Under-17 World Cup, Round of 16: Switzerland 3 (Llukes 57, Wyss 69, Mijajlovic 86) Republic of Ireland 1 (Leonard 82)
This time there would be no reward for an Irish team throwing everything at the cause in the final throes of a high-stakes game with it all on the line.
Just when Colin O’Brien’s young charges thought they might snatch a lifeline to at least force penalties for the second game running, Switzerland doubled-down on the ruthlessness they had shown throughout the second-half.
Vinnie Leonard’s scrambled goal with eight minutes remaining set up a grandstand finish in Qatar, or at least that’s what Ireland were banking on. Go big or go home, right? Well, they never got the chance to conjure the magic as the Swiss scored a third four minutes later.
It was swift and decisive action to end Ireland’s involvement at the Under-17 World Cup after a brilliant run to the last 16, where the young Boys in Green dared to dream of a quarter-final against Portugal, only to finally meet their match.
RM Block
Switzerland were familiar foes having played a pair of friendlies against Ireland in the build-up to this tournament, winning one of them 3-0 and drawing the other 1-1. So Ireland knew they were up against it.
But they will regret their often passive approach, never quite imposing themselves like they can, or being aggressive enough to pose questions of Switzerland who had it too easy in the second-half after the sides were scoreless at the break.
In a fifth game in 13 days for both sides, the first-half played out in a pedestrian manner, the teams sizing each other up without much by way of attacking intent.
Switzerland have scored freely so far in the tournament and went into this game with seven different scorers contributing 10 goals. Giacomo Koloto’s early attempt at an overhead kick suggested there was more where that came from.
In the end, he never did get on the scoresheet, but probably because he was too busy pulling the strings. Ireland, on the other hand, didn’t have that player. While Grady McDonnell had a fine tournament in that regard, Switzerland did a job on him here.
Ramon Martos saw a shot deflect over, McDonnell let fly from distance and Michael Noonan’s rising effort on the turn was the sum of Ireland’s best work in the opening half, but Switzerland were only warming up. Recharged, they soon pulled clear.
Substitute Sandro Wyss made the difference and he put Ireland on alert by cracking the post within minutes of his introduction before his side took a grip with the opening goal in the 57th minute. Jill Steil teed up Adrien Llukjes and his bending shot would have tested Alex Noonan, until it clipped Ryan Butler’s boot and deviated.
Before Ireland could conjure up a response, they were 2-0 down as Wyss took advantage of Ade Solanke’s weak clearance on the edge of the area before firing home with a lovely left-footed shot on the turn. Kian McMahon-Brown then cleared a Koloto shot off the line after a counter-attack at speed and Ireland were on the ropes.
At that point, it was hard to see any way back. But then, a lifeline. Switzerland failed to deal with an Irish corner and while Leonard’s first attempt on the line was saved, Butler teed him up again with a sweet back heel, the Dundalk defender turning the ball home at point-blank range.
But there would be no Budapest-esque scenes in Doha. While Hungary were flagging at the death in Sunday’s senior game, Switzerland were cruising here and Mladen Mijajlovic looped a third into the net with four minutes to go to end Ireland’s World Cup adventure.
Speaking after the defeat, manager O’Brien said: “It’s been an incredible season, but right now we are gutted as we totally believed we could keep it going.
“The Swiss started the second-half that bit better, but the boys showed great character to get a goal back and did everything they could but it wasn’t our night.”
He added: “When everything settles, what the players have done for the country is incredible. It’s been really positive and 16 of them came through our own systems. But if we want to continue to try to get to these competitions, there’s still a lot of work to do, believe me.
“To me, this is bigger than football. They have represented the flag with distinction. They have inspired a nation and are role models. A lot of younger people see images of Ireland that are not the Ireland I know, on TV sometimes. This is the Ireland I know.”
SWITZERLAND: Brogli; Correia, Sadika, Zufferey, Mambwa; Bruchez, Stiel (Sinani 90); Koloto, Mijajlovic (Barererwa 88), Llukes (Kaufmann 89); Scherrer (Wyss 45).
REP OF IRELAND: A Noonan; Butler, Leonard, Sherlock; Ozhianvuna, Martos (McMahon-Brown 60), Finneran, McDonnell (Lee 80), Solanke (Ogbonna 71); M Noonan, Umeh.
Referee: M Al Shammari (Qatar).
