u-20 Ireland v Mexico 2-0 FT!

Team: Murphy (Swansea City)

Kelly(Tottenham) McCarthy(Man City) Paisley(Longford), Capper (Scarboro)

Flood(Man City), Whelan(Man City), Potter L'pool), Foley(L'pool)

Elliott (Man City), Doyle (Cork City).

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Group E
Team GP W D L GF GA +/- Pts
Côte d'Ivoire 3 1 2 0 4 3 1 5
Ireland Republic 2 1 1 0 4 3 1 4
Saudi Arabia 3 0 2 1 2 3 -1 2
Mexico 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1 1

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Ist in Group play - Columbia or Egypt
2nd in Group play - Paraguay or USA
3rd in Group play - Burkina Faso, Columbia, Egypy or Japan

Still possible to get through as 3rd place team on 4 points...

0-0 after 15 mins

very much the flavor you would expect, midfield pocession from Mexico,
a little longer game with higher pressure from us . One nice save from Murphy from a 25yd shot on 13 . One corner to each team so far. We are not getting into attacking position very often

still 0-0 @ 26

yellow to Glenn Whelan on 17. Irl, Beginning to get forward a bit more. Playing with five midfielders for the most part.

Nice first time shot from Elliott from just inside box, excellent save for corner. on 18... another good attack in the box on 19mins .. our best spell of pressure. .. Mexico don't look to sharp at the back under pressure... hopefuly similar pressure to come

Ball pocession in favore of mex 60-40 .. but our style/game has potential to create more chances

Quite an enjoyable game so far, the mexicans do look dangerous given half a chance but we dont look half bad either :)

1-0 Ireland .. Paisley 34 mins

Set piece from rhs. free taken by willo.. strong header past keeper lhs. text book.

USA are 2-0 up so if we 2nd then play them.
Egypt 0-0 so if top group play them.

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Ist in Group play - Egypt (or Columbia)
2nd in Group play - USA (or Paraguay)
3rd in Group play - Burkina Faso, (Columbia, Egypt) or Japan


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1-0 Ireland
[3] PAISLEY Stephen (35' )

www.fai.ie for latest updates.

Man sent off each team, looked like hand bags to me, mind you cant raise your hands so...

Both teams down to 10 men on 43 mins.

Potter Irl... retaliation.. straight red. shuuda bin a yellow at most
Pelacious .. who got a yellow 2 mins earlier. and created this 2nd incident

Very unfair on Potter .. as all Irish tried to avoid the incident and walk away

We are unsettled after the s/o... Pinto missed a good chance with last kick of half ....1-0 at the half

[14] POTTER Darren (44')

[13] PALACIOS Jesus (44')

sent-off

still 1-0 @ 51

yellow to willo on 48 .. this ref is over doing it .. it's not that type of game

mex shuuda scored on 49 but tried to walk it in.. on the back foot right now.

another reasonable chance for mex on 50...

distracted ..... great draw in wc... can get out of that one for sure. Should make a good run at least at one of the two best runner up spots.. but with the right approach could surprise France.

still 1-0 in this game @ 65 mins... game getting disjointed.. two mexican coaches sent to the stands .. some subs.. willo gone off, someone else.. zayed & foley on.

Fahy on for Flood.
Zayed on for Elliot.

1-0 @ 75. Great save from Murphy @76

another mexican coach sent off.. 4th official rules

Not much penetration from Mexico.. despite us keeping 8 guys behind the ball with good pressure all the time. We have our shape back .. looking
solid and well coached again.

2-0 Kelly 84 mins ... nice run through to meet a pass to the near post.. and collide with keeper.. got up first to put it away.

Right before that I was counting 8 guys accross our box, defending en masse... relying on breakaways... very diciplined... turning out to be an excellent performance.

excellent ... job well done.. dodgy in the middle after the sending off .. but ran out comfortable winners

2-0 final

Great result. Didn't deserve the red card. Tricky match v Colombia.

Great result to top the Group.
Colombia will be a tough nut on Tuesday.