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Ireland reach last 16 at U17 World Cup after epic shootout win over Canada

Updated / Friday, 14 Nov 2025 18:15
Republic of Ireland players celebrate their 9-8 penalty shoot-out victory
Republic of Ireland players celebrate their 9-8 penalty shoot-out victory

Republic of Ireland U17 1-1 Canada U17
(Ireland win 9-8 in a penalty shootout)

The Republic of Ireland held their nerve in an epic penalty shootout to get past Canada and progress to the last 16 of the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar on Friday evening.

Shamrock Rovers attacker Michael Noonan broke the deadlock in the 65th minute, captialising on a mistake at the back to knock home a composed finish.

That looked like it would be enough to settle a cagey contest, but Canadian subsitutute Sergei Kozlovskiy guided home a volley from distance with five minutes to go.

The game went straight to penalties, where the drama went up several notches.

Ireland keeper Alex Noonan saved Canada's first spot-kick, taken by Kevin Khan, and it seemed that would be decisive as the Boys in Green dispatched their first four efforts with aplomb.

However Jonathan Ransom - who traded insults with Irish players throughout the shootout - made a fine save to deny Oisin McDonagh what would have been the match-winning peno, and after Dylan Judelson netted, we went to sudden death.

There were nine more successful attempts before Noonan clawed away Elijah Roche's strike to win it for his country.

They will now head for a last-16 meeting against the Swiss on Tuesday.

It was an exhausting battle between two evenly matched teams.

Noonan theatened early with a clever free-kick, his shot bending inches past the right-hand post. The tireless forward almost got in soon after that when Grady McDonnell threaded through a beautiful pass. Ransom raced out of his goal to smother the attempt.

Canada eventually found their feet and began to show a threat. Sahil Deo forced Alex Noonan into a decent stop; then Vinnie Leonard had to be alert to cut out a dangerous Shola Jimoh through ball.

Scoreless at the break, Ireland re-emerged with more vigour.

Ransom stuck out a left leg to block Ramon Martos' fierce shot from inside the area, and Ryan Butler nodded a header into the keeper's hands following a good Jaden Umeh cross.

In the 65th minute, the breakthrough arrived. Leonard's punt forward caught out Josh Nteziryyo, who allowed Noonan to nip around him and knock a left-footed finish beyond Ransom.

Umeh and Noonan had chances to kill the game before Kozlovskiy pinched an 85th-minute equaliser, his controlled volley skipping through a sea of bodies and nestling in the corner.

Level at full-time, it went straight to penalties.

Khan missed Canada's first, McDonagh missed Ireland's fifth to win it, so we headed for sudden death, with things getting increasingly heated on and off the pitch.

Ransom roared insults at the Irish players, who responded in kind every time they scored. The two dugouts jabbed fingers at each other with the stakes rising.

In the end, Ryan Butler's cool effort, and Noonan's save to deny Roche, settled it.

Ireland celebrated wildly as their World Cup adventure continues in Qatar.

Republic of Ireland: Alex Noonan; Oisin McDonagh, Vinnie Leonard, Ryan Butler, Ade Solanke (Finn Sherlock 82); Rory Finneran, Grady McDonnell, Ramon Martos (Kian McMahon-Brown 72); Jaden Umeh, Victor Ozhianvuna, Michael Noonan

Canada: Jonathan Ransom; Sahil Deo, Josh Nteziryayo, Richard Chukwu (Sergei Kozlovskiy 76), Elijah Roche; Dylan Judelson, Kevin Khan, Tim Fortier (Aghilas Sadek 76); Shola Jimoh (Johnny Selemani 62), Aidan Evans (Marius Aiyenero 62), Van Parker

Referee: Jelly Chavani (South Africa)

Watch Hungary v Republic of Ireland in World Cup qualifying on Sunday from 1pm on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1

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