This will take some getting over.
Much like Ireland, Bosnia looked dead in the water midway through their Euro 2016 Qualifiers.
The Dragons brought in a new manager, however, and regrouped. They ended the qualifiers as Europe’s in-form team, with a great record at home.
Ireland were rightly considered underdogs going into their two-legged playoff but Martin O’Neill’s men negotiated close calls, thick fog and Edin Dzeko before winning 3-1 on aggregate.
Bosnian goalkeeper Asmir Begovic may not have endeared himself to Irish fans during the second leg – he was in the referee’s ear a bit too much – but he graciously accepted defeat.
Begovic, who is enduring a tough start to life at Chelsea, was consoled after the match by Irish forward Jon Walters, his former Stoke team-mate.
Late last night, the 28-year-old took to Facebook and Twitter to wish Ireland well in next summer’s tournament. He wrote:
“Tough and sleepless night behind all of us. We expected much more out of this play-off, but we were far from our best last night and Ireland deserved this win. Congratulations and good luck in France.”
His Twitter message was more of the same.
Tough night behind all of us. We expected much more, but we were far from our best last night and Ireland deserved this win.Congratulations!
— Asmir Begovic (@asmir1) November 17, 2015
Meanwhile, Bosnia-Herzegovina midfielder Haris Medunjanin was not as willing to let the ghost of his side’s 2-0 defeat go.
Medunjanin was not pleased at the soft concession of a first half penalty, which Walters converted. “We had a good chance,” he said, “but we have not achieved our goal. It was not a penalty kick. It should not have been given.”
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