The Israel vs Ireland match saw the Republic of Ireland face their third loss in four games under manager Heimir Hallgrimsson. Greece claimed a well-deserved victory in the Nations League Group B2 contest in Athens.
After Thursday’s dramatic win against Finland, Ireland came crashing back down. Greece captain Tasos Bakasetas struck early in the second half, and Petros Mantalos capitalized on a mistake by Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher to seal the win.
Kelleher, despite his late error, had kept the visitors in the game with several crucial saves in the first half, but Greece’s dominance ultimately paid off. This defeat leaves Ireland in third place, staring at the possibility of a relegation play-off with two games remaining.
Greece remains three points ahead of England, who had earlier beaten Finland. Greece will host England next month before traveling to Finland, while Ireland will face Finland in Dublin and then head to Wembley for their final game.
In-form Greece Dominate First Half
The Republic of Ireland, buoyed by their recent win in Helsinki, started brightly and nearly took an early lead. However, Evan Ferguson’s shot went wide after a defensive mix-up by Greece.
From that point on, Ireland struggled as Greece applied relentless pressure. The hosts played with energy and emotion, driven by the loss of their defender George Baldock, honored with a minute’s silence before kickoff.
Kelleher kept Ireland in the game, first denying Giorgos Masouras and then saving from Bakasetas, who had breezed past Liam Scales. Greece’s persistent attacks continued, but Kelleher stood firm, notably stopping a Dimitrios Giannoulis shot with his foot.
Bakasetas Breaks the Deadlock
Three minutes into the second half, Israel vs Ireland shifted when Bakasetas broke the deadlock. His shot took a deflection off Scales, leaving Kelleher with no chance as the ball sailed into the net.
Greece’s intensity dropped as the second half progressed, and Ireland, with the introduction of substitutes Festy Ebosele and Jack Taylor, gained some momentum. Taylor came close to scoring on his debut, but his header was flicked over by Greek keeper Odisseas Vlachodimos.
Taylor had another opportunity later from a Robbie Brady corner, but he couldn’t trouble the Greek goalkeeper. Despite Ireland’s best efforts, their hopes were dashed when Kelleher’s error led to Mantalos scoring Greece’s second goal. Kelleher’s misplaced pass allowed Mantalos to round him and score, securing a 2-0 win for Greece.
No Way Back for Ireland
Ireland’s hopes of salvaging a point, as they did in Helsinki, were crushed. Unlike their comeback against Finland, there was no late heroics this time. It marked Ireland’s fourth defeat to Greece in 16 months.
For Greece, the win strengthened their push for promotion to the top tier of the Nations League. After an emotional performance, the Greek players held up a shirt bearing Baldock’s name at full-time, dedicating the victory to their fallen teammate.
The Israel vs Ireland result leaves Ireland with much to reflect on as their Nations League campaign nears its conclusion.
