A RARITY for Ireland – a routine win.
Heimir Hallgrímsson’s Boys in Green beat Bulgaria in Plovdiv and will now take a 2-1 lead into Sunday’s Nations League promotion-relegation play-off second leg in Dublin.
Finn Azaz’s first international goal, and Matt Doherty’s third, ensured a victory after Marin Petkov had given Bulgaria an early lead.
But it was the manner of victory as much as the scoreline that was impressive.
Ireland travelled to Plovdiv under some pressure as relegation to League C would be a black mark against this team, and this management.
Yet against a lower ranked side, Ireland played and looked every inch what they are supposed to be – better than Bulgaria.
And even when things went wrong, they stayed cool and put them right.
Falling behind is not a good idea but the win over Finland in Helsinki last October was the first time in 11 years that Ireland won a competitive game where they trailed.
Now they have done it twice in five months.
Admittedly Finland – who have been relegated to League C – and Bulgaria, who are still in it, are no football superpowers.
But it showed a battle-harded, sometimes even cynical, side to Ireland that had been lacking quite some time.
Hallgrímsson has alluded a few times to his Boys in Green have been a bit, err, green, whether needing a “b*****d” for his team, or saying they need to get on referees’ cases.
But there were signs of it in Plovdiv.
Captain Nathan Collins was always in French referee Benoit Bastien’s ear, and Ireland’s players were certainly getting the decisions with players going to ground for any contact.
That was particularly noticeable in the second half when very little happened in either goalmouth and large chunks of the game ticked by waiting for Irish free kicks.
It may not have been pretty but it was effective. And it ensured that the nice football that got Ireland in front in the first half did not go to waste.
Even after the early, poor, concession of a goal to Marin Petkov, Ireland did not shirk the challenge and came out on top.
Hallgrímsson’s gameplan proved right as he sprung surprises as Ryan Manning went from being not in the squad on Sunday day to starting on Thursday, and attacked wide.
Azaz’s goal came from that route while it was right back Doherty breaking forward as ordered who scored the winner.
And it was all done on a bobbly pitch and after bad start as Bulgaria scored after just six minutes.
Marin Petkov’s effort was not a goal out of nothing as Bulgaria’s first attack cut open a very static Ireland backline.
Skipper Kiril Despodov started it with a flick in from the left wing for overlapping full back Fabian Nurnberg who passed it inside to Lukas Petkov on the edge D.
That got a roar out of Bulgarian support as he lined up a shot before teeing up Filip Kratsev, who also looked to have a shooting opportunity.
But he rolled the ball back to Marin Petkov who had run off Manning as he stepped inside and he took a pretty weak left-foot shot that went in off Caoimhín Kelleher’s left-hand post.
GOOD RESPONSE
That brought that familiar sinking feeling but Hallgrímsson’s Ireland have proven – against weaker teams anyway – that they are made of sterner stuff.
There were still moments of concern such as when Kelleher had to save from Despodov on 14 minutes but the Boys in Green were clearly the better team.
Every Azaz touch seemed to be positive while Manning and Robbie Brady were combining well on the left as Bulgaria were regularly forced back into their own half.
Troy Parrott’s smart runs were also keeping the hosts guessing as, time and again, he stretched them.
And the equaliser on 21 minutes involved all four men.
Matt Doherty took a quick free kick on halfway and pinged it out to the unmarked Robbie Brady on the left who delivered a peach of a cross to the far post.
And there was the unmarked Parrott who smartly headed back across goal where Azaz timed his run to perfection to head into the vacant net.
Ireland kept looking for goals and Parrott came close to scoring himself with a shot across goal after a quick free kick from Brady after a half hour.
Still Bulgaria did look dangerous when they attacked or when Ireland overplayed at the back.
Nathan Collins gifted them a great chance when he tried to pass the ball out of a packed area only for it to be intercepted by Anton Nedyalkov whose shot was saved by Kelleher
But moments after Collins’ potentially costly brainfart, the Boys in Green went in front on 42 minutes through an unlikely source.
MATT FINISH
Doherty ghosted – literally, Bulgaria must not have seen him as they failed to track his run – his way into the area and was picked out by Josh Cullen’s clipped ball forward.
Bulgarian goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov must also not have seen Doherty as he came haring off his line when Doherty was always going to beat him to it.
Had the goalkeeper stayed on his line, Doherty’s header would have been easily saved but instead he glanced the ball into the empty net from 18-yards out.
Mitov also got a bang on the head by accident as he also collided with Doherty that forced Bulgaria to change goalkeepers at half-time.
But changing ends did not switch the momentum of the game and Bulgaria were soon losing their discipline.
Andrian Kraev and Atansov were both booked for giving away free kicks to stop Ireland’s quick transitions with the disappointment that Brady’s dead ball deliveries were not better.
But it was all going to plan for Ireland who Bulgaria offering very little.
It could have been easier for Ireland had Doherty’s cut back from a Brady corner that ricocheted around the area ended up in the net.
And it meant an injury time scare when Despodov found space on the left only to skew his shot well wide.
It summed up Bulgaria’s night – and Ireland’s.
