Andorra Under-21 4-0 Republic of Ireland Under-21
With a feel-good factor sweeping through the country, Irish football was brought back down to earth as the Republic of Ireland were thrashed 4-0 by minnows Andorra in a hammer blow to ambitions of reaching the Under-21 2025 European Championships.
Days on from the senior side dramatically securing a World Cup play-off spot, Jim Crawford's team fell to an Andorran side that had only scored once in their opening five matches in the qualification phase but found the back of the net four times at Estadi Nacional in Andorra la Vella to extend Ireland’s winless run to three matches.
Having put in a spirited display in the 2-0 defeat to table-toppers England last week, it was hoped the Boys in Green would bounce back and put pressure on Slovakia for second place in the group and a play-off spot.
The hosts however, with just three wins in their previous 85 games at this level, put a sloppy and error-strewn Ireland to the sword with two goals in each half.
Gerard Sola put Andorra ahead before Hugo Ferreira gave the hosts a two-goal advantage heading into the break, both coming on the back of defensive lapses from James Abankwah.
Ireland, who had limped to a 1-0 win in the corresponding fixture in Tallaght last September, created next to nothing in attack, with Jacob Devaney coming closest on 35 minutes when he volleyed a dropping ball into the side-netting from the edge of the box.
Things got worse for Ireland three minutes after the interval through Ian Olivera, while the nature of the fourth and final goal summed up Ireland’s inept display.
Goalkeeper Noah Jauny collected the ball just inside his box with before tangling with Nil Boutarfras after the latter had given seemingly hopeless chase after the long ball.
The Ireland goalkeeper petulantly shoved the Andorran to the floor with the referee immediately pointing to the spot, Sola coolly dispatching for his second and Andorra’s fourth of the night.
The result settled, Ireland mustered a couple of very late attempts, Trent Kone Doherty sending a low drive fizzing past the post after a neat turn and Darius Lipsuic forcing a fine save from the Andorran keeper De Castro with a well-struck half volley.
But these would barely have taken the hideous look off the scoreline.
The result leaves Ireland eight points adrift of leaders England, who are expected to canter to top spot, and six adrift of Slovakia with a game in hand.
Andorra’s second win of the group means they are a point behind the Boys in Green having played two more games.
Ireland’s next fixture is at home to Moldova on 26 March.
Andorra U-21: De Castro; Cornella, Olivera, Acosta, Borra; Ferreira (Torne 78), M Rodriguez (G Rodriguez 69), Rodrigo (Guma 69), Remolins; Boutarfas (Carrau 86), Sola (Dominguez 86).
Ireland U-21: Jauny; Abankwah (Moorhouse 75), Grehan, Okagbue, McManus (Slater 78); Lipsiuc, Devaney, Mullins (Murphy 46); Hakiki (Melia 46), O'Mahony (Lonergan 75), Kone-Doherty.
Referee: A Lashuk (Belarus)
