Rep of Ireland 0 Argentina 1:With their commander in chief in convalescence just miles from international football's debut at the new Aviva Stadium at Lansdowne Road, it was important Giovanni Trapattoni's side showed signs of good health against Argentina.
The manager wasn’t the only absentee for the visit of Lionel Messi and co and, on the occasion of his 100th cap, captain Robbie Keane would no doubt have benefited from Kevin Doyle’s presence alongside him. However, despite being occasionally outclassed, Ireland look a united bunch heading into the Euro 2012 qualifiers next month.
They lost to a controversial first half goal but could have snatched parity had the centurion made contact with an overhead kick that came as the result of some encouraging late pressure, which was thoughtful and rarely hurried.
That said, it was a friendly and a celebration, of sorts, beyond the confines off the new turf, so little can be garnered from such an encounter, save for an encouraging run out for substitute Keith Treacy and another taste of the top level for Greg Cunningham at left back.
The opening exchanges were little more than sparring but had it been Olympic boxing the visitors would have landed a few more jabs than their hosts.
Sergio Batista stayed with the 4-3-3 formation that let Diego Maradona down in that 4-0 drubbing by Germany in South Africa, but crucially he deployed the personnel to adopt such a tactic.
Captain Javier Mascherano was marshalling midfield with Valencia’s Ever Banega and Real Madrid’s Fernando Gago in support, allowing Angel Di Maria to operate in a more suitable role on the left of a front three that consisted of Lionel Messi and striker Gonzalo Higuain.
The latter pairing looked to combine early on with Messi cutting inside Kevin Kilbane on a few occasions and seeking out the Real forward with reverse passes in behind Richard Dunne and John O’Shea, both of whom were alive to the danger.
The Barcelona forward got his first sight of goal, however, when Dunne’s defensive header fell at his feet, but the cheeky chip over Given had too much on it and sailed over the bar. Gago then delayed a fraction too long on through ball for Messi that found its target offside.
Ireland relied, early on at least, on Sheridan winning headers ahead of Walter Samuel and Martin Demichelis. He did that to good effect at times, but it still left Keane with too much to do and the best he could muster was a dragged shot wide from 25 yards.
Duff also shot wide from range after Heinze was robbed by Paul Green and the Derby midfielder found the Fulham winger on the far side.
The only goal, in the 20th minute, caused bemusement in all quarters when Higuain’s touch from Sergio Romero’s goal-kick appeared to find Di Maria in an offside position and the Real winger lobbed Given to perfection.
Irish protests that Higuain was offside were moot, considering one cannot be ahead of play directly from a goal-kick, but the goalscorer did look to have strayed too far upfield when he received his compatriot’s flick on.
An eerie and confused silence was reciprocated on the pitch for some time, until Messi reminded everyone there was a game on after he found the space he craved only to force a routine save out of Given when aiming for the top corner.
The second half put the first to shame, in terms of drama, within minutes of the restart.
Andrews’ tackle on Di Maria on the halfway line won the crowds’ approval and his pass to Keane was taken neatly in the box by the captain, who then beat Heinze before flashing a ball across the face of goal just out of Fahey’s reach.
Gabriel Milito, on in place of Higuain at the break, was then denied in the box by Dunne and O’Shea before Paul McShane took matters into his own hands to liven up proceedings.
First the Kilpedder man committed to what would have been a rash challenge on Walter Samuel had he connected on the halfway line, and it earned him a shoulder charge on the way back from the Inter Milan defender.
The ensuing free-kick then saw him attempt an overhead before a poor first touch, a minute or so later, prompted him to hoof the ball into the crowd in frustration. Each contribution earned more approval from the crowd than the last.
The biggest roar of the night was reserved Messi, however, who applauded the crowd on being replaced by Ezequiel Lavezzi in the 58th minute.
It was the homeside who appeared to cope better with the inevitable raft of changes and McShane was again the instigator of the next cohesive move when his ball into Keane’s feet was received in the box and layed off to Duff who’s solid strike was comfortable gathered by Romero.
With 12 minutes remaining two latecomers Treacy and Andy Keogh, on for Fahey and Sheridan respectively, almost carved an equaliser after the former turned Pablo Zabaleta on the left and delivered a ball to the near post that the Wolves striker failed to convert under pressure.
Gago tested Given with a good strike but the action was increasingly focused on the goal at the other end as the game wore on.
Keane’s penalty claims were hopeful more than anything after Demichelis stopped him yards from goal, but Duff’s corner nearly found him at the back post and Treacy again showed a cool head to deliver another testing cross.
The Preston North End winger then won another free-kick on the left that had the whiff of a pre-emtpive strike about it but, even with Given in the box, Ireland could not convert in the scramble, with Keane disappointingly misfiring an acrobatic effort.
No major scalp, then, for the big day, but enough to be positive about in the circumstances.
Rep of Ireland:Given; McShane, O'Shea, Dunne, Kilbane (Cunningham 57); Fahey (Treacy 77), Andrews (Gibson 67), Green, Duff; Keane, Sheridan (Keogh 57)
Argentina:Romero; Burdisso (Zabaleta 45), Demichelis, Samuel (Coloccini 84), Heinze (Insua 72 min); Gago, Mascherano, Banega; Messi (Lavezzi 58), Di Maria (Gutierrez 75), Higuain (Milito 45)
Referee:Peter Rasmussen (Den)
Attendance:45,200