REPORT: Rep of Ireland 3-0 Sweden

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Steve Staunton started his reign in charge of the Republic with an impressive victory in Wednesday night's friendly at Lansdowne Road.
Chelsea winger Damien Duff opened the scoring when his deflected shot found the bottom corner after 36 minutes.

New captain Robbie Keane doubled the lead two minutes after the break with a powerful 16-yard volley.

Substitute Liam Miller added the third on 71 minutes with a superb run and shot past keeper Andreas Isaksson.

The Republic made a bright start but Sweden, who will face England in the World Cup in June, threatened first after eight minutes.

Irish keeper Shay Given beat Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a race for the ball to deny the Juventus striker a clear strike on goal.

The home side went close two minutes later when Isaksson's punched clearance from Duff's cross rebounded off Stephen Elliott with the ball drifting wide.

Man-of-the-match Duff was the creator again on 12 minutes with his cross headed into the side-netting by debutant Kevin Doyle.

Henrik Larsson was played in by a superb pass from Ibrahimovic after 25 minutes but the Barcelona frontman volleyed over from close range.

Keane volleyed wide before Duff broke the deadlock, cutting inside Alexander Ostlund and hitting a low drive which deflected off Olof Mellberg before finding the bottom corner.

Tottenham forward Keane wasted a good opening five minutes before the break but it was an encouraging first half for the new boss.

Keane made amends for his miss by scoring two minutes into the second half with a low volley from Ian Harte's headed throughball.

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Staunton brought on Wayne Henderson and Stephen Ireland for their debuts and both were involved within minutes of their introduction.

Ireland scuffed a shot wide from 12 yards before Henderson saved from a weak Larsson effort after a slip from Joey O'Brien.

Manchester United midfielder Miller, currently on loan with Leeds United, made it 3-0 after 71 minutes with a superb 25-yard shot which flew past Isaksson and high into the net.

The match was over as a contest and the tempo dropped as the Republic cruised to an easy victory.



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Rep of Ireland: Given (Henderson 48), Joey O'Brien (Miller 61), Andrew O'Brien, Dunne, Harte (Kilbane 61), Elliott (Kavanagh 48), Steven Reid, O'Shea (Ireland 48), Duff, Keane, Doyle (Morrison 68).
Subs Not Used: Breen, Douglas, Kelly, Lawrence.

Booked: Steven Reid.

Goals: Duff 35, Keane 47, Miller 70.

Sweden: Isaksson, Ostlund (Christoffer Andersson 74), Mellberg, Hansson, Edman, Linderoth (Daniel Andersson 69), Elmander (Jonson 60), Kallstrom (Svensson 60), Wilhelmsson, Ibrahimovic (Rosenberg 37), Larsson (Allback 78).
Subs Not Used: Gustafsson, Dorsin, Lucic, Alexandersson.

Booked: Ostlund, Christoffer Andersson.

Att: 34,000

Ref: Damien Ledentu (France).

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Three goals, four impressive debutants and a convincing victory over one of this summer’s World Cup finalists. Did anyone have a below-par night on the occasion of Steve Staunton’s first game in charge? Read on for the eleven-a-side.com player ratings.


Shay Given: Forty-nine minutes on the field, Given struggled with the surface, scuffing a couple of kicks, and was caught on his heels for one through-ball towards Ibrahimovic. 6

Joey O’Brien: One second half slip gifted a chance to Larsson, but coped well on his debut, getting forward to tee up Robbie Keane for one good first half chance. 6

Ian Harte: Combined well on the left with the marauding Duff. Dead-balls always posed a hint of threat. 6

Richard Dunne: Commanded the back four in the first game since the retirement of former skipper Kenny Cunningham. Was a realistic candidate for the captaincy, and on this evidence is a real leader. 8

Andy O’Brien: A couple of shaky early moments, and his task, like Dunne’s, was made easier after the departure of Ibrahimovic. Grew into the game but there could still be a position up for grabs in the centre of defence. 5

John O’Shea: On the whole, has performed more than adequately in central midfield for his club, and it was more of the same here, where his partnership with Reid looks full of promise. 7

Steven Reid: Put in some crunching tackles and plenty of hard yards. Perhaps fortunate to stay on the field, committing a couple of fouls after his first half booking. Ended the game at right back. 7

Damien Duff: Overlooked or out injured at Chelsea for much of the season, Duff was uniformly excellent in his favoured wide left position. Against an average right back in Southampton’s Ostlund, Duff took full advantage, twisting his opponent into knots. Scored a goal and created several other chances. Breathless by the end. Like his markers. 9

Stephen Elliott: Worked hard in tandem with Doyle in covering the right flank. Struggled to find his way into any scoring positions, but on his second game back after a three-month lay-off this was a more than adequate work-out. 6

Robbie Keane: Marked his first game as captain with a trademark goal. Looks as lively as he has ever been, testament to arguably his best season yet at THFC, and looks as if he’ll thrive in the armband. 8

Kevin Doyle: One of four debutants on the night, Doyle will have enjoyed his first senior appearance. Apart from one early header into the side-netting, had few real chances to mark his debut with a goal, but he looks to be ahead of Clinton Morrison at present. 6

Subs:

Wayne Henderson: Showed safe hands on his debut and his remarkable save from Larsson will go into the family scrap-book. 7

Graham Kavanagh: Replaced O’Shea in central midfield. Passing wasn’t as crisp as it may have been, and could struggle to find a starting place under Staunton, but will nevertheless remain a valued squad member. 6

Stephen Ireland: Arguably the best of the four debutants, combined superb touch with movement and almost fired a goal with his first touch in senior international football. Still just 19, he is one for the present as much as the future. 8

Liam Miller: Tremendous goal at one end, goal-line clearance at the other. Looks to have benefited from his move to Leeds, and it is to be hoped that he can make the switch permanent, as he does not look to be in the plans of Sir Alex Ferguson. 7

Kevin Kilbane: Left wing under Mick McCarthy, central midfield under Kerr, Kilbane was reduced to a sub appearance at left back in Staunton’s first game. Looks to face a battle to re-establish himself. 6

Clinton Morrison: Had few chances to find the net in his 22 minutes on the field, and, like Kilbane, will need to hit top form to force his way back. 6

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New Republic of Ireland boss Steve Staunton was keeping his feet firmly on the ground after a dream start to his managerial career against Sweden on Wednesday night.

Goals from Damien Duff, new captain Robbie Keane and Liam Miller fired the boys in green to a tremendous victory.

Stan said: “It was a bit of a fairytale, but I am not kidding myself because I know we’re going to face hard times. The players have now set high standards, but hopefully we can go on from here. It’s looking good.

“They played with passion and commitment. Their attitude was superb, and they gave the supporters something to cheer about, which is what I asked of them, and what I got.

“It’s better than what I expected. The players gave me what they had been doing in training over the last few days - and a bit more.

“After this performance, the sad thing is we haven’t qualified for the World Cup. We know Sweden are a good side, but we made them look poor, although I am sure they will be a lot better than this at the World Cup.”