MATCH ANALYSIS/MARK LAWRENSON:"Winning is the best habit for any team. It breeds confidence, and Ireland should be mentally strong in that respect with the World Cup looming ever closer."

If this was a competitive international fixture the match would not have been played. Conditions were atrocious and that was obviously a mitigating factor in terms of the quality of football. I suppose the only consolation was that the bumps were under water.

I don't think it told Mick McCarthy anything he didn't know before the match. The US offered a very good test, as befits a side that are physically strong, athletic and competitive. They really challenged for every ball and put Ireland under a great deal of pressure, a sensible option given the atrocious surface conditions.

The Americans worked very hard, especially in midfield, during the first half and but for the exemplary work rate and attitude of Mark Kinsella in particular could have swamped Ireland in this area.

The Republic received the perfect opening with Kinsella's goal. The Charlton midfielder did extremely well to win the ball in the first place, Rory Delap held the ball up and both his timing and execution of the pass to the overlapping Steve Finnan were perfect. The final ball was a little behind Kinsella but he adjusted his body superbly to finish acrobatically.

It was a well-constructed goal and should have given Ireland the confidence to settle. Instead it was the US that took up the gauntlet and pushed Ireland back, and Shay Given did well to tip over a long-range shot. The US were quicker and sharper onto the ball at times but, fortunately for us, the quality of the final ball didn't match the approach play.

I think when the Americans get to the World Cup they will be the type of side that will draw a couple of games and lose one, just failing to get out of the group. They are not a great footballing side but they possess all the physical qualities and a good attitude to make it difficult for a lot of teams.

Given the underfoot conditions, particularly on the West Stand side of the ground, it was always going to be a difficult evening for Damien Duff and Robbie Keane against physically-strong defenders. Both managed to earn their fair share of free-kicks and Keane especially had a fine game. He managed to get away from his markers on several occasions but couldn't find the finish that his work probably deserved.

Duff and Keane had a swagger to the way they played and for all the buffeting they received, they caused the Americans problems.

In fairness to the visitors, they worked hard for each other and got back in numbers to snuff out the danger. Their equaliser won't have pleased Mick McCarthy, a simple case of Rory Delap not being aggressive enough and allowing Eddie Pope to get half a yard. It was a soft goal.

It's difficult to assess individual performances in those conditions. Keane was excellent throughout and of the players looking to make an impression, Delap, his mistake from the corner aside, worked very hard and showed some nice touches.

I don't think he realises what a good player he could be. I'm sure Gordon Strachan at Southampton is trying to convince him that he can be a really good player with a little more self-belief and urgency in his game. It takes about 10 to 15 matches before you really settle in at international level and the World Cup may have come a little early.

Colin Healy looked a little lost in midfield, struggling to adapt to the pace of the game. He improved in the second half. Steven Reid did well when coming into the match on what would be the wrong side, the left flank, for a right-footed player. He could be a regular by the time the 2004 European Championships come around.

Once again the interval brought a raft of changes - understandable in the conditions - and that essentially ensured that the match started again.

In the overall context of the World Cup preparations it was a decent workout for the Republic. We said beforehand that the Americans would provide Ireland with a decent test and they did. The fact that the Irish managed to come up with the answer in terms of Gary Doherty's late goal to grab the spoils will have pleased the boss.

Winning is the best habit for any team. It breeds confidence, and Ireland should be mentally strong in that respect with the World Cup looming ever closer.

In an interview with John O'Sullivan