- Alan Finn
- Mon, Sep 09 2013
The Republic of Ireland Under-21s suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Germany in their second 2015 UEFA Euro Under-21 Championship Qualification group.
Noel King’s side had started brightly, but it didn’t take the visitors long before they showed their prowess on front of goal through Moritz Lietner and a Kevin Volland brace inside the first 25 minutes. Phillip Hofmann rounded off the scoring with six minutes to go.
Germany took the lead after 12 minutes against the run of play through Moritz Lietner who picked up the ball on the edge of the box and rifled a shot beyond the reach of Aaron McCarey to break the deadlock.
Aiden O’Brien came agonisingly close to finding an immediate equaliser when he met an Anthony Forde corner but could not direct his header on target.
Noel King’s side had another guilt-edged opportunity five minutes later when Sean Murray dwelled too long on the ball in the box, allowing Marc Andre ter Stegen to easily close down his shot. The loose ball then came to Samir Carruthers who couldn’t keep it down.
Ireland were made to rue that missed opportunity just two minutes later as the visitors doubled their lead in bizarre fashion when Anthony O’Connor’s scuffed clearance went straight over the head of McCarey, allowing Kevin Volland to run onto it and head home into an open net.
Things went from bad to worse just two minutes later as Volland struck again, this time rising unchallenged in the box to connect with an Armin Younes cross and head it past McCarey, giving his side a 3-0 lead inside the opening 25 minutes.
Horst Hrubesch could have seen his side enter the half-time break with a 4-0 lead when Eric Durm found himself in space on the right wing but could only find the side netting.
Irish substitute Connor Smith fashioned the home side’s first chance of the second half from distance with a sweetly struck effort from distance but ter Stegen was equal to it.
Ireland were forced to play the remaining half hour with ten men as Samir Carruthers received a second yellow card for his rash tackle on Leonardo Bittencourt.
O’Brien should have pulled a goal back for his side with ten minutes to go when Sean Murray won the ball on the edge of the box and squared it to him, but he could only shoot straight at ter Stegen.
With six minutes remaining, Phillip Hofmann made it 4-0 when he latched onto a cross with a dip of the shoulder and turning to drive a low shot past McCarey.
Smith attempted to beat ter Stegen again from distance with another well struck effort, but he too like O’Brien could not guide his shot away from the German goalkeeper.
Republic of Ireland: Aaron McCarey; Michael Harriman, Shane Duffy, Anthony O’Connor, Sean McGinty; Matt Doherty, Samir Carruthers, Anthony Forde (Connor Smith, 46), Sean Murray, Callum Reilly (Jack Grealish, 78); Aiden O’Brien (Graham Burke, 82).
Subs not used: Sean McDermott, Charles, Dunne, Joe Shaughnessy, Barry McNamee.
Germany: Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Eric Durm, Antonio Rudiger, Shokdran Mustafi, Michael Vitzthum; Leon Goretzka, Armin Younes (Phillip Hofmann, 66), Moritz Lietner (Robin Knoche, 74), Jonas Hofmann (Leonardo Bittnecourt, 46), Nico Schulz; Kevin Volland.
Subs not used: Bernd Leno, Danny Viera Da Costa, Ozkan Yildirim.
Referee: Domagoj Vuckov (Croatia).
Attendance: N/A.
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Leon Goretzka (Germany).
