Armenia 0 Republic of Ireland 1:The Republic of Ireland left it until late to break down a tough and at times dangerous Armenia but took all three points from their opening European Championship Group B qualifier 1-0 thanks to substitute Keith Fahey's first international goal.
Defender Sean St Ledger and captain Robbie Keane should have put the visitors ahead earlier but the Birmingham City winger's first Irish goal, a neat close range finish, gave coach Giovanni Trapattoni a winning start to his campaign.
Armenia, who held Portugal and Serbia to draws at home during qualification for the last European Championship, only briefly threatened to go one better with Shakhtar Donetsk attacker Henrik Mkhitaryan proving a particular menace.
Ireland host Andorra on Tuesday while Armenia travel to Macedonia. Both face top seeds Russia and Slovakia later in the qualifying campaign.
The Armenian keeper had kept the Republic of Ireland at bay in the first half as Trapattoni’s men were frustrated in Yerevan. Berezovsky palmed away St Ledger’s close-range 22nd-minute header to keep his side in the game as the Armenians proved tricky opponents.
Keane, who had volleyed wide with eight minutes gone, had a 35th-minute strike ruled out for offside, but keeper Shay Given was relieved to see striker Yura Movsisyan’s blistering 42nd-minute drive fly just over.
Despite the game kicking off at 8pm local time, it did so in sweltering temperatures, which had been close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit earlier in the day. Ireland were quick to assert their authority as they pinned the home side back, winning their first corner with less than two minutes gone.
But they were almost caught on the counter seconds later when Mkhitaryan played midfielder Edgar Malakyan in on the left, although the green shirts got back quickly to quell a potentially dangerous attack.
The Republic perhaps should have been in front with eight minutes gone when Kevin Doyle flicked Given’s clearance perfectly into Keane’s well-timed run. However, with just keeper Roman Berezovsky to beat, he smashed his first-time volley agonisingly wide.
But Armenia, with Mkhitaryan hugely impressive playing in the hole behind striker Yura Movsisyan, were making life difficult and Green was relieved that Levon Pachajyan was unable to make more of the opening with which he had presented him by failing to collect Dunne’s pass.
The home side were growing in confidence and Given had to save from Karlen Mkrtchyan and Pachajyan in quick succession with Green seeing far too much of the Shakhtar man in the middle of the field.
However, it took a fine save from Berezovsky to keep out Sean St Ledger’s 22nd-minute header after Aiden McGeady had picked him out with a far-post corner.
The Armenian keeper was in action again four minutes later when Glenn Whelan went for goal from a free-kick 25 yards out, but he was well-positioned to claim with ease.
Ireland were starting to increase the pressure and McGeady went close after collecting Liam Lawrence’s 28th-minute pass and cutting inside before firing a right-foot drive just wide.
But Minasyan’s men were refusing to lie down and accept their fate and might have gone in front themselves three minutes later after McGeady conceded a free-kick wide on the Irish left. Malakyan curled the ball to Movsisyan, who volleyed firmly but just over from the penalty spot.
Keane thought he had put the visitors in front 10 minutes before the break after running on to Whelan’s free-kick and shooting home. However, as he turned to celebrate, he spotted the offside flag which denied him his 44th senior international goal.
Keane was appealing in vain for a 40th-minute penalty after going down under Robert Arzumanyan’s challenge. But it was Ireland who ended the half under pressure with Movsisyan blasting a 42nd-minute piledriver just over Given’s crossbar.
Given was sent anxiously back-pedalling towards his own goal with 20 minutes remaining when Dunne’s clearing header looped just over him and dropped on to the roof of the net. But with time running down, Doyle forced a good save from Berezovsky with a long-range drive.
Fahey had earlier replaced McGeady, and it was he who finally made the breakthrough 14 minutes from time when, after Keane and Doyle had made nuisances of themselves inside the box, the blasted past the keeper.
The home side threw everything they had at the Republic as the final whistle approached, but the visitors held out to claim the three points for which they came.
Armenia:
Roman Berezovsky; Sargis Hovsepyan, Robert Arzumanyan, Ararat Arakelyan, Artak Edigaryan (Hovhannes Hambardzumyan, 71); Karlen Mkrtchyan, Artur Edigaryan (10 Davit Manoyan 68), Edgar Malakyan, Levon Pachajyan, Henrik Mkhitaryan; Yura Movsisyan.
Republic of Ireland:
Shay Given; Sean St Ledger, Kevin Kilbane, John O'Shea, Richard Dunne; Glenn Whelan, Liam Lawrence; Paul Green, Aiden McGeady (Keith Fahey 68); Kevin Doyle, Robbie Keane (Andy Keogh, 85).
Referee:
Zsolt Szabo (Hungary)