Armenia stun Ireland as Kenny’s men crash in Nations league

Republic of Ireland got a shocker in the ongoing Nations League with a lone goal defeat from Armenia on Saturday.Stephen Kenny’s men put up what was described as shallow display in in Yerevan. Armenia looking like the side more likely to score until they finally did so on 75 minutes, with a fine strike from distance from their Russian-based attacker Eduard Spertsyan. Ireland had six Premier League players in the starting XI but unknowns like Tigran Barseghyan and Hovhannes Hambartsumyan looked far superior.

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Kenny now has to regroup his side for a Dublin date with Ukraine on Wednesday, possible comfort for Ireland in the fact that Ukraine may be so spent from Sunday’s World Cup battle with Wales that they’ll have little appetite for a fight in Dublin.

Ireland had possession but just one proper attempt on target, a weakly-struck effort from Callum Robinson early in the first half.

Ireland threatened for the first time when Josh Cullen fed Ogbene and he slid the ball into Robinson’s path, but the striker could only ripple the side-netting with his attempt.

Neither side was able to exert any measure of control in an error-strewn passage of play and Robinson might have done better when he scuffed Ogbene’s 16th-minute cross towards goal, where Hovhannes Hambardzumyan cleared off the line.