar following set-pieces as Ireland pressed for a second goal but that would not be forthcoming until after the interval.

It arrived five minutes into the second '45 as Vata's free-kick was spilled by San Marino goalkeeper Matteo Battistini, straight into the path of Moran who doubled the Irish lead.

From then on it was a deluge for Crawford's team as QPR striker Armstrong appeared to grab his second goal of the game following a pinpoint cross from the right by midfielder Matt Healy. However, San Marino defender Giacomo Benvenuti was credited with getting the final touch for an own goal.

Vata then made the most of a defensive mix-up by the hosts after Tony Springett had initially been denied to notch his first of the game.

The Celtic youngster's second goal - Ireland's fifth - was much more classy as he burst through centrally, evaded a tackle and then arrowed a shot from range into the bottom corner of the net.

At this point, Ireland were rampant and had begun to ring the changes with FC Zurich winger Oko-Flex among those to come on and make an impact.

After excellent work from Hodge, who would be rested with 15 minutes to go, the substitute received a pass from his captain in the box and finished to make it 6-0.

There was still time for a seventh in stoppage time as Vata got a touch on the ball after Lawal had turned a ball in from a corner towards goal.

Ireland will resume their campaign on 6 September with an away trip to face Turkey, before hosting Latvia four days later.

The group fixtures will then culminate in October with fixtures against Norway and Italy, home and away respectively.

San Marino: Matteo Batistini; Giacomo Benvenuti, Giacomo Matteoni, Mattia Sancisi (Nicolas Giacopetti 63); Simone Giocondi, Matteo Valli Casadei, Nicolo Sancisi (Diego Zavoli 63), Nicolo Chiaruzzi (Marco Casadei 80), Tommaso Benvenuti (Luca Terenzi 80) Samuele Zannoni (Andrea Dolcini 73), Nicola D’Addario

Republic of Ireland: Josh Keeley; Sam Curtis (Sean Grehan 70), Bosun Lawal, Anselmo Garcia MacNulty, Tayo Adaramola; Joe Hodge (Killian Phillips 75), Matt Healy, Andrew Moran (Zak Gilsenan 70); Tony Springett (Armstrong Oko-Flex 70), Rocco Vata, Sinclair Armstrong (Mark O’Mahony 70)

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