'We can still make it,' says defiant Martin O'Neill

It was a defiant Martin O'Neill who spoke to the press after Tuesday’s disappointing 1-0 home loss to Serbia and stated that the Republic of Ireland can still make it to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

In a game where the Boys in Green were on top for most of the proceedings, a bolt-from-the-blue strike in the second half from Aleksandar Kolarov and some astute defending by the Serbs in the final stages of the game sent the team from the Balkans clear at the top of Group D by four points.

Ireland fall to third after Wales' win in Moldova, but O'Neill insists that qualification is still in his team's hands.

“We can win our last two games,” said O’Neill. “We can still make it. On the back of tonight's performance, I can see us winning our next two games.

“There are a lot of disappointed players in there, particularly after the performance. It's not just big words, it's how I feel. I thought the players were fantastic tonight. I thought they gave every ounce for the shirt tonight. It was a big big effort.

“Kolarov has scored a rocket of a goal, but to be honest I don't remember them threatening us three times in the game, and their captain said it was his toughest game at international level.”

Ireland did test Serbia and controlled the game for large periods, but the x-factor of having players playing in top leagues week in and week out ultimately helped the Balkan side, O'Neill believes.

“One of the distinguishing features about really really top class sides is the ability to play a pass under pressure and deal with it,” said O’Neill.

“These are very very important moments. If you told me we would limit them to as little over the course of the game as they did, I'd have settled for that. “But there's moments in the game where class players, players in the big leagues, can make the difference, and he [Kolarov] has done that.”

Several big chances came and went for Ireland in the closing stages, with James McClean, Conor Hourihane, and Cyrus Christie all going close.

Daryl Murhy drew a fantastic quick save out of the Serbian goalkeeper Stojkovic, while Wes Hoolahan and Shane Long both had glorious opportunities in the first half that they couldn't convert.

The lack of a clinical finisher shone through in this game, O'Neill lamented. “The Republic of Ireland have had that problem for forty odd years”, he said.

“These games are tight, and we have to be the side that scores the decisive goal. Unfortunately for my tenure here, I had an ageing Robbie Keane. “I really do wish, thinking about twenty seven year old Robbie Keane, he would have been in his element tonight.”

Ireland can still qualify but two wins from two are almost certainly required against Moldova and Wales, but the manager is comfortable in this situation.

“Obviously we have to beat Moldova, and we've lost James and Robbie, two big players for us”, he reflected. "But before a ball was kicked if you said we had to win the last two games, one at home and one in Cardiff, I'd have taken it.”