16: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool)
This Liverpool star demonstrated a yawning calmness when he skilfully performed an ice-cold drag back, misleading the charging Openda at the beginning of the match. Despite a few instances of unsteady handling, he offered an arresting stop, denying Meunier a late goal with a spectacular save. Score: 8
2: Séamus Coleman (Everton)
Coleman, Everton’s star, showcased a vintage performance brimming with composure and leadership, comfortably readjusting to his position as Ireland’s field commander. His presence instilled a blend of tranquillity and fervour in the Irish team. He was unrelenting in his engagements with Leandro Trossard initially and later with Jérémy Doku. Score: 8
5: Andrew Omobamidele (Nottingham Forest)
The Forest player turned in a reliable if not flamboyant performance, accomplishing his defensive tasks with minimal fuss. The Ireland defence on the whole had reason for satisfaction, maintaining a composed stance and not offering easy opportunities for their opponents. Score: 6
22: Nathan Collins (Brentford)
Collins impeccably organised the Irish defence from the centre, contributing substantially in maintaining their formation throughout the match. His expertly placed header to Dara O’Shea played a significant role in securing a penalty for Ireland in the initial half. Score: 7
4: Dara O’Shea (Burnley)
O’Shea delivered a disciplined defensive performance, proving himself to be a rock in defence for the team. He advanced for set pieces and his shot resulting in the ball bouncing off Vermeeren’s arm gained the team a penalty early on in the match. Score: 7
11: Robbie Brady (Preston North End)
Brady, the North End player, showed great resilience working diligently on the left side and making notable defensive contributions in the preceding half of the game. He also delivered the free kick that resulted in Ireland earning a penalty. At the start of the next half, he delivered a wonderful cross for Ferguson. Score: 7
20: Chiedozie Ogbene (Luton Town)
In an initial scoring opportunity, a player missed his mark. Rather than focusing on hitting the target or connecting a pass to his teammate, Coleman, his left-footed effort ended up in the side-netting. Despite this, his speed and deceptiveness presented a threat from the right wing. He was benched at the 70-minute mark, earning a respectable 7/10 score.
Will Smallbone of Southampton turned in one of his most confident performances in Ireland’s colours, pairing effectively with Josh Cullen in the midfield. He managed to advance and contribute to creating scoring openings, although he left the field before the match’s conclusion. His rating was also 7.
Burnley’s Josh Cullen put in an aggressive performance, toiling tirelessly on both offence and defence. His tackle was strong and he attempted to create plays whenever possible. His and Smallbone’s relentless work greatly influenced the Belgian midfield’s failure to set a consistent pace. Cullen also received a rating of 7.
Newcomer Sammie Szmodics, who plays for Blackburn Rovers, made his mark on the Irish team with a superbly timed pass that set Ogbene up for a goal in the game’s early minutes. He adapted well to the team and showed promising signs that he could become a key player for Ireland in the future matches. He was rated 7.
Evan Ferguson of Brighton & Hove Albion exhibited his physical prowess and determination to set up a play that concluded with Ogbene’s near miss. In spite of this, he bungled a penalty kick that could have broken his goal drought, much to his disappointment. He earned a slightly lower score of 6.
John O’Shea presided over his first match as Ireland’s manager, and he’ll be pleased with the results. His team maintained formation and each player understood their duties – a straightforward approach not always seen in Irish squads recently. Ireland managed to blend a dose of cautiousness with daring play. O’Shea was awarded a praiseworthy score of 8. However, substitutions made in the 70th minute, consisting of Jason Knight, Mikey Johnston, Adam Idah, Matt Doherty, and Fetsy Ebosele, didn’t significantly alter the match’s outcome, earning them a combined score of 6.
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