Quote Originally Posted by Predator View Post
I'd really need to watch the whole game again to see where exactly it went wrong again, but it really was going to plan since we went 1-0 up in that game too. Another set-piece goal, which was followed by two great chances for Daryl Murphy and James McClean. I remember the Danish equaliser was really lucky on their part. Cyrus Christie had a nightmare trying to clear and scored an own goal...

Just re-watched the highlights and Stephen Ward was atrocious for the second goal a few minutes later. Very poor for an experienced player. That concession just before half-time turned the game entirely. Two bad individual mistakes changed the complexion of the game and O'Neill clearly decided in the dressing room they had to go for it. A gamble that backfired spectacularly.
At the time, Ward had a really rough year prior to that and basically hadn't had a good game for us in that period and it was fairly obvious that he was done, and Brady should have been playing left back, which he had done previously for Ireland. Wes should also have started. Matt Doherty also hadn't been included in the squad despite being the best fullback in the championship.

From my memory, the first goal, Arter gets beaten a bit easily at the short corner, it goes to the back post and it's actually not going in, it's going straight off the back post to Randolph, where it hits Christie who is trying to react and clear. The second goal, Ward loses it really badly from our possession. Third goal is just caused by a gap in the midfield. Fourth is Ward making a hames of a clearance. Fifth was a stoppage time penalty.