Harte and Keane lift Irish hopes
DUBLIN (Reuters) -- Two goals in six minutes gave Ireland a deserved 2-0 win over Iran in the first leg of their World Cup playoff on Saturday and ensured a satisfactory cushion ahead of the return leg in Tehran next Thursday.
Defender Ian Harte struck from the penalty spot a minute before halftime after a foul on Jason McAteer, and striker Robbie Keane lashed home a second goal five minutes into the second period.
With the winners of the tie qualifying for next year's World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea, Ireland will trust that they have done enough to progress.
Manager Mick McCarthy's players lived dangerously at times and they were forced to strain every nerve and sinew to extend their 16-match unbeaten record.
They were also thankful for goalkeeper Shay Given's crucial saves from Ali Karimi early in the second half, and McCarthy's pre-match warning that they would not finish the job at Lansdowne Road was borne out to the full.
Iran refused to wilt, and the fact that Given was named man-of-the-match shows Ireland's trip to the Azadi stadium in Tehran promises to be an uncomfortable affair.
Ireland piled forward from the start and Robbie Keane's presence diverted the ball on to the hands of full-back Mehdi Mahdavikia, but referee Antonia Pereira da Silva ignored the home side's pleas for a penalty.
Iran's qualifying campaign may have begun 12 months ago with a 19-0 win over Guam, but it was immediately clear their defensive solidity had yet been truly examined.
Goalkeeper Ebrahim Mirzapour was content to try and punch every cross that threatened his area, and his time-outs for treatment from the physiotherapist angered the home crowd. Mohammad Peyrovani was also booked for a cynical block on Kevin Kilbane.
But with Iran's helter-skelter
approach to defending came a confusion in Ireland's attack. Robbie Keane and
Niall Quinn betrayed their usual understanding, and composure was at a premium.
There was no confusion about Roy Keane's condition. He may have been doubtful beforehand with a knee injury, but an early crunching tackle on Bagheri certainly allayed fears over his fitness.
Mirzapour's unease with high balls gave Ireland all the encouragement they needed. After 28 minutes it became farcical, with Mirzapour claiming an injury only to be ignored by the referee. Ireland pumped another cross goalwards, and Mirzapour got up on his feet to effect a good punch.
The tone for the match had been set. Da Silva ignored Peyrovani's claim to be injured after 35 minutes, angering Iran captain Ali Daei, who was then involved in a clash with Jason McAteer.
Quinn helped create the breakthrough on 44 minutes. He was sandwiched between two defenders, but the ball fell to Matt Holland, who fed McAteer on the right.
The Sunderland midfielder burst into the area and was fouled by Rezaei, and Harte converted the penalty.
With Ireland pushing forward, their only worry was leaving gaps at the back, but Iran mustered little going forward before the break.
Robbie Keane forced a straightforward save from a header a minute into the second half, and then produced an even more telling contribution.
Ian Harte's 50th minute free kick was headed down to the Leeds striker just inside the area, and Keane showed perfect technique in firing a left-foot half-volley past Mirzapour.
The relief the two-goal cushion brought was palpable around Lansdowne -- and so it was a few minutes later when Iran had twice come close to claiming an away goal.
On both occasions, with Karimi bearing down on goal, Given came to their rescue. First he smothered the ball at Karimi's feet, and then produced a reflex save to deny the same player from point-blank range.
As the match turned scrappy, Iran grew in confidence, and Karim Bagheri even wasted a glorious chance three minutes from time.
Iran plot new miracle
By Stephen Wood
DUBLIN, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Iran will be hoping to re-work their 1997 miracle when they host Ireland in a final bid for World Cup qualification in Tehran on Thursday.
Miroslav Blazevic's side lost 2-0 to Ireland in the first leg of their World Cup playoff at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.
Iran have come back from two goals down in a playoff to clinch a place at a World Cup finals before.
Four years ago, with the 1998 World Cup in sight, they drew 1-1 in the first leg with Australia in Tehran, and then saw Terry Venables's Australia establish a 2-0 lead in the second leg in Melbourne.
Iran were 15 minutes away from elimination, before Karim Bagheri and Khodadad Azizi levelled the contest to give Iran a dramatic victory on away goals.
``It is going to be difficult, but it is not unapproachable,'' said the Croatian-born Blazevic after his side had succumbed to goals from Ian Harte and Robbie Keane on Saturday.
``We showed our attacking capabilities here, and hopefully we can do it again. It gives us confidence.''
If Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given had not twice saved brilliantly from Ali Karimi in two second half minutes, Iran could even be heading home with an all-important away goal.
HAUNTED
As it is, Ireland need only to protect their lead to progress to Japan and South Korea and qualify for their first major tournament since the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
Ireland are still haunted by playoff defeats. They lost to the Netherlands in a playoff for the 1996 European championships, to Belgium in a playoff for the 1998 World Cup and to Turkey with a place at the 2000 European championships beckoning.
Their task will be made all the more difficult in Tehran if, as seems likely, striker Niall Quinn and defender Steve Staunton have to withdraw with back and hamstring injuries respectively.
Quinn, who is Ireland's all-time leading scorer in international football with 21 goals, and Staunton have won 180 caps between them.
Their experience will be crucial to Ireland, as will the presence of captain Roy Keane.
The Manchester United midfielder played on Saturday despite lingering concerns over his knee injury.
Although manager Mick McCarthy said afterwards that he expected Keane to travel to Tehran, both he and Keane himself also admitted that they would have to gauge Keane's reaction to the 90 minutes on Sunday before making a final decision.
``We won't go there and defend the lead,'' he said. ``That's not our style.
``Iran will have to come at us and attack, so it may give us a chance to score on the counter-attack, but what we are not going to do is sit back.''
The bonus for Ireland on Saturday was the re-emergence of Robbie Keane as an international striker.
His goal, a beautiful volley from the edge of the area, was his first in 14 months for Ireland, although he has been scoring regularly for his club, Leeds United. ``That will help Robbie,'' said McCarthy
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Exclusive: Keane out of Iran clash 11 November 2001
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By Sports.com's CATHAL DERVAN Roy Keane is out of Ireland's World Cup trip to Tehran. The Irish captain has flown back to Manchester after his injured knee reacted badly to Saturday night's 2-0 play-off win over Iran at Lansdowne Road.
Keane flew home on Sunday afternoon after it became obvious he has no chance of playing in Thursday night's second leg. The Ireland and United skipper must now visit a specialist to see if he requires further knee surgery. And there are real fears that he faces a lengthy absence as United chase glory on the domestic and European fronts. The news is a desperate blow to the player and his Irish manager Mick McCarthy. On Saturday night, McCarthy was confident that Keane would be available as Ireland look to protect their two goal lead in front of 120,000 passionate Iranian fans. He even said at the post-match press conference that Keane would fly to Tehran on Monday morning.
And Keane himself was erring on the side of confidence as he discussed the after-effects of his first game in over three weeks as he struggles with a patella injury. "I have to see how it responds. It is how I feel on Sunday morning that will decide everything but it seems okay now and I had no problems getting through the match," said Keane immediately after the game. "I will have to talk to the physio and the manager at United and see what they feel about it."
Keane is not the only injury headache for the Irish manager as he awaits the 90 minutes that will decide his World Cup future. Niall Quinn, Steve Staunton and Jason McAteer all shipped heavy knocks during 90 bruising minutes against the Iranians on Saturday night. They will travel to Tehran with the Irish squad on Monday morning and receive intensive treatment in the build-up to the big game. Mark Kinsella is now set to come into the Irish midfield alongside Mattie Holland in the absence of Keane. And McCarthy is also considering a switch upfront as he looks for the away goal that will all but put this game beyond the Iranians. |
IRELAND 2 - IRAN 0
The Republic of Ireland to put one foot firmly in the finals of the World Cup with a 2-0 win over Iran in the first leg of their qualifying play-off at Lansdowne Road.
Robbie Keane grabbed an early second-half goal after his Leeds team-mate Ian Harte had broken a frustrating first-half deadlock with a 44th minute penalty.
Mick McCarthy's team, unbeaten in 16 matches, now travel to Tehran for the second leg of the play-off on Thursday.
But the strikes from Harte and Keane plus the agility of goalkeeper Shay Given in repelling a late revival by the visitors means they should have just about enough protection to see them through to Japan and South Korea next summer.
Harte's spot-kick came at a perfect moment just when Ireland seemed to be hitting a wall of frustration against dedicated if sometimes frantic defending and acrobatic goalkeeping.
McCarthy, having presided over two previous play-off failures ahead of World Cup 98 and Euro 2000, must have been alarmed at his side's lack of attacking quality before that despite being virtually encamped in the Iranian half.
There was too much emphasis on the long ball aimed towards the inviting target of giant striker Niall Quinn's head and the Iranians, not noted for secure defending, strung markers around the Sunderland veteran to quell his menace.
On the few occasions Quinn escaped them, goalkeeper Ebrahim Mirzapour flung himself boldly into action.
It took a blunder by Iran midfielder Rahman Rezaei to grant Ireland their breakthrough. Having dispossessed Jason McAteer inside the penalty area, he then tripped him up as the Irishman tried to retrieve the ball. And Harte rammed in the penalty with his usual cool aplomb.
It needed another goal quickly in the second half to keep the faith and Robbie Keane fittingly provided it.
Denied two earlier half-chances, he made no mistake with a 15-yards half-volley to set Lansdowne Road alight after Iran failed to deal with McAteer's free kick on 53 minutes.
It was his first strike for Ireland since the opening game of the World Cup qualifying campaign against Holland in Amsterdam in September 2000.
But before the finish, battling Iran striker Ali Karimi brought two stunning saves from Given that kept the Irish dream afloat.
Clean through he was foiled by the Newcastle keeper's headlong dive at his feet.
Seconds later, just after the hour-mark, Given stretched full length to tip away the same player's spearing shot after Steve Staunton had been left trailing by a darting run from the right.
Iran's game is built on attack and after falling two goals behind they finally showed it.
In the end they had several chances to claim an away goal but Given and his back-line battlers stood firm.
The Irish dominance from the start was so intense that it was 24 minutes before Karim Bagheri, once of Charlton Athletic, provided Iran's first shot after robbing McAteer just inside the Ireland half and making a long run only to put his effort tamely wide.
But goalkeeper Mirzapour was a hero for his side with clean and courageous handling under constant fire although propensity for rolling about in apparent agony almost every time he was put under physical challenge did not endear him to the home fans.
He was brave as a lion when flinging himself at Quinn's feet to prevent him getting onto a Harte through ball and earned his luck when collecting a close-range jab by Holland who could only direct the ball straight at him after Quinn's cushioned header from a Finnan cross bounced down off the Ipswich midfielder's arm.
In the first half-hour the Irish defenders had only to be watchful and dilligent to deal with rare Iranian threats but McCarthy must have been alarmed at the lack of direct shots on goal by his boys in green.
Mirzapour covered himself in glory again, diving in to foil Robbie Keane when the ball broke towards the Leeds striker off Quinn.
And Yahya Golmahammadi could have known little about it when Quinn's goalbound headed from Kilbane's cross bounced off him and away with nine minutes left of the first half.
But seven minutes later the breakthrough finally came when McAteer, having lost the ball on the edge of the area to Rezaei's tackle, was tripped by the same player as he tried to retrieve it and Harte did the rest.
When Robbie Keane added the second seven minutes into the second half, there seemed no reason why the Irish should not chalk up a few more.
McAteer failed to deliver a close-range header from a peach of a cross by Kilbane who then curled a delightful drive just wide when McAteer returned the compliment.
They may still regret those near-misses and the paucity of end-product in the first half but McCarthy always knew it would be a tougher task than most of Dublin imagined. And two goals plus a clean sheet to take to Tehran is as much as he asked.
It could certainly have been much worse. Four minutes from time Bagheri bungled a clear chance when going past substitute Ken Cunningham and the much-vaunted Ali Daie - 73 goals in 92 internationals - rarely figured as a threat, especially after having his head swathed in bandage following a collision in the second half.
| Given's clean sheet bolsters play-off prospects |
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 2, IRAN 0
TEHRAN must brace itself for the its biggest transformation since the Shah cut and run. The Iranian capital doesn't have much of a reputation as a party town, but by Thursday it may have learned a little. Ireland fly out tomorrow morning with a two-goal lead and a place in next summer's World Cup Finals all but guaranteed. Iran are dangerous on the break and if it wasn't for Ireland's goalkeeper Shay Given they may have scored a crucial away goal, but Ireland will not let this opportunity pass them by after all they have achieved in the past year.
Mick McCarthy had warned on Friday about the dangers of believing that Ireland had already qualified. His team, he said, would treat the match as they had done the challenges of Portugal and Holland. There was no question of mistaking the game for a friendly with an atmosphere at Lansdowne Road which ensured that Ireland would not become complacent. The crowd, as much as the players, knew how much was at stake.
The Iranians may have been a mystery to most in the attendance but their approach was familiar. Ireland were faced with a team defending deeply, with only the skilful Ali Karimi up front, with their captain and star striker Ali Daei helping out the midfield most of the time.
They were nearly broken down after 25 seconds. Niall Quinn headed the ball down into Jason McAteer's path and as the ball ran away from him it seemed to come off the hand of Mohammad Peyroni but the Brazilian referee ignored the loud appeals.
In no danger of becoming complacent, Ireland instead were nervous in the opening spell and as the first half evolved, the Iranians were finding gaps in the Irish defence and prepared to risk at least a couple of men in the hope of getting an away goal.
Ireland's anxiety, which manifested itself in some hesitant touches, was not helped by the Lansdowne Road surface, which in welcoming back the good old days, came close to resembling the cabbage patch of Jack Charlton's era.
A more welcome reminder of times past was the danger posed by the big man up front. From the opening seconds, the Iranians were clearly terrified of Niall Quinn and with Ebrahim Mirzapour in goal displaying true eccentricities, Ireland looked likely to take a lead long before Harte put them ahead a couple of minutes before half-time.
Robbie Keane has returned to his best form with Leeds United this season, but for much of the first half he refused to do simple things, which forced him into some blind alleys from where his escape plan was too often an inconsequential flick.
After 14 minutes, the striker was put through, but instead of risking a first-time left-foot shot, which was so effective later on, he dallied and the moment was gone. His captain had started the match with a fearsome reminder to the former Charlton player Karim Bagheri of what was at stake. There was clearly nothing wrong with Roy Keane's fitness to compete.
Despite their dominance and the wayward goalkeeping of Mirzapour, who was constantly in need of medical assistance throughout the first half, Ireland were finding it difficult to create clear chances. McAteer was working hard on the right but his crossing was poor. After half an hour, his industry was rewarded when he found space, cut inside and delivered a perfect cross which Quinn played fractionally behind Robbie Keane.
The Iranians were clearly content and growing in confidence, even if their penalty area was a madhouse. They stretched Ireland on a couple of occasions but their finishing was off. Steve Staunton, who was outstanding at the back, and Quinn had half-chances, before the penalty came two minutes before half-time.
McAteer was rewarded for the chaos in the Iranian defence when he turned nimbly on a Matt Holland pass and was brought down by Rahman Rezaei. Ian Harte's greatest value to Ireland is his ability with a dead-ball and there was no mistake with the penalty.
Naturally, the nerves had now evaporated and Ireland were transformed in the second half, and with Robbie Keane and Kevin Kilbane growing in confidence, the Iranians were over-run. Keane had a soft header easily saved by Mirzapour after 55 seconds, but he didn't seem like a man who hadn't scored an international goal in 14 months.
McAteer, too, was tireless and a greater influence as the game progressed, and when his free-kick was poorly cleared by the Iranian defence, Keane wasted no time and drove the ball past Mirzapour on the up. McCarthy's side were doing all that was required, removing the danger of a dangerous trip to Iran by virtually ensuring qualification in the home leg.
Kilbane had two good chances to score a third in quick succession, then the overall strength of this team was illustrated by two superb pieces of goalkeeping from Shay Given. The first came five minutes after the goal when Ireland's offside trap failed and the Newcastle goalkeeper came out quickly to deny Karimi. the second was even better. Again it was Karimi who found space in the box before hitting a dangerous shot, brilliantly parried by Given.
Ireland's priority now was not to concede a goal but those two reminders also strengthened their determination to score a third. McAteer missed a close-range header from a Kilbane shot but then set up his Sunderland team-mate with superb work on the right, mixing skill and determination. Kilbane had time to pick his spot, but he drove it wide and Quinn was unable to connect as the ball whizzed past.
Bagheri should have scored in the final minutes when Harte misjudged the flight of the ball, but the midfielder shot hopelessly into the side-netting. Ireland were thinking of Thursday and beyond.