Belgium 3 Republic of Ireland 0
If anyone wondered what gave the win over Germany last October its fairytale feel, they needed only to tune in on Saturday to see what usually happens when a team digs in for 90 minutes against significantly superior opponents. This is how that usually ends.
This is what happens to teams that give the ball away, let their defensive guard down and fail to properly cover their own attacks against an opposition of Belgium's quality. But first and foremost, it was a stark illustration of what comes to pass when Plan A goes wrong and Plan B (chase the game against a better team) has to be wheeled out. If October at the Aviva might be classed as an upset, Ireland needed a miracle in Bordeaux from the 48th minute when an attacking free kick quickly led to a defensive collapse as Kevin De Bruyne set up Romelu Lukaku for the first of two very well-taken goals.
Axel Witsel got his side’s other goal and on that occasion too there was much to criticise about Ireland’s defending; such was the pace and intensity of Belgium’s play that Irish heads seemed to be spinning at times.
Some of the stars of the Sweden game – Wes Hoolahan, Jeff Hendrick and Robbie Brady – found it far harder to make a positive impression. There were glimpses of the quality they possess and much to be admired in the tireless battling of a lonely Shane Long upfront but nothing to compare with the class and high-speed composure of a Belgium side that looked almost unrecognisable to the one that had lost so tamely to Italy, Ireland's opponents on Wednesday.
Hoolahan’s attempt to find Long with a curling angled ball towards the far side of the area– it was almost magnificent – provided hope after an opening spell in which the Irish were having to run very hard just to stand still.
But it must be said that his poor second touch not long after, when Hendrick was in a terrific position to his left just outside the box, was more typical of the Ireland performance. Possession was pounced upon and Belgium, as they did through the 90 minutes, moved the ball forward at speed and with some style.
Ireland, in the end, could not seriously trouble Thibaut Courtois even once and while Wilmots’ men, in the face of determined defending, actually did not create many clearcut chances, they didn’t really have to, given how superbly they converted their three best.
The substitutions made by O'Neill as he sought to spark some sort of fightback served only to highlight the utter lack of the depth to his squad and when Robbie Keane replaced Shane Long with 11 minutes left it presumably had more to do with giving the younger man a breather ahead of Wednesday than believing Ireland's record goalscorer might actually add to his tally.
In the end, the only straw that could be grasped at was the idea that Long should have had a penalty immediately before the first goal, in which case Ireland would have had something to defend.
It certainly looked a foul, although the offence – a high boot – is often overlooked by the referee when it happens inside the area.
But while we Irish might distract ourselves with debates about what might have been, no neutral would have left this game with the slightest notion that an injustice had been done.
Now Ireland simply must beat an Italian side already assured of top spot in Group E if they are to have any chance of progressing, a scenario Antonio Conte and his men should quite enjoy.
It is not beyond the realms of possibility. Let’s not forget last October. But an Irish victory, after this, has more than a slight ring of tall tale to it.
