The Republic of Ireland's pursuit of a first-ever Euro Under-21 finals appearances intensifies over the next six weeks starting with this evening’s crucial clash with Turkey in Istanbul (live on the RTÉ News Channel from 5.40pm).
Jim Crawford’s side have four games to go and the obvious aim is to keep in contention ahead of that final 15 October assignment away to current Group A leaders Italy.
There’s a lot of ball to be played before then though, with the possibility to move back within two points of the Italians, who surprisingly took 35 minutes to break San Marino's resistance on Thursday before hitting seven, up for grabs here with an extra game still to play.
Ireland are chasing their fifth win from seven games having only won more than four games twice previously since first entering qualification at this level in 1988.
The first of those was in 2021 when defeat to Iceland in their penultimate fixture ultimately proved fatal, while they missed out on last year’s tournament – when they won six games from 12 group matches rather than 10 – after a play-off loss to Israel on penalties.
Trips to Turkey rarely bring happy memories – the senior side winning just once in seven visits when John Byrne grabbed half of his four international goals in a Euro 1992 qualifier – but this is a test of the side’s credentials that can be passed.
The hosts have endured a mixed campaign to date, one dominated by late drama.
The first of that arrived in Cork in round one where Zak Gilsenan scored a late penalty to draw Ireland level before Aidomo Emakhu grabbed a last gasp winner to send Turners Cross wild.
Aidomo Emakhu with a late late winner for #IRLU21 at Turner's Cross! 🇮🇪
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) September 8, 2023
Ireland 3-2 Turkey at FT. pic.twitter.com/IoqUTeKZe1
Another late goal cost them a draw in Latvia before they enjoyed a positive finish for a change as Semih Kılıçsoy struck in the 91st minute to earn them an eye-catching draw away to Italy last time out.
Kılıçsoy has since been elevated to the senior team – coming off the bench at the Euros as Turkey tried to find a late quarter-final reprieve against the Netherlands – and has this week been rumoured to be a transfer target of both Spartak Moscow and CSKA Moscow.
Erencan Yardımcı, with five goals already in qualifying, is also absent from Levent Sürme's squad, so much of the attacking focus will be on highly-rated 17-year-old Mustafa Hekimoğlu, particularly as Ireland’s only two clean sheets have come against a San Marino outfit yet to score in seven outings.
Ireland have been scoring though and a first call up for Crystal Palace’s Franco Umeh should provide another exciting attacking option.
The 19-year-old was brought on his club's pre-season tour of America a few weeks ago and was also on the bench for their credible Premier League draw at Chelsea at the weekend.
There’s a first-time call up in defence too with Dundee United’s Emmanuel Adegboyega, fond of a goal himself, included.
Gilsenan, that penalty goalscorer in round one, misses out through injury, as does Tayo Adaramola, Sean Grehan, Conor Carty and Adam Murphy.
No fear has been the message of Crawford in the lead up to the game. It’s essentially a four-game mini league for Ireland now as they face the four teams around them in the group as they hope to seal, at the very least, a play-off berth with three second-place finishers also earning a direct ticket to the tournament in Slovakia next year.
A win in Istanbul ahead of next Tuesday’s visit of Latvia to Tallaght would be the perfect launchpad for their history chase.
Watch Turkey v Republic of Ireland in UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying on Friday from 5.40pm on the RTÉ News Channel and RTÉ Player
Watch Republic of Ireland v England in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday from 4pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to commentary on RTÉ Radio 1.
