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Ireland Holds Belgium To Goalless Draw In Friendly At The Aviva Stadium
The Republic of Ireland faced off against Belgium’s side in a game that ended in a goalless draw at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
The result extended Belgium’s unbeaten run to an impressive 12 matches, while Ireland’s interim manager John O’Shea oversaw his first game in charge with a solid performance from his team.
The match started with Ireland creating a golden chance early on, as debutant Sammie Szmodics set up Chiedozie Ogbene for a one-on-one opportunity, only for the winger to narrowly miss the target. The game’s first major talking point came in the 27th minute when Arthur Vermeeren handled the ball in the Belgium box, leading to a penalty for Ireland. However, Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels came to Vermeeren’s rescue with a strong save to deny Evan Ferguson from the spot.
After a dry first half, both teams made changes at halftime, with Belgium introducing Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku. Despite Ireland starting brightly in the second half, with Ferguson missing a headed chance early on, it was Belgium who began to create more opportunities as the game progressed. Loïs Openda and_ Thomas Meunier tested Ireland’s goalkeeper, Caoimhín Kelleher, but the young shot-stopper was up to the task with some crucial saves.
As the match entered its final stages, both teams pushed for a winning goal, but ultimately neither side could break the deadlock. Ireland’s resilient defensive display meant they became the first team to keep a clean sheet against Belgium since Croatia at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Looking ahead, Ireland will aim to build on this solid defensive performance when they face Switzerland in their next match, while Belgium will travel to Wembley for a tough encounter against England.
