Latvia 1 Republic of Ireland 2
A brace from Armstrong Oko-Flex extended the Republic of Ireland’s winning start to the European Under-21 qualifiers despite a nervy finish in Latvia.
The FC Zurich winger produced two improvised finishes, one in either half, to cap an impressive month for the former Celtic and West Ham prospect.
He earned a return to Jim Crawford’s squad having scored a debut goal for the Swiss table-toppers and franked that form by doubling up on his competitive under-21 debut.
A stoppage-time strike from Lukass Vapne came too late to deny Ireland their third win on the trot, moving them to the top of Group A ahead of Norway and Italy who meet on Tuesday.
Crawford was delighted to see Ireland carry their momentum into next month’s crucial qualifiers against those sides.
“Italy came here to Latvia and drew 0-0. We knew it was a potential banana skin but we had the players well drilled in what to expect,” he said.
“There are huge games and certainly stiffer tests to come but one thing we have going for us is a little bit of momentum. Three games and three wins, momentum is a big thing in football. It breeds confidence with players.”
A further positive was the return to action for captain Joe Hodge after missing the Turkey and San Marino wins due to injury. Connor O’Riordan, meanwhile, started in the centre of defence a week after he spurned a call-up from the Scotland Under-21s.
The hosts began the brighter with Deniss Melniks and Ralfs Maslovs firing over Josh Keeley’s crossbar before Oko-Flex also launched a sighter that was too high. He was just tuning his radar.
The opener arrived in the 15th minute. Andy Moran forced a free which Tony Springett whipped into the box. Bosun Lawal’s looping header looked in, so much so that Oko-Flex had his arms raised in celebration. He would be the one to profit when the ball ricocheted down off the crossbar, adjusting well to turn in the rebound.
With his confidence up, he showed his full range of tricks straight after, producing a series of stepovers and a quick turn to beat his man.
On the opposite flank, Springett’s pace and determination had the other full back in trouble, too, but Janis Beks was equal to his shot.
Ireland’s pressing was creating more opportunities, led by the irrepressible Sinclair Armstrong. The Latvian goalkeeper was called into action to rescue a defensive mix-up, nicking the ball away from Armstrong and repelling Springett’s follow-up.
When Hodge’s tackle immediately put Ireland back on the front foot, Beks saved again from Armstrong before the QPR striker shook the side-netting.
He was even closer next time, flicking the ball on to the post after Springett again burned his marker. Sick of being beaten, Springett was hacked down the next two times he received possession.
Ireland doubled their lead 12 minutes into the second half. Moran won back possession but was floored by a blow to his ankle in the process. Springett got in along the endline and his pull back was met by Oko-Flex, whose instinctive finish was deflected beyond the goalkeeper.
Moran briefly returned to the field and would’ve scored from an Oko-Flex pass but for a brilliant reflex save.
Moran, who could yet be called up for the senior side’s Gibraltar trip if fit to travel, was replaced by his Blackburn team-mate Zak Gilsenan. He came close to a third, forcing Beks to tip a low shot around the post, before teeing up fellow substitute Aidomo Emakhu. He, too, found the Latvian stopper in top form.
Ireland were in total control until Vapne skittled a shot into the bottom corner from 25 yards out. That came two minutes into stoppage-time and they couldn’t muster another opening.
LATVIA: Beks; Novikovs, Sliede, Reingolcs, Maslovs (Peilans, 79); Kauselis (Rekis, 62), Anmanis (Patijcuks, 90), Melniks, Melkis (Rascevskis, 62); Vapne, Puzirevskis (Krancmanis, 79).
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Keeley; Curtis, O’Riordan, Lawal, Furlong; Hodge, Healy; Springett (O’Neill, 83), Moran (Glisenan, 64), Oko-Flex (Emakhu, 73); Armstrong (Carty, 83).
Referee: O Reitala (Fin).
