FOOTBALL Live

Saturday September 6, 2008 Finished

1 - 2

Georgia

  • Kenia 89’

Rep. Ireland

  • Doyle 12’
  • Whelan 70’
  1. World Cup qual. - Ireland start with win in Georgia

    World Cup qual. - Ireland start with win in Georgia

    The Republic of Ireland's World Cup qualifying campaign began with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Georgia at the Wildparkstadion in Mainz. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Georgia
    • Rep. Ireland
    • 18:51 Thanks for joining me this afternoon; make sure you stick around for all the latest news from the World Cup qualifiers....
    • 90 FULL-TIME: Great start for Trapattoni, who gets a victory in his first competitive match as Ireland coach. Ireland will have hopes of qualifying from a group that looks competitive on paper - this is a great start.
    • 90 GOAL! IRELAND CONCEDE LATE AGAIN! A low cross into the middle finds its way to Levan Kenia, who cuts on to his left foot before firing past Given, via the head of McShane!
    • 89 Ireland were prone to giving away late goals in their last qualifying campaign; they will be desperate to prove they are over that habit with a clean sheet here...
    • 87 IRELAND SUB: Andrew Keogh comes on to replace McGeady; more fresh legs for Ireland as they bid to waste a few more seconds...
    • 85 Georgia are having plenty of possession in these closing minutes, but Ireland have got their defence organised well; the home side look a little deflated.
    • 83 Keane is up front on his own now, Ireland have packed the midfield to try to ensure that the home side don't get a goal to raise their hopes of an unlikely draw...
    • 81 Hunt does well to dribble his way into the box from the left, but his low cross is poor and cleared on the penalty spot.
    • 80 IRELAND CHANGE: McShane comes on to further strengthen the visitors, replacing Finnan as coach Giovanni Trapattoni closes down the shutters.
    • 78 Georgia sub Leven Mchedildze almost makes an immediate impact, just failing to get on the end of David Odikadze's curling cross.
    • 77 IRELAND SUB: Doyle is replaced by Liam Miller as Ireland shore-up their midfield.
    • 75 Ireland have been trying to make a change for a couple of minutes now, but the ball hasn't gone out of play.
    • 73 A fan seems to have made it on the pitch to complain about something...he came from the Ireland section...he looks very angry about something...not sure why...his side are cruising here.
    • 70 GOAL! WHAT A GAFFE! Whelan fires Ireland 2-0 in front with a speculative shot from distance...the keeper should save it, it's straight at him...but he allows the ball through his hands and Ireland have a second! Horrible gaffe!
    • 68 PENALTY? No! The referee looks at his linesman as McGeady looks to be brought down on the edge of the box...no foul, rule the officials.
    • 65 Moment of fortune for Ireland as a deep set-piece goes over the head of Dunne at the back post, but Zurab Khizanishvili's flick back hits the big defender on the back of the legs and goes out for a corner...
    • 64 Dangerous moment as Georgia get in around the back of Ireland, with O'Shea needing to be alert to intercept a low cross.
    • 63 Georgia will have to start gambling soon, pushing men forward...can Ireland exploit the space?
    • 62 GEORGIA SUB: David Siradze comes on for the home side as coach Cuper goes in search of an equaliser.
    • 61 Levan Kenia controls the ball just inside the box, but his shot on the turn flies high and wide.
    • 60 Ireland seem to be increasing the tempo now as they go in search of a second goal that would surely kill this game...
    • 58 David Odikadze is penalised for a foul on Hunt down near the corner flag...McGeady fires a low set-piece into the box, but Georgia eventually clear.
    • 56 SO CLOSE! Keane intercepts a dreadful back-pass, rounds the keeper...but hits the post with his shot from a tight angle! The ball comes out to Reid, but his first-time shot flies just wide!
    • 55 Hunt runs at the Georgia defence but runs into a defender - literally....Zurab Khizanishvili just stood his ground and blocked the Reading man.
    • 54 HANDBALL! Rati Aleksidze handles as he tries to get on the end of a good cross fired into the middle...he is booked for the offence, although protests he got a shove in the back from O'Shea...
    • 51 CHANCE! SHOULD HAVE SCORED! O'Shea comes in unmarked to meet the corner from the left, but puts his header over from eight yards!
    • 50 Keane wins his side a corner as he suddenly springs to life...Hunt bends it to the back post...Dunne brings it down and wins his side another corner as he plays the ball off a defender...
    • 49 Ireland will be keen to press on for a second goal, because Georgia did occasionally look threatening in the first half...the visitors don't want a nervy finish.
    • 47 Hunt curls a fine free-kick into the middle...the keeper comes and gets a bit of a soft touch on it, but gathers at the second attempt.
    • 46 The second half is underway...
    • 45 HALF-TIME: Satisfactory half for Ireland, although they could do with stepping up a gear after the break.
    • 45 AMBITIOUS! Reid blasts a free-kick high over the bar from 35 yards.
    • 44 McGeady leads a break down the left before running into trouble...he has looked threatening this afternoon, much of Ireland's good stuff has come from him and Hunt. Keane has done very little.
    • 43 Georgia don't really seem to have much width to their play; they are looking for killer passes through the middle, but Ireland are packing the central channel.
    • 41 Wily old Hector Cuper is the Georgia coach; I'm sure he'll have words to say at half-time. Two former Serie A coaches doing battle here.
    • 39 Ireland haven't been able to create anything of note since the goal; they have taken their foot off the gas somewhat.
    • 36 RUBBISH! Iashvili plants a header over the bar from six yards out after being found completely unmarked with a corner. Great chance fluffed.
    • 35 Georgia win a free kick after a Hunt foul...it's 40 yards out, but they line up a shot...straight at the wall.
    • 34 Iashvili continues to be the dangerman...he collects a short pass before running at the Ireland defence, unleashing a wild shot high and wide.
    • 33 Iashvili twices sends dangerous crosses into the middle after finding some space on the left...but Dunne clears the danger.
    • 32 The home side are knocking the ball about patiently at the back...which is great, but they are showing no inclination to go forward for an equaliser.
    • 29 Ireland are content to slow the pace down for periods of this match now they have the lead...they aren't under any great pressure now.
    • 27 GOOD SAVE! George Loria gets down well to save Reid's powerful low shot after he had been teed up with a short free-kick...
    • 26 Khizanishvili knocks Hunt off the ball and earns a yellow card; Ireland have a free-kick about five yards outside the box...
    • 25 Rati Aleksidze is just caught off-side after Ireland had held their line....a bit of a dangerous game, because they look to have some pace about them up front.
    • 23 Hunt has more time than he realises out on the left after good work from Kilbane...his cross is to the near post, when Doyle had pulled to the back stick.
    • 21 Hunt can't get round his marker this time, but Ireland are having plenty of joy down the flanks.
    • 18 Georgia are going to have to try and be more positive than they wanted to be early on in this game; it seemed as though they were set up to defend from the outset...
    • 16 Great play down the right from McGeady, who brilliantly flicks the ball past his marker with a neat piece of control before out-pacing him and winning a corner...
    • 14 So, Doyle grabs the first competitive goal of Giovanni Trapattoni's reign...great start, and something to build on...
    • 12 GOAL! DOYLE NODS IRELAND IN FRONT! Keane curls a fabulous cross to the near post, and Doyle nods past the keeper from six yards out! Great start for the Republic.
    • 11 Iashvili is penalised for fouling Finnan as the full-back jumped for a header
    • 10 Iashvili finds the ball down the left channel...but instead of crossing low into the middle, he choses the shoot and drags his effort well wide of the far post.
    • 8 McGeady is warned by the referee after a sliding challenge on David Odikadze; no booking.
    • 6 Kevin Kilbane is playing in his face mask to protect the injury he picked up with Wigan.
    • 5 Doyle breaks down the left...but loses control of the ball before he can swing over a cross.
    • 4 Hunt and McGeady look to have plenty of freedom; already they have swapped flanks, with Hunt now on the left...
    • 2 Some shaky defending from the home side, who give the ball away to Hunt inside their own final third...his low cross is blocked and the danger passes. Encouraging signs for Ireland.
    • 1 OFF WE GO! Ireland's road to South Africa is underway...
    • 16:54 Hi there; welcome to our coverage of Ireland's opening qualifier...

  • Summary

    • 90 GOAL! IRELAND CONCEDE LATE AGAIN! A low cross into the middle finds its way to Levan Kenia, who cuts on to his left foot before firing past Given, via the head of McShane!
    • 70 GOAL! WHAT A GAFFE! Whelan fires Ireland 2-0 in front with a speculative shot from distance...the keeper should save it, it's straight at him...but he allows the ball through his hands and Ireland have a second! Horrible gaffe!
    • 56 SO CLOSE! Keane intercepts a dreadful back-pass, rounds the keeper...but hits the post with his shot from a tight angle! The ball comes out to Reid, but his first-time shot flies just wide!
    • 51 CHANCE! SHOULD HAVE SCORED! O'Shea comes in unmarked to meet the corner from the left, but puts his header over from eight yards!
    • 36 RUBBISH! Iashvili plants a header over the bar from six yards out after being found completely unmarked with a corner. Great chance fluffed.
    • 27 GOOD SAVE! George Loria gets down well to save Reid's powerful low shot after he had been teed up with a short free-kick...
    • 12 GOAL! DOYLE NODS IRELAND IN FRONT! Keane curls a fabulous cross to the near post, and Doyle nods past the keeper from six yards out! Great start for the Republic.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Georgia

    Manager: Hector Cuper

    Captain: Kakha Kaladze

    Starting line-up

    • G. Loria
    • U. Lobjanidze
    • G. Shashiashvili
    • K. Kaladze
    • L. Kenia Goal
    • Z. Khizanishvili
    • L. Kobiashvili
    • A. Iashvili
    • R. Alexidze
    • Z. Menteshashvili
    • D. Odikadze

    Subs

    • M. Asatiani
    • D. Siradze
    • L. Salukvadze
    • L. Mchedlidze
    • G. Makaridze

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Rep. Ireland

    Manager: Giovanni Trapattoni

    Captain: Robbie Keane

    Starting line-up

    • S. Given
    • S. Finnan Substitution Out (80′)
    • R. Dunne
    • J. O'Shea
    • K. Kilbane
    • A. McGeady Substitution Out (87′)
    • S. Reid
    • G. Whelan Goal
    • S. Hunt
    • R. Keane
    • K. Doyle Goal Substitution Out (77′)

    Subs

    • D. Kiely
    • A. Reid
    • L. Miller Substitution In77′
    • P. McShane Substitution In80′
    • D. Murphy
    • A. Keogh Substitution In87′

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None