Stephen Kenny’s “radical shift” is ongoing. Never underestimate what two young strikers, living off the same scraps, can offer an embattled manager of a stalled football nation like Ireland.
Michael Obafemi and Troy Parrott turned running water into wine at the Aviva stadium to spark a raucous Saturday night in Dublin.
Victory over a stunned, full strength Scotland ended a growing list of depressing statistics - zero wins in the Nations League being top of the pile - with the wave of goals coming when least expected.
“Troy passed me the ball, half turn, and I just licked it,” said Obafemi of his first international goal, “and it went in.”
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[ Michael Obafemi’s screamer caps memorable first Nations League win for IrelandOpens in new window ]
Despite carrying a groin problem all week, the Dubliner had a feeling the goal would come but nobody foresaw his spectacular strike six minutes after half-time.
“I knew it to be fair, I’ll be so real. It has been a long time coming. I haven’t been the squad for, what, three and a half, nearly four years. Just happy that I can be here for the team.”
The slight gap from his teenage debut against Denmark in 2018 to a first start was, according to Kenny, due to hamstring trouble and inactivity at Southampton, with Obafemi revealing that manager and striker are on the same page now.
“Obviously there were discussions between me and Kenny, but yeah I am here now, and here to stay. So, just happy.”
The arrival of these centre forwards opens a decade of possibilities. Obafemi glided a sumptuous ball for Parrott’s angled run and headed finish to make it 2-0 on 28 minutes while Parrott returned the favour with an early touch for Obafemi’s swerving finish to put the result beyond Scotland’s reach.
Both goals were so ruthless in their execution that the 46,947 Aviva crowd had to rub its eyes before an outpouring of joy and relief that Irish souls had been storing up for too long.
Others contributed handsomely. Alan Browne’s out of position shift at wing back and James McClean confiscating corner kicks from Josh Cullen, both improved the team’s potency.
After bumping in the opening goal, Browne took to the task of herding Scotland captain Andy Roberston into anonymity.
Mercifully, Shane Duffy is done for the summer after another yellow card; the Derry man proved as dangerous up front as he was a liability passing out of defence.
Ireland’s first half goals could easily have belonged to Scottish midfielder John McGinn. But Kenny’s team finally caught a break.
Scotland copied Ukraine by pressing three attackers up on Duffy, John Egan and Nathan Collins as all three were put under enough pressure to spray early passes over the sideline.
Twice Duffy gifted McGinn clean looks at Caoimhín Kelleher’s goal. Let off the hook, McClean pressed up the left wing before turning onto his right foot for a cross that Scott McKenna just nodded away from the waiting Obafemi. McClean’s in-swinging corner found Duffy at the back post and the downward header hit Browne’s midriff before rolling in.
Obafemi and Parrott combined wonderfully for the second goal, but McGinn really should have equalised as, again, Duffy failed to find an Irish player when passing out of the box. Luckily, the Aston Villa man missed the target.
Before the Scottish defence could settle Obafemi’s wedge lob found Parrott’s forehead in stride.
The pair looked at each and shrugged. No bother.
Duffy was unlucky not to make it 3-0 when McClean’s latest corner found his giant neighbour only for Craig Gordon to acrobatically tip over.
Scotland manager Steve Clarke reacted at half-time by introducing the prodigious Billy Gilmour but these were Obafemi’s headlines to write. In a constant war for the 50-50 ball, Jayson Molumby’s studs touched possession towards Parrott who quickly squared for Obafemi on the edge of the Scottish box. The Swansea City striker let the ball run across him a before launching a lethal shot that will rank among the great goals scored into the old south terrace. Not quite Brady against Brazil or McAteer downing the Dutch, but in the conversation.
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“It was written,” smiled Obafemi, “it was written in the script.”
Spoken like a divine athlete ready to entertain via the medium of goals and none too shabby assists.
“I felt like people are overlooking the assist and just talking about the goal,” went Obafemi deadpan. “Me and Troy have a good understanding of each other, I saw his run and put it right on a plate for him.”
A star is born but the atmosphere spinning around the Aviva was temporarily calmed by Obafemi being forced off.
Players are dropping like flies now but at least the value of McClean, at 33, continues to soar. The Wigan Athletic winger whipped a cross for Scott Hogan to seemingly score the fourth but VAR disagreed.
Three-nil would have to suffice.
“Our scope for improvement is high,” said Kenny.
The trek to Lodz, Poland to face Ukraine no longer seems so grim.
