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Frustration for wasteful U21s as they're held by Latvia

Updated / Tuesday, 10 Sep 2024 19:29
Armstrong Oko-Flex reacts at full-time
Armstrong Oko-Flex reacts at full-time

Republic of ireland U21s 2-2 Latvia U21s

Republic of Ireland Under-21s were held to a frustrating home point against a tricky Latvian side at a sunny Tallaght Stadium.

Sinclair Armstrong thought he had set Ireland on their way but two lapses in concentration saw Ireland fall behind, with Sean Roughan levelling in a clash that the young Irish stars will feel they should have put to bed earlier in proceedings.

The visitors, although fifth seeds in the group, had already shown they are not to be taken lightly having beaten Turkey and pushed the Irish all the way previously.

Jim Crawford made just two changes to the side that arrived back from istanbul on Saturday with Ollie O’Neill and Rocco Vata coming in for Aidomo Emakhu and Connor O’Riordan

And it was the former on-loan Derry City man, O’Neill, who went closest just three minutes in. Following an intricate move down the right, the ball sat up kindly for O’Neill but was quickly suffocated.

Having been pressed high early on, Ireland began to find their groove down the left hand side, with the rampaging Sean Roughan going close to the near top corner straight after.

And just after a quarter of an hour the breakthrough did come when Vata picked up a loose ball in the middle and burst forward at the heart of the Latvian defence.

The Watford man's initial pass was intercepted, but sat up nicely for Sinclair Armstrong who’s close range shot was brilliantly saved by Latvia skipper Janis Beks. O’Neill was sharp to pick up the rebound but again was denied only for the ball to fall back to Armstrong to tap home.

The Bristol City frontman and Vata missed two glorious chances in quick succession to double the lead. Skipper Joe Hodge cleverly picked out the unmarked Armstrong at the back post but took too long to shoot and was bravely blocked by Beks again.

And seconds later both flying wingers combined as O’Neill picked out Vata, again unmarked but he dragged his shot wide from 12-yards.

It was shaping up to be one of those days for the talented left winger, Vata, when minutes before the break his thunderous low strike came crashing off the inside of the post and away to safety much to his disbelief.

Very much against the run of play the visitors got themselves level, with just their second effort, when Ralfs Maslovs went on a lung-bursting run down the left wing before squaring to Kaspars Anmanis, just inside the area, and the midfielder side footed home giving the relatively untroubled Josh Keeley no chance.

Just minutes after the restart the home side were up in arms when left back Maslovs went flying in, two feet off the ground on Friday’s match winner Sam Curtis, who did well to ride the challenge, but referee Stefan Ebner waved away the protests.

Just after the hour mark disaster struck as the visitors took the lead. When Roberts Melkis cross seemed to catch Keeley out, resulting in the keeper palming the ball straight onto the head of substitute Ivans Patrikejevs who headed home.

Ireland responded immediately when Moran picked out Roughan on the left who drilled the ball past Beks to level.

With time running out Ireland tried desperately for the winner their performance deserved. Both Hodge and substitute Johnny Kenny had shots from close range blocked as Latvia put bodies on the line before another substitute Aidomo Emakhu took on all comers down the right side but swiped wildly once entering the area.

Anselmo Garcia-McNulty thought he had snatched the victory in injury-time, as he rose to get on the end of Matt Healy’s inswinging free-kick, but saw his header flash just wide.

Republic of Ireland: Josh Keeley; Sam Curtis, James Abankwah, Anselmo Garcia MacNulty; Rocco Vata (Armstrong Oko-Flex, 79’), Joe Hodge, Matt Healy; Ollie O’Neill (Aidomo Emakhu, 64’), Sinclair Armstrong (Johnny Kenny, 79’), Andrew Moran

Latvia: Janis Beks; Olgerts Rascevskis (Davids Druzinins, 58’), Oskars Vientiess, Rudolfs Reingolcs, Ralfs Maslovs; Kristians Kauselis (Kritstofers Rekis, 67’), Kaspars Anmanis, Kristers Penkevics, Roberts Melkis; Glebs Patika, Bruno Melnis (Ivans Patrikejevs, 45’)

Referee: Stefan Ebner (Austria)

Watch Shamrock Rovers v Sligo Rovers in the League of Ireland on Friday from 7.35pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app.

Watch Derry City v Shelbourne in the FAI Cup quarter-finals on Saturday from 5.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player

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