Ireland 0 Denmark 0.
It was better than the 5-1 last November, from an Irish point of view, but the Republic of Ireland’s Uefa Nations League game against Denmark was extremely dull.
The goalless draw featured Cyrus Christie in midfield and there were very few moments of quality from either team.
Here’s how we rated the Ireland players:
Darren Randolph – 7
The Middlesbrough goalkeeper has kept eight clean sheets already this season in the Championship. It has been a different story for Ireland though. In his last two competitive matches, Randolph has conceded nine goals.
He kept a clean sheet against Denmark tonight, making some smart saves near the end. A calm presence behind Ireland’s defence.
Richard Keogh – 6
Captain for the night, Keogh made his first competitive start for Ireland since March 2017. He helped Ireland keep Denmark’s front-two quiet.
Shane Duffy – 6
The Brighton defender earned his 22nd Ireland cap against Denmark. He opened the scoring against the Danes last November and had a chance to do likewise on Saturday night, heading wide from Jeff Hendrick’s lofted cross into the penalty area.
Defensively, Duffy largely coped well with the threat of the Danish front two of Kasper Dolberg and Yussuf Poulsen. Ireland as a team looked a lot more solid with a back-three.
Kevin Long – 7
Long started on the left side of a back-three for Ireland in matches against the United States and Poland. On both occasions, he had to check back inside onto his stronger right foot before making a pass. The same occurred against Denmark.
However, he still coped quite well. He was defensively sound and made some timely tackles. Ireland’s best player on the night.
Matt Doherty – 6.5
Finally given a competitive start, the Wolves wing-back started on the right and was somewhat isolated in the first half. The majority of Ireland’s play in the opening period came down their left-hand side.
However, he was tidy in possession and defensively solid – bar one slip near the end of the first-half when defending a cross into the box. On the rare occasions that Ireland had the ball in the second half, Doherty picked up good positions but was rarely found, with the team choosing to hoof it long.
Cyrus Christie – 4
Christie got the nod to start in midfield. Yes, a full-back started in central midfield, a decision perhaps only Martin O’Neill can explain.
Unsurprisingly, Christie looked lost, as though he was as confused as the rest of us by the decision to start him there. He’s definitely not a central midfielder and he’s not exactly a world-beater in his natural position either.
He was eager and ran around a lot, and had a decent effort in the second half. But, for most of the game, he couldn’t get near the opposition midfield. A better team might have taken advantage of Ireland’s peculiar selection, but Denmark were limited without Christian Eriksen.
Harry Arter – 7
Arter returned to the team after asking to be omitted from the squad last month. Anchoring the midfield, he was aggressive in his challenges and read the game well.
His task was made more difficult by having a winger and a full-back alongside him in midfield. But Arter can be happy with his performance on his return to the team. He was the best of Ireland’s midfield – which isn’t a surprise given he was the only natural midfielder in there. For some reason, he was taken off with 25 minutes to play.
James McClean – 5
He started the match as a wing-back, and McClean was extremely aggressive in his challenges in the opening minutes. He wasn’t quite as productive in possession, playing a couple of aimless balls towards Shane Long. In the second half, he moved into midfield and was unable to really get close the Danes. He arguably would have been better used as a forward next to Long.
Callum O’Dowda – 5
On his 13th appearance for Ireland, the winger started in central midfield. And at times he looked lost, like a winger playing in central midfield. O’Dowda was aggressive in his challenges and generally neat when in possession, but wasn’t very incisive with his passes. Replaced at half-time by Enda Stevens.
Jeff Hendrick – 5
Playing off Long and ahead of the midfield, Hendrick broke forward but missed a sitter early in the first-half when the Danes thought play had stopped.
The Burnley midfielder was clear through on goal, with Shane Long up alongside him, but somehow managed to miss, hitting his effort wide. He was rarely involved after that and dropped back into midfield when Arter was substituted.
Shane Long – 6
Before the match against Denmark, Long hadn’t scored since April for his club and since October 2016 for Ireland. The wait for a goal goes on.
He didn’t come close to finding the net against Denmark, but worked hard. He won his fair share of aerial challenges against the Danish central defenders and earned some free-kicks for his team.
Substitutes:
Enda Stevens – 6.5
Replaced O’Dowda for the second half, Stevens was a little loose with his passing at first, but grew into the game and helped set up Ireland’s best chance of the second half, crossing for Cyrus Christie, who had his shot from outside the box saved. He was also solid defensively.
Callum Robinson – 7
Robinson came on for the final 25 minutes and played quite well. He was neat in possession and dropped deep to help create Ireland’s only productive passages of play in the second half.
Aiden O’Brien – N/A
Not on long enough to rate.
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