Holding pattern continues for Ireland with Belgium stalemate
Ireland 0 Belgium 0
Ireland were an Evan Ferguson penalty miss away from starting a new year and new era with victory over the fourth best team in the world.
Thankfully, it mattered little in this friendly setting, for the primary talking point among the 38,128 who turned up at Lansdowne Road was who will be in charge when the competitive stuff starts on September 7 with England in town to kickstart the Uefa Nations League campaign.
John O’Shea will have Tuesday’s visit of Switzerland to complete his caretaker stint, with the mystery incumbent in-waiting due to take over next month with a fourth straight home game, against Hungary on June 4, to begin his reign.
There were glimpses of the positive material he’ll inherit here, with debutant Sammie Szmodics impressive over his 70 minutes on the pitch and Séamus Coleman showing he’s still capable at 35 on his first international for a year.
Ferguson’s goal drought was prolonged by a Matz Sels penalty save on 27 minutes, a strange decision given set-piece specialist Robbie Brady was on the pitch.
Without a goal since his strike for Brighton against Notts Forest in November, the 19-year-old clutched handed the ball when Arthur Vermeeren was adjudged to have handled Dara O’Shea’s flick-on from a Nathan Collins downward header inside the box.
Had Ferguson not slipped on his approach, maybe he wouldn’t have struck it so centrally, allowing the Forest to easily bat away the effort.
Read on irishexaminer.com
