The Republic of Eire’s Euro 2024 qualification hopes are all however over after the Netherlands got here from a aim all the way down to edge an entertaining qualifier in Dublin.
Adam Idah gave the Republic a dream begin with a fourth-minute penalty after Virgil van Dijk’s handball.
However the Dutch hit again with a spot-kick of their very own by Cody Gakpo.
Substitute Wout Weghorst’s winner then condemned the Republic to a fourth defeat in 5 qualifiers.
It leaves supervisor Stephen Kenny’s aspect six factors adrift of the second-placed Dutch having performed a recreation extra, with a house match in opposition to Greece and a visit to Gibraltar in October up subsequent.
And with a visit to the Netherlands to return of their closing qualifier, Sunday’s defeat in Dublin successfully seals the Republic’s destiny and heaps extra stress on Kenny after the Dubliner’s failure to steer the crew to Euro 2020 and final 12 months’s World Cup.
Republic make dream begin
On a balmy Dublin night, the combo of nerves and pleasure among the many dwelling crowd was immediately detectable. As kick-off approached, they roared and roared, fuelled by the hope of seeing their crew pull off a outstanding shock and reive their qualifying hopes.
The Irish gamers had been clearly invigorated by the noise, and whereas they did all the pieces however rating in opposition to France at this floor in March, they solely wanted to attend 4 minutes in opposition to the Dutch.
After Chiedozie Ogbene failed to complete after a dangerous cross from Dutch keeper Mark Flekken put Frenkie de Jong in hassle, Shane Duffy’s header from the resultant nook struck Van Dijk’s hand.
Idah tucked the spot-kick away with aplomb. The early platform Kenny craved had arrived.
However the dwelling followers had been quickly to be silenced. After the hosts coughed up possession, Gakpo sliced open their defence with a looking by ball, and when Denzel Dumfries acquired to the ball earlier than the advancing Bazunu, referee Irfan Peljto pointed to the spot.
Gakpo’s confidently-taken penalty briefly energised the Dutch, with Bazunu doing nicely to thwart Donyell Malen.
5 minutes earlier than the break, Bazunu annoyed Malen once more, turning the Borussia Dortmund ahead’s low drive away together with his foot.
However the Republic had been undeterred by flashes of Dutch tempo and continued to assault in numbers. They pressed aggressively, chasing and harrying an completed trio of centre-backs.
It virtually yielded a second dwelling aim, too, when in a close to carbon-copy of Ogbene’s likelihood within the opening minute, De Jong had his pocket picked on the sting of his field just for Ake to cost down the Irish ahead’s shot.
![Stephen Kenny applauds the Republic of Ireland fans after Sunday's defeat](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/624/cpsprodpb/08B1/production/_131052220_mediaitem131052219.jpg)
De Jong shines as Weghorst crushes Irish hopes
Netherland’s supervisor Ronald Koeman’s response to the Republic’s first-half vitality was to modify it up – and it labored. Tijani Reijnders’ introduction for Mats Wieffer afforded the Dutch extra management in midfield, whereas Daley Blind’s exit for Weghorst gave the away aspect a transparent point of interest up high.
And the Republic duly discovered themselves retreating. Whereas De Jong appeared shaky in possession near his personal aim within the first half shut, the Barcelona midfielder’s motion and passing in additional superior positions was a pleasure to look at.
It was his guile and craft on the coronary heart of the second Dutch aim. He chipped a pleasant cross over the Irish defence to Dumfries who, having been performed onside by Duffy, pulled the ball again for Weghorst to pounce 11 minutes after being referred to as upon.
From there, the Republic – maybe having expended an excessive amount of vitality within the first half – toiled of their efforts to get again into the sport.
Ogbene had a penalty attraction waved away, however with each Irish cross that failed to satisfy its supposed goal, the groans of the Aviva crowd had been telling.
In reality, the Dutch noticed the sport out pretty comfortably and whereas they continue to be locked in a battle for second place with Greece, who beat Gibraltar as anticipated, the Republic should grapple with the near-certainty of one other failed bid to achieve a significant event.
Line-ups
Republic of Eire
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1BazunuBooked at 18mins
- 12Collins
- 4Duffy
- 5EganSubstituted forMcGrathat 73′minutes
- 10DohertySubstituted forEboseleat 87′minutes
- 8BrowneSubstituted forSmallboneat 74′minutes
- 6Cullen
- 11McCleanSubstituted forManningat 64′minutes
- 17KnightBooked at 67minsSubstituted forArmstrongat 87′minutes
- 20OgbeneBooked at 42mins
- 9Idah
Substitutes
- 2O’Shea
- 3Manning
- 7Smallbone
- 13Hendrick
- 14Molumby
- 15Connolly
- 16Kelleher
- 18McGrath
- 19Ebosele
- 21Armstrong
- 22Omobamidele
- 23O’Leary
Netherlands
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Flekken
- 3de Ligt
- 4van Dijk
- 5Aké
- 22Dumfries
- 19WiefferBooked at 16minsSubstituted forReijndersat 45′minutes
- 21F de Jong
- 17BlindSubstituted forWeghorstat 45′minutesBooked at 87mins
- 7SimonsSubstituted forBerghuisat 90′minutes
- 18MalenSubstituted forKoopmeinersat 68′minutes
- 8GakpoBooked at 67minsSubstituted forLangat 81′minutes
Substitutes
- 2van de Ven
- 6de Vrij
- 9Weghorst
- 10Lang
- 11Berghuis
- 12Hartman
- 13Verbruggen
- 14Reijnders
- 15de Roon
- 16Veerman
- 20Koopmeiners
- 23Noppert
Dwell Textual content
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Match ends, Republic of Eire 1, Netherlands 2.
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Second Half ends, Republic of Eire 1, Netherlands 2.
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Offside, Netherlands. Noa Lang tries a by ball, however Tijjani Reijnders is caught offside.
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Nook, Netherlands. Conceded by Nathan Collins.
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Nook, Republic of Eire. Conceded by Tijjani Reijnders.
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Substitution, Netherlands. Steven Berghuis replaces Xavi Simons.
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Hand ball by Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands).
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Foul by Shane Duffy (Republic of Eire).
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Wout Weghorst (Netherlands) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
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Substitution, Republic of Eire. Sinclair Armstrong replaces Jason Knight.
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Substitution, Republic of Eire. Festy Ebosele replaces Matt Doherty.
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Wout Weghorst (Netherlands) is proven the yellow card.
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Nathan Collins (Republic of Eire) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
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Foul by Wout Weghorst (Netherlands).
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Jamie McGrath (Republic of Eire) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
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Foul by Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands).
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Nook, Netherlands. Conceded by Jamie McGrath.
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Foul by Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands).
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Jamie McGrath (Republic of Eire) wins a free kick within the defensive half.
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Substitution, Netherlands. Noa Lang replaces Cody Gakpo.