Benjamin Pavard’s brilliant goal led World Cup finalists France to a narrow victory in Euro 2024 qualifiers in Dublin when the Republic of Ireland had to pay for a fatal error.
Pavard’s 50th-minute contribution, which came after intercepting Josh Cullen’s ill-advised pass over the edge of his own box, secured a 1-0 Group B win after Friday’s 4-0 win over the Netherlands.
However, it took a brilliant save from Mike Maignan in the 90th minute to deny Nathan Collins a last-minute equalizer in a stands finish.
Two years after the humiliation of a 1-0 qualifying defeat by Luxembourg at the Aviva stadium, the world-ranked third-placed Irish team, 48th in the FIFA table, have been desperate for points.
France dominated for most of the game but were unable to harass goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu until Cullen’s rare slip let Pavard in goal while Stephen Kenny’s men, who treated superstar Kylian Mbappe well, defended diligently and tried to score her at the break.
Ireland’s fate in this campaign would likely never be decided on their results against France and their trip to Greece in June before Gibraltar departs for the Aviva will be far more telling, but Kenny will feel heartened by the way he is doing his young team committed to his game plan in the face of the most rigorous trials.
With wingers Chiedozie Ogbene and Jason Knight coming on without possession, the home side were solid, although they were broken through after nine minutes when Randal Kolo Muani was brought in over the top and rounded Bazunu just for his back. Heel pass to Olivier Giroud as he was driven wide to be cut out by Collins.
The Republic came under increasing pressure as France turned the tide with Antoine Griezmann in the lead and it took John Egan a good 16th minute to keep Mbappe at bay.
With the small share of the ball they were allowed Ireland did their best to comply with Kenny’s orders to take risks without ever really threatening to pierce the French defense but they needed Bazunu to leap out of his line, to prevent damage after Griezmann’s 24th-minute corner had rebounded over his six-yard box.
The story goes on
Griezmann instinctively stabbed wide as he tried to turn Theo Hernandez’s drive past Bazunu in the 32nd minute and then went wide with a header from Pavard’s cross as the French’s frustration grew.
Indeed, a team who had scored three goals in the first 21 minutes against the Dutch left the pitch in a stalemate at half-time after failing to break a stubborn and disciplined Irish rearguard.
However, the home side failed within five minutes of the restart and gave the visitors the lead.
Benjamin Pavard, not pictured, scored for France (Niall Carson/PA)
Cullen intercepted Adrien Rabiot’s miss on the edge of his own box but then played the ball into the square where Pavard launched himself before smashing a shot past the helpless Bazunu off the underside of the bar.
It could have been 2-0 if Evan Ferguson in the back wall hadn’t headed Griezmann’s free-kick in the 55th minute, although the Atletico Madrid star appeared on the edge of his box to block Knight’s shot on target after Ogbene’s three Minutes later clearly to the right.
Moussa Diaby tested Bazunu’s resolve with a 69th-minute curl and the Southampton custodian blocked Rabiot’s attempt from distance six minutes later, but Molumby and substitutes James McClean and Alan Browne all came close to equalizing in a tense finish.
Had it not been for Maignan, who had clawed the ball from under his crossbar seconds earlier, Collins would have scored a famous draw in the death.
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