Republic of Ireland Prepares for World Cup Qualifier Against Hungary
Republic of Ireland Prepares for World Cup Qualifier Against Hungary
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin Date: Saturday, 6 September Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Coverage: Follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.
Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson emphasized the importance of a strong start in the team's World Cup qualifying campaign, describing it as a "sprint." The Irish squad will face Hungary in their opening match at the Aviva Stadium, with Portugal and Armenia also in Group F.
Hallgrimsson believes that a victory over Hungary could serve as a catalyst for success in a tightly packed schedule, as all six group games will occur within the next three months. He stated, "This game is hugely important for the rest of the campaign given the nature of it, only six games in 70 days, and it is going to be a sprint, so it is always nice in a sprint to be in the lead and not be chasing."
He added, "Everyone expects Portugal to be first, and there’s a small gap between Hungary and us in the FIFA world rankings. They are higher than us, and you would expect it to be between us, but there are going to be dropped points in other places."
Building Momentum
Hallgrimsson is on a mission to guide the Republic of Ireland to their first World Cup appearance since 2002. After a challenging start to his tenure, the team has gained momentum with back-to-back victories against Bulgaria in a Nations League play-off in March and a draw with Senegal in June, boosting morale within the squad.
The manager noted that the players' confidence is growing, positioning them for a serious attempt at qualifying for their first major tournament since the 2016 Euros. "The energy is coming; more and more leaders are emerging, and that has been down to consistent messages to the players. It looks like the players are taller today than when I came a year ago. I feel the energy more now than I did a year ago," he remarked.
He expressed confidence in his team, stating, "I think we have a strong team; we are all in sync, and tactically we have been improving every camp. It is a young squad that has not had many wins in the past, but I think they can feel we are getting stronger every camp, and I feel the same. The quality in this team is greater than I had with Iceland. There is more individual quality in this team."