World Cup qual. - Keane header earns Ireland win

Eurosport - Sun, 06 Sep 14:45:00 2009

A Robbie Keane header seven minutes from time earned the Republic of Ireland a crucial 2-1 win in Cyprus in their Group 8 World Cup qualifier.

FOOTBALL Robbie Keane celebrates scoring for Ireland against Cyprus 2009 - 0

With group rivals Bulgaria and Italy having wrapped up victories before Keane's header, it had looked as if it was going to be a costly night for Giovanni Trapattoni's side.

Kevin Doyle had previously put Ireland in front after only five minutes but Marlos Ella levelled matters in the 31st minute.

Ireland lacked penetration in the second-half and the match seemed to be heading for a draw until Damien Duff found Keane in between defenders in the box, allowing the Irish captain to loop a header over Sofronis Augustis and into the net.

The win keeps the status quo in the group with Ireland second - one point behind Italy and five points ahead of Bulgaria.

Ireland have played one more game than both their nearest rivals with Bulgaria travelling to Turin to face Italy on Wednesday.

The Irish close out their campaign with home games against Montenegro and Italy in October.

Ireland got off to a perfect start when they took the lead after just five minutes. The goal came from a corner down the right that Cyprus failed to deal with. The ball bounced around the box and Doyle was on hand to sweep into the back of the net with a crisp left foot drive.

However, Cyprus shot a warning sign just moments later when Shay Given was forced into a world class save. A superb cross from Stathis Aloneftis on the left found the head of Giannakis Okkas and the striker's header looked to be heading for the top corner until Given batted it away.

As the half developed, Cyprus began to get on top of things in midfield and scored a deserved equaliser just before the half-hour mark.

It was Ella who smashed a low drive into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box after Andreas Avraam's initial effort had been blocked into his path.

Ireland started the second-half brightly and Glenn Whelan fired a superb half-volley towards the top corner in the 50th minute only to see Augustis make a fine save.

However, the fizz soon went out of their play and they were lacking in ideas as the clock ticked on.

Trapattoni tried to mix things up by bringing on Aiden McGeady and Caleb Folan for Stephen Hunt and the industrious Doyle but there was no real sign of a winner being found until Keane's header.

That goal did come though after some patient play from Ireland. They stroked the ball around the final third until Duff found sufficient space to cross. Keane's header was clinical but the Cypriots must be wondering why they left the striker completely unmarked in the box.

There were a few nervy moments before the final whistle as Cyprus had a couple of free-kicks outside the box, but the best of those, an effort from Aloneftis, sailed just over the bar.

Georgia 0-2 Italy

Kakha Kaladze scored two calamitous own goals to hand stuttering Italy a fortunate 2-0 win over Georgia in Tbilsi.

The world champions had to rely on Milan defender Kaladze to end a run of three games without a goal.

An extraordinary diving header from Angelo Palombo's ball into the box gave Italy the lead on 56 minutes before Kaladze diverted Domenico Criscito's cross into the net after trying to clear with his wrong foot 11 minutes later.

Italy again lacked creativity in midfield but can take a big step towards qualification in Wednesday's game with Bulgaria in Turin.

Bulgaria 4-1 Montenegro

Unbeaten Bulgaria came from behind to defeat Montenegro 4-1 in Sofia and keep alive their hopes of reaching next year's finals in South Africa.

A first international goal by veteran Radostin Kishishev and second-half strikes from Dimitar Telkiyski, Dimitar Berbatov and Valeri Domovchiyski cancelled out Stevan Jovetic's early goal for Montenegro.

Striker Jovetic fired the visitors in front with a thunderous 20-metre shot after nine minutes.

Kishishev, 35, who made his Bulgaria debut in 1996, equalised when he gave keeper Vukasin Poleksic no chance with a powerful drive from the edge of the penalty area in first-half injury time.

Telkiyski, who came on as a substitute for defender Kiril Kotev at half-time, made it 2-1 from close range after good work by Berbatov four minutes after the interval.

Berbatov then put the result beyond doubt, converting a penalty in the 85th minute before Domovchiyski added another goal in the dying moments.

A minute's silence was observed before the match as a mark of respect for the Bulgarian victims of the boat tragedy in Macedonia earlier in the day.

Seán Fay / Reuters

Comment 3 - 22 of 22

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  1. Nice to see Robbie doing well for Ireland; pity he­ didn't put more effort in to last week's match­ against Birmingham.

    All of the crowd around me at the­ game were saying, from very early on, that he lacked­ pace, touch and ambition and should be taken off; Harry­ must have seen this, as did everybody else at­ WHL.

    He's simply not the player he once was and to­ have brought him back and to also make him captain was,­ in my view, not only a huge mistake, but a smack in the­ face for those who stuck with the club when it really­ mattered.

    As soon as Crouch came on, the team was­ given such a massive lift that he should retain his a­ starting place at the expense of Keane - if there's­ any justice!

    From mambles, on Mon 7 Sep 12:00AM

  2. good luck bhoys i hope scotland and ireland will be­ there together!

    From GLASGOW REPUBLICAN, on Sun 6 Sep 9:53PM

  3. hate to say it but even if we do qualify its painfull­ to watch, we just dont have the players, looks like­ back to long ball tactics, hit n hope

    From paul, on Sun 6 Sep 8:57PM

  4. ireland were shocking last night.the performance was­ just diabolical.alot of people saying here that we dont­ need s ireland,well after watching that rubbish last­ night i say we need him and plenty more.midfield was­ non-existent.no creativness,no penetration,no­ nothin.trap might have steadied the ship but he has­ stiffled the team with his nonsense tactics.bring in­ joe kinnear

    From gally, on Sun 6 Sep 8:36PM

  5. That city scum is a traitor to his country and is not­ wanted by most Irish fans may he have a short painfull­ existance.

    From P O NEIL, on Sun 6 Sep 6:47PM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    its time for a new leader on the pitch ...that dublin­ w..k might have scored but its like playing with 10 men­ for most of the game ... useless he is

    From Vin, on Sun 6 Sep 5:20PM

  7. all this hype about Ireland is getting tiresome, if u­ dont feel honored to represent ur country, why bother?­ all this talk of 'will he or wont he' only­ belittles the players we already have, that are doing a­ good job and want to pull on the shirt. Stephen Ireland­ is a fatheaded w.a.n.k.e.r. who has his head up his own­ arse, who lied shamelessly to get out of a­ international match, and basically we dont need anybody­ like that playing for us. let him carry on with his­ kick boxing and what ever else he likes doing, as he­ said himself, its the best decision he ever made, and i­ for one agree. put this issue to bed, he's not­ worth it anymore.

    From michael m, on Sun 6 Sep 5:10PM

  8. F*ck Stephen Manchester

    From Darren, on Sun 6 Sep 2:52PM

  9. Neversaw the game but the result is good.

    From iancampbell11, on Sun 6 Sep 8:13AM

  10. Ireland Doesnt deserve to wear the green again. Who­ says he wont Walk out again during the world­ cup???
    Great Player, Bad Attitude

    From Aaron Moran, on Sun 6 Sep 8:00AM

  11. Regarding the urgings of Item 18: freegifts58 -­ urfreegifts. co. uk
    DO NOT­ DO­ IT !!
    Do not trust:­ freegifts58 - urfreegifts. co. uk
    not unless you­­ are­ absolutely certain this is not a criminal­­ trap!
    This­ advice IS a sincere offer of help.

    From Anon., on Sun 6 Sep 7:42AM

  12. STEPHEN IRELAND IS A THUG A LIAR ,NOT A BAD FOOTBALLER­ HE TOTALLY REPRESENTS THE MODERN PROFFESIONAL­ FOOTBALLER IE UNEDUCATED LOW LIFE , I AM IRISH A MUFC­ SUPPORTER AND A REPUBLIC OF IRELAND FAN MY FAMILY DO­ NOT WANT THIS THUG PLAYING FOR MY COUNTRY , HE MAY BE A­ 100 K PER WEEK PLAYER LIVING IN PRESTBURY BUT STILL­ REMAINS A LYING UNEDUCATED THUG

    From GABRIEL, on Sun 6 Sep 6:47AM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I hate Tottenham but can't help but like Keane. You­ mah boy keane!! And I agree, Ireland needs to play for­ Ireland. It's the most logical thing ever, look at­ his last name, why is he denying destiny

    From georgeskelly24, on Sun 6 Sep 6:15AM

  14. Well keep hope alive a draw in Turin on Wednesday,roll­ on Italia in October 22 points is the target,c'mon­ the Green Machine

    From John, on Sun 6 Sep 5:55AM

  15. How can you say that my comments were invalid when you­ allow rubbish like no; 6 & 8 to put their comments­ that has nothing to do with FOOTBALL. I thought that my­ comments were alright, I was saying just what the other­ have been saying, Ireland doesn't need Stephen­ Ireland, they are doing alright with out him. Well done­ Ireland for winning and well done Kevin Doyle &­ Robbie Keane for scoring the goals.

    From Lizzy Ingram, on Sun 6 Sep 5:40AM

  16. ireland has said he dosnt want 2 play so tink shud jst­ 4 gt bout it! shouldnt hav 2 beg him 2 play 4 his­ country

    From sarahb28, on Sun 6 Sep 5:26AM

  17. Stephen Ireland - It could happen and probably will­ he is 23 years old and his international career is­ certainly not over. You need to learn to forgive and­ forget and draw a line under it. Come 2010/2011 he will­ a top player probably playing in the Champions league. ­ He does need to grovel though!!! Its all about opinions

    From csarsfield, on Sun 6 Sep 4:58AM

  18. to the last comment - stephen ireland should not be­ allowed to go!!
    his attitude toward his country is­ totally disrespectful. why should he be picked ahead of­ someone else who has the pride of wearing the irish­ shirt.
    granted, he is a great player for city - but his­ international days are over.
    ireland played brilliantly­ without their best player, roy keane, in Japan 2002 -­ so we can do the same in 2010.

    From Ryan B, on Sun 6 Sep 4:43AM

  19. If Ireland get to the world cup, Ireland needs to be­ encouraged to go. He would make a massive difference.­ He is easily the fittest player at City and the World­ Cup would be a great stage for him.

    From csarsfield, on Sun 6 Sep 4:33AM

  20. the team is already named, if st ledger dowsnt play­ then o shea will move to centre back and stephen kelly­ will play, hunt hasbeen chosen before mcgeady! the team­ was named yesterday!

    From gerrardrommy14, on Sun 6 Sep 12:27AM
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