Ferguson’s goal and Kelleher’s penalty save secured a 1-0 win in Dublin.
Gavin Cooney Republic of Ireland 1 Finland 0 AND THE SUN shines sightly brighter again on the Republic of Ireland, as the lope slowly from their years-long sentence in the dark and dreary doldrums.
The ultimate outcome is a guarantee of third place in this Nations League group, meaning Finland are relegated and Ireland must play off against a League C runner up next March to guarantee their status. Ireland go to Wembley on Sunday with nothing to play for but the chance to maintain this sense of progress.
Hallgrimsson’s message to his players this week has been to play without heed to the scoreline: he diagnosed an eternal Irish problem this week when he reviewed last month’s double-header and found Ireland played their best football once they fell behind. “Once we had nothing to lose, we played really well”, said Hallgrimsson.
Later, Ireland’s enthusiasm to press was exposed when Finland passed the ball through a Josh Cullen-shaped gap in midfield, with Oliver Antman sashaying into the box before sending a goal-bound shot that was brilliantly deflected onto the same post by a splayed Nathan Collins. Ireland, however, need Ferguson to be at his best inside the box and, happily, he was just before half-time. Johnston forgot a fitful performance to jink to the endline and pitch the ball into the six-yard box, where Ferguson was in the right position to rise highest between a pair of defenders and steer the ball in. It was a moment of pure, centre-forward efficiency, and frankly the kind of thing Ireland have been lacking since Robbie Keane retired to complicate his legacy.
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