Republic of Ireland Prepares for World Cup Qualifier Against Armenia

Republic of Ireland Prepares for World Cup Qualifier Against Armenia

Republic of Ireland Prepares for World Cup Qualifier Against Armenia

World Cup Qualifying Group F: Armenia vs. Republic of Ireland

Venue: Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium Date: Tuesday, 9 September Kick-off: 17:00 BST

Coverage: Live text commentary and report available on the BBC Sport website and app.

Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson emphasized the need for his team to perform at their best from the outset in Tuesday's World Cup Group F qualifier against Armenia in Yerevan.

The Irish team managed to recover from a challenging start in their opening qualifying match against Hungary, where they conceded two goals within the first 15 minutes, ultimately securing a 2-2 draw.

Under Hallgrimsson's guidance, the Republic has struggled defensively, conceding the first goal in eight of his nine competitive matches, with four of those instances occurring within the opening 20 minutes, including matches against Hungary, England, Finland, and Bulgaria.

Tuesday's match is expected to be played in sweltering temperatures exceeding 30°C. Hallgrimsson noted, "Obviously, they will have more power at the beginning, I would guess, with an extra day to recover compared to us traveling. We've conceded early goals in three recent games, and they likely fancy their chances early on, so we must be prepared from kick-off."

In their previous encounter, Hungary took an early lead with goals from Barnabas Varga and Roland Sallai, but the Irish managed to equalize thanks to Evan Ferguson and a late goal from Adam Idah after Sallai was sent off. Hallgrimsson praised his team's resilience, stating, "It was a really good effort, showing great character. That's what we want to carry into this match. It's about perspective: is the glass half-empty or half-full? We will address areas for improvement, but I believe we controlled the game after the 30th minute. If we can maintain that level of play, I would be satisfied."

The Republic of Ireland has faced Armenia four times previously, with each match decided by a single goal. The Irish won both encounters during their Euro 2012 qualification campaign but suffered a 1-0 defeat in Yerevan during their last visit in June 2022. They required a late penalty from Robbie Brady to secure a 3-2 victory in the return Nations League fixture after falling behind 2-0.

Currently ranked 105th in the world, Armenia suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat to Portugal in their opening match, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice. Hallgrimsson acknowledged Armenia's strengths, stating, "They are a fast counter-attacking team, and their biggest strength lies in transition. We need to replicate our defensive performance from the second half against Hungary, minimizing spaces when they regain possession and aiming to recover the ball swiftly."

Midfielder Josh Cullen, one of four players in the current squad who experienced the loss in Yerevan three years ago, reflected on that defeat, saying, "It hurt at the time, and losing any match for your country is painful. However, we are in a new era with a fresh mindset as a team, and we are eager to build on what the manager described as a positive second half against Hungary. The group is experienced enough to understand that no match at this level can be taken lightly, and we must be fully focused and ready to compete."

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