Ten-man Rep of Ireland slip against Swiss

Republic of Ireland missed the chance to qualify for Euro 2020 on Tuesday

The Republic of Ireland missed the chance to qualify for Euro 2020 on Tuesday as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat against Switzerland and had Seamus Coleman sent off.

Switzerland capitalised on a good start in the 16th minute as Haris Seferovic swept home, giving the Republic of Ireland – who could have qualified with a victory – a mountain to climb.

Despite an improved second-half showing, the Republic of Ireland were dealt another blow as Coleman was sent off in the 75th minute for a second yellow card after he was deemed to have handled a Breel Embolo shot inside the area. Ricardo Rodriguez stepped up, but saw his penalty well saved by Darren Randolph.

Things went from bad to worse for Mick McCarthy’s side in the final minute as Shane Duffy (90+3) inadvertently turned home an Edimilson Fernandes shot via the bar.

The Republic of Ireland will now need to beat second-place Denmark at the Aviva Stadium on November 18 to qualify but will be without Coleman and Duffy through suspension. Switzerland, third in Group D with 11 points, have a game in hand and are now in pole position to top the group.

How the Republic of Ireland struggled in Geneva

The pitch, which had passed an inspection around two hours before kick-off after torrential rain throughout the day, proved sticky as they sides set about their business, but the Swiss made the better start with Granit Xhaka forcing a seventh-minute save from Randolph after taking aim from distance.

Switzerland took advantage of their good start after 16 minutes when Seferovic latched on to a half-clearance, took a touch and then fired across Randolph and inside the far post to open the scoring.

Eight minutes before the break, Newcastle defender Fabian Schar – who scored his side’s goal in last month’s 1-1 draw in Dublin – curled a long-range left-foot shot just wide with Randolph struggling to make his ground.

Having conducted a series of first-half reshuffles, McCarthy opted for change at the break when he replaced James Collins with Callum O’Dowda and switched to 4-3-3, but it took a fine reaction save by Randolph to keep out Seferovic’s flicked header from Ricardo Rodriguez’s in-swinging 52nd-minute free-kick.

The Republic of Ireland belatedly flexed their muscles as they saw ambitious penalty appeals for Schar’s challenge on Aaron Connolly waved away before John Egan drilled a long-range shot wide, but Randolph needed the help of his far post to keep out Schar’s 62nd-minute header.

With 15 minutes remaining, Coleman was adjudged to have blocked Breel Embolo’s shot with his arm inside the penalty area and was given a second yellow card having already been booked following a first-half pushing match with Xhaka.

Randolph got down superbly to turn Rodriguez’s spot-kick on to the post to keep Ireland’s faint hopes alive, but there was nothing Duffy could do to keep out substitute Edimilson Fernandes’ goal-bound effort with the final kick of the game.

Haris Seferovic gave Switzerland the lead over Republic of Ireland

Opta stats

• Republic of Ireland have suffered their first defeat under Mick McCarthy since he returned as boss last year, and for the first time under him since they also lost to Switzerland during his final game in charge of his first stint as manager in October 2002.
• After scoring 12 consecutive penalties for club and country between 2014 and 2018, Switzerland’s Ricardo Rodriguez has now missed two of his last five such spot-kicks (one for AC Milan and one tonight).
• Republic of Ireland have failed to score in back-to-back competitive matches under Mick McCarthy for the very first time, having never done so during his first reign as manager between 1996 and 2002.

What’s next?

Switzerland will play the bottom two sides in Group D during the next international break, hosting Georgia before travelling to Gibraltar. For the Republic of Ireland, they will play a friendly against New Zealand on Thursday, November 14 before their huge European Qualifier against Denmark on Monday 18 November, live on Sky Sports.

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