Nations League, Group 2B: Republic of Ireland 0 Greece 2 (Ioannidis 50, Tzlois 87)
The Republic of Ireland seem to have erased all memory of winning international football matches.
Greece now have three victories over them in 15 months. It’s the same old story for a new Irish manager in competitive action as the Heimir Hallgrímsson era begins with two, deeply depressing defeats.
The Aviva Stadium emptied in the 87th minute when Christos Tzolis bagged a breakaway second goal, after a sloppy error by Alan Browne.
The Nations League does not get any easier, with October trips to Helsinki and Athens before England at Wembley in November.
There are some positives to cling on to.
Forty minutes played at the Aviva and in the press box, WhatsApp groups were tip-tapping away. ‘Heimir is on the line tonight.’ ‘Look, he’s coaching Dara O’Shea.’ ‘John O’Shea and Paddy McCarthy must be padlocked to the dugout.’
It was new, it was 3-5-1-1, with Chiedozie Ogbene an attacking right wing back which forced Andrew Omobamidele – in from the cold – to man mark Liverpool’s overlapping left back Konstantinos Tsimikas.
This was brave. This was risky. This was Heimir-ball. It was working because Nathan Collins got across Andreas Bakasetas when Tsimikas whipped a cross into the Irish box after 30 seconds.
Collins is the new Ireland captain. He won the coin toss and alongside Dara O’Shea, took care of every ball the Greeks curved near Caoimhín Kelleher’s goal.
Jayson Molumby was busy mopping up the breaks. It helps when there are four other midfielders around you.
A lively Irish start was beginning to fade. Wide left, Robbie Brady was surfing close to a yellow card. Brady somehow escaped the book of Norwegian referee Espen Eskás despite taking lumps off Tasos Chatzigiovanis every time Greece switched the play.
Besides a Konstantinos Koulierakis header on to the roof of Kelleher’s net, from a corner, Ireland were the dominant force. 234 of 262 passes stuck before the break.
Jason Knight was everywhere, linking up with Will Smallbone only for Andreas Bouchalakis to deny Browne’s shot.
Ireland were playing ball again. It was healing.
Suddenly, now, the team rotates around Sammie Szmodics – 27 goals in the English second tier last season earned him a move to Ipswich Town and, at age 28, Hallgrímsson held Adah Idah, Evan Ferguson and Troy Parrott in reserve to make Szmodics the lone forward.
Twice he tried the spectacular, twice he missed the target.
Forty minutes played and it happened. Almost. Molumby delivered a looping ball for Ogbene who chested it away from Tsimikas and let fly. The joy on his face was quickly removed by the linesman’s flag. Offside.
This woke up the 37,274 crowd as Smallbone shuffled down the inside right channel and cut back a pass for Ogbene who invited Browne to test Newcastle United goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.
Plenty of “initiative, confidence and bastards” – as Hallgrímsson wished – but no joy.
Five minutes into the second half, and it really did happen. Fotis Ioannidis added another goal to the two he scored against Finland last Saturday.
A cruel and familiar story. Opposing player drops into space vacated by Ireland, and is invited to shoot from distance. O’Shea stepped back and Ioannidis accepted the challenge, curling his effort beyond Kelleher into the top corner.
One-nil to Greece. Confidence draining, initiative gone.
Those familiar with this generation saw it happening in slow motion. From 2021 to 2023, nine goals were conceded from long-range shots.
Clearly, the former Iceland manager has been working on set pieces. At every opportunity, Collins and Omobamidele walked into the Greek box seeking to head an equaliser.
Most of these half-chances were throw-ins and O’Shea could do with a few flinging lessons from Rory Delap or Megan Campbell. He never cleared the first man.
After an hour, Hallgrímsson rolled the dice. Ferguson was sent on for Molumby. Big teenage striker for honest midfielder.
The switch in formation, leaving Szmodics beside Ferguson, eventually backfired as it allowed Greece to break up aimless Irish attacks and pour forward.
The last few minutes were compelling as Hallgrímsson sent on Idah and Callum Robinson. Goalscorers by trade.
But Ireland got what they deserved when Browne put a ball out of play. A quick throw had Bakasetas creating a one-on-one between Tzolis and Collins. The Irish skipper was twisted inside out before Tzolis stylishly beat Kelleher.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Kelleher (Liverpool); Ogbene (Ipswich Town), Omobamidele (Nottingham Forest), Collins (Brentford), O’Shea (Ipswich Town), Brady (Preston North End); Smallbone (Southampton), Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Browne (Sunderland), Knight (Bristol City); Szmodics (Ipswich Town).
Subs: Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion) for Molumby (63), McAteer (Leicester City) for Knight, Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers) for Omobamidele (both 74), Idah (Celtic) for Szmodics, Robinson (Cardiff City) for Ogbene (84).
GREECE: Vlachodimos (Newcastle United); Rota (AEK Athens), Mavropanos (West Ham United), Koulierakis (VfL Wolfsburg), Tsimikas (Liverpool); Siopis (Cardiff City), Bouchalakis (Hertha Berlin); Chatzigiovanis (Eyüpspor), Bakasetas (Panathinaikos), Tzolis (Club Brugge); Ioannidis (Panathinaikos).
Subs: Zafeiris (Slavia Prague) for Chatzigiovanis, Pelkas (Başakşehir) for Bouchalakis (both 67), Ntoi (Olympiacos) for Siopis, Pavlidis (Benfica) for Ioannidis (both 88), Vagiannidis (Panathinaikos) for Tzlois (89).
Referee: Espen Eskás (Norway).
