Nil-all at half-time was already a big improvement on the last time Greece were here in October 2023. Then Ireland lost whatever semblance of control they had in midfield
Greece's Manolis Siopis and Republic of Ireland's Will Smallbone in action at the Uefa Nations League Group B2 game at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, on Tuesday night. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Just as Anastasios Bakasetas played the ball in from the right to Ioannidis, Collins pointed at the striker as though indicating “someone might want to pick that guy up”. Ioannidis turned and seemed almost surprised to see that he had so much space 25 yards from goal. Even more surprising – the Irish defenders, rather than charging him down, were stepping back.
Nil-all at half-time was already a big improvement on the last time Greece were here in October 2023, when Collins was replaced at half-time after misjudging an attempt to play offside and giving Greece an easy chance to make it 2-0 in first-half injury time. Matt Doherty, Adam Idah and the injured Séamus Coleman were replaced by Andrew Omobamidele, Jason Knight and Alan Browne, and the back three or five that Ireland have used for most of the last three years was ditched in favour of a back four.
Half-time and it was so far so good, but then Ioannidis was given the freedom of the park to pick his spot. Hallgrímsson’s response to the goal was to take off Molumby – who seemed upset at being substituted – for Evan Ferguson, and switch to 4-4-2. The change didn’t do Ireland any favours as they lost whatever semblance of control they had had in midfield.
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