Ireland may yet lose out of top goalscoring prospect Tom Cannon, after the English FA took a keen interest, but Robbie Keane is still banging them in.
Keane was part of the World XI side, captained by Olympic legend Usain Bolt, that claimed the Soccer Aid honours, on Sunday at Old Trafford, for the fifth time in a row.
Playing with the likes of Francesco Totti, Hernan Crespo and Patrice Evra, in a side managed by Mauricio Pochettino, the World XI won 4-2 and a lot of that was down to Keane. Ireland's record goalscorer put his side back in the game with a sumptuous, curling effort after 64 minutes then showed his poacher's instincts to make it 3-2, six minutes later.
Keane's equaliser was worth of the fundraising occasion and the famous footballing venue. Showing all his old instincts and touch, he controlled the ball the curled an effort in off the post.
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Robbie Keane ran over to the sidelines and was engulfed in a hug by Line of Duty star Martin Compston, who was Pochettino's celebrity assistant for the game.
[caption id="attachment_288786" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Martin Compston celebrates with Robbie Keane after scoring the World XI's second goal during Soccer Aid for Unicef 2023, at Old Trafford. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)[/caption]
Robbie Keane settles it after goalkeeping howlers
Earlier in the Soccer Aid for UNICEF match, Sex Education star Asa Butterfield scored the most fortuitous of goals as his mis-hit shot wrong-footed the World XI goalkeeper and squirmed in. Paul Scholes then put England ahead with a nice strike but the goalkeeping was, once again, suspect.
Just as it looked as though England would finally break the World XI's Soccer Aid run, Robbie Keane stepped up and showed his class.
You can check out the game's six goals here, with Keane's first strike the pick of the bunch and some Francesco Totti majesty in there too:
Also assisting Mauricio Pochettino on the World XI side was Spice Girls star Mel C, while Stormzy and Harry Redknapp were on the England coaching set-up led by Emma Hayes.
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Martin Compston celebrates with Robbie Keane after scoring the World XI's second goal during Soccer Aid for Unicef 2023, at Old Trafford. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)[/caption]
