Full 90 for Irish duo against Italy

, 31 May, 0comments  |  Jump to most recent

Seamus Coleman and Aiden McGeady both played the entire 90 minutes as the Republic of Ireland frustrated World Cup-bound Italy in a goalless friendly at Fulham's Craven Cottage this evening.

With better finishing from both sides — but the Irish in particular — there might well have been a winner in the second half but Shane Long fired straight at Sirigu in Italy's goal seconds after he had failed to put McGeady clean through on goal with a blocked pass.

At the other end, Coleman made a couple of outstanding interceptions to keep the Italians at bay as they struggled to impress with England boss Roy Hodgson watching his side's first World Cup opponents from the stands.

Substitute Stephen Quinn came closest to breaking the deadlock when he smashed a shot off the crossbar and McGeady's low shot off the rebound was parried on the line by Sirigu.

The game was overshadowed by a serious injury to Riccardo Montolivo, however. The AC Milan midfielder's hopes of making the trip to Brazil with Italy were ended when he fractured his tibia from a late tackle by Alex Pearce in the first half.

Two more players who could also be out of the World Cup are Ecuador's ex-Everton midfielder Segundo Castillo and Mexico's Luis Montes both of whom suffered nasty injuries in a full-blooded collision that left the former with suspected ligament damage and the latter with a broken leg.

 



About these ads

© ToffeeWeb