Football

Eire vs Lithuania: The tide has turned for Kenya

Keith Andrews has praised the energy of character of Republic of Eire coach Stephen Kenny after watching him work his means by way of a troublesome begin to his reign.

Kenny didn’t win any of his first 10 matches as president of Eire, a comeback that led to criticism of his appointment and ways.

Nevertheless, he held agency and has since been rewarded with an 11-match streak that included only one defeat – away to Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo – culminating in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with world primary Belgium.

Kenny will ship his staff to the pleasant towards Lithuania on Tuesday evening after not too long ago signing a contract extension.

Requested how he was behind the scenes throughout such a troublesome early interval, Andrews’ assistant mentioned: “He was very composed, all the time very as much as the ideas and perception in what gamers can obtain.

“After all we’ll make little tweaks right here and there, however he is a really robust particular person and I feel he is coped with him very effectively as a result of there have been some days that weren’t very good that we needed to put up with. He is chin.

“I inform him that usually once I return to my native butcher, and so they shortly inform me what we must always and should not do, and typically it is not significantly nice.

“However throughout that course of, he was actually resolute. It might be very, very simple because the supervisor would most likely take a step again, to sacrifice, maybe, a few of your values, your ideas for the sake of a short-term imaginative and prescient, however he stood by way of it and clearly I used to be in full help of that.”

Former Eire midfielder Andrews first spoke in protection of Kenny in September final 12 months, and whereas he admits the outcomes will all the time decide the coach’s future, he firmly believes Eire are all the time on course.

He mentioned: “Soccer is soccer, it all the time depends upon outcomes and also you all the time owe it to the forces which are there.

“It isn’t growth soccer, we’re right here in massive soccer, that is what the enterprise is in the end about if outcomes aren’t achieved, then selections need to be made.

“Like I mentioned, we felt in place regardless that the outcomes weren’t good, we had been comfy with what we had been placing in and the outcomes actually got here.”

Andrews was drafted into the worldwide squad by former supervisor Giovanni Trapattoni, whose safety-first strategy paid off, however did not essentially win over followers.

Kenny’s strategy is extra holistic, and whereas his staff remains to be being carried out, Andrews shares his philosophy.

He mentioned: “The Irish staff I performed in was very effectively organized, it was very troublesome to disintegrate. The principle focus was what we did with out the ball.

“There was lots of reliance on technical gamers who’re extra succesful, offensively. He was depending on that with a coach who most likely did not have sufficient religion in what we might do, or was caught with the way in which he all the time watched the sport and the way in which he all the time coached.

“Steven and I see it otherwise and attempt to take the staff in a special path.”

Egan hails Ogbene’s ‘superb’ begin

Republic of Eire defender John Egan couldn’t be happier for Chidose Ogbeni after his ‘superb’ begin to life as a significant worldwide participant.

The Nigerian-born Rotherham winger scored his third purpose in simply six matches for his adopted nation in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Belgium and can head to Tuesday evening’s pleasant with Lithuania hoping to realize extra of the identical.

Egan, who first met the 24-year-old Ogbeni throughout their time collectively at Brentford, was a lot impressed together with his introduction to the Irish staff.

He mentioned: “I used to be at Brentford when he signed, so I already knew what Chieo was about when he joined the staff in the summertime. It was a breath of recent air, on and off the sphere.

“He is a particular individual, actually humble and onerous working. He got here in, he acquired his probability, he grabbed it with each palms, and it is honest to say his efficiency has been improbable, actually, since he joined the staff.

“One other purpose on Saturday that the world of fine will do only for his self-confidence. He is a extremely massive man and he is proven everybody that he is a fantastic participant.”

It is qiu time

Gavin Bazunu, Josh Cullen and Jason Knight have turn into key members of a new-look squad, however no participant has seized their probability extra impressively than Chiedozie Ogbene.

At the moment working as a winger at League One Rotherham, he has been pushed to play an attacking position in a inexperienced shirt, along with scoring thrice in six matches, he has performed with a smile on his face.

kenyan jam

If there was one disappointment for Kenny on Saturday evening, it was how Belgium superior for a second due to Hans Vanaken’s towering header.

The coach then admitted his frustration that the guests scored from a nook kick – solely the second purpose Eire have conceded on this means in 21 video games underneath him – and shall be eager to see an enchancment towards Lithuania.

completely different problem

Having confronted Belgium, albeit not with out its stars, the Republic faces very completely different prospects on Tuesday.

Lithuania is ranked 137th on this planet, 88 locations behind the host nation, and completed final within the World Cup qualifiers with simply three factors. However they’ll run out after their 2-1 win over San Marino on Friday evening.

the way to comply with

Watch the Republic of Eire and Lithuania match broadcast reside Sky Sports activities Area Tuesdays from 7.40pm; Kick-off 7.45pm. Highlights of the total match can even be posted on Sky Sports activities digital platforms and Sky Sports activities Soccer YouTube channel on the finish whistle.

Eight stats

The Republic of Eire had by no means misplaced of their earlier 4 matches towards Lithuania (W3 D1), and this was their first assembly since September 1997, as Eire received 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier.
Lithuania had by no means scored within the earlier two away video games towards the Republic of Eire (D1 L1), with their solely purpose in 4 video games towards the boys at Inexperienced being Thomas Siukas’ purpose of their 2-1 defeat in September 1997 in Vilnius.
The Republic of Eire have suffered only one defeat of their final 11 matches in all competitions (W4 D6), dropping to Portugal in September 2023. Certainly, the Inexperienced boys need to rating greater than two objectives in three consecutive video games for the primary time since then. October 2014 underneath the management of Martin O’Neill.
The Republic of Eire have averted defeat in 14 of their final 16 matches at Aviva Stadium in all competitions (W5 D9 L2), whereas unbeaten of their final seven dwelling friendlies (W5 D2).
After beating San Marino 2-1, Lithuania is seeking to win back-to-back wins in all competitions for the primary time since October 2020.
The Republic of Eire have scored 12 objectives of their final 5 matches (2.4 per sport), having scored simply 11 of their first 16 matches underneath Stephen Kenny (0.7 per sport).
11 of the Republic of Eire’s 14 objectives scored within the 2023-22 season got here from gamers taking part in of their Premier League soccer (excluding self-goals), with the opposite three objectives scored by Premier League defender Shane Duffy – each of which got here from Eire Towards Belgium by way of gamers based mostly within the English Premier League (Ogbene & Browne).
Chiedozie Ogbene has scored in three of his six main worldwide matches with the Republic of Eire. He has many objectives together with his nation this season as in 45 video games together with his membership Rotherham United in 2023-22 (three).

Eire vs Lithuania: The tide has turned for Kenya