Spain - Ireland U19 EC Semi-finals

Raskolnikov

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/spanish-test-holds-no-fear-for-doolins-spirited-underdogs-2834703.html

AS HALF of the eight competing sides at the U-19 European Championships in Romania departed from the tournament hotel over the last two days, it left behind plenty of space to spot the differences between the Ireland and Spain squads that clash in tonight's semi-final.

Sitting quietly in one corner of the foyer of the grand Intercontinental Hotel are Spanish players in red tops, eyes buried into iPods from which music filters to their ears via oversized headphones.

Seldom do the eyes of team-mates make contact, despite their close proximity.

The rare occasions that require interaction are communicated by head gestures.

But even those ear-guards can't drown out the contrasting sounds coming from the opposite side.

A trio of giddy Irish players have just emerged from the lift and the noisy banter between them, and the hotel staff they've charmed over the past 10 days, prompts the lobby folk to look only one way.

Innocent and inoffensive, the joking slips away and the Irish players step out into the hotel grounds for a leisurely walk.

Their buoyancy makes it easy to forget that this Irish team has been written off on many occasions during the season.

Tonight's encounter won't be registering on the Richter-scale for expectancy from outside of the camp.

One of the Spanish midfielders set to start tonight, Rubén Pardo, waded in yesterday with his own version of cockiness.

"Ireland are a very physical team and are well organised," the Real Sociedad star noted of Paul Doolin's well-drilled crew

"We have to play as we know by moving the ball from side to side. In the end, spaces and players will come and we will not miss the goal."

That type of talk should be enough to rile this Ireland team, not that they need any extra incentive.

After all, they are 90 minutes away from marking their first appearance in nine years at the championships with a place in Monday's final at Chiajna, also the venue for tonight's fixture.

"I've heard things about Spain's players but we've a good group and that's all that matters to me," said Joe Shaughnessy, the Ireland and Aberdeen defender.

"We've seen team lists and the standard of clubs they're at, yet a lot of our lads are at Premier League clubs in England.

"It's not that long ago that we needed to beat Italy to qualify for the finals and won 3-0".

Doolin's mood yesterday seemed calm as the current in the nearby Dambovita River running through the capital.

Organised as ever, the Dubliner devoted a portion of yesterday morning's training session to the practising of penalties -- they will be needed if 120 minutes fail to divide the nations tonight.

"We just don't know -- it may not go that far," he said. "The only thing we are looking for from the players is if they do the right things and perform to what they can, we'll take the rest that goes with it.

"So far they have done that. We got out of the group -- that was the aim at the start.

"We are in the semi-finals and now we want to be in the final. We are under no illusion -- it's a very tough game ahead. The good thing is we saw something of them before when all of us watched them beat Belgium last week.

"We are in the same situation as we were when we had to beat Italy to qualify -- the Italians are no pushovers when it comes to football.

"This is a one-off game. The tournament is different now. It's a different competition -- it's a knockout competition and knockout football is different."

Viewers watching the semi-final back home on RTE can expect Ireland to adopt a patient approach in their quest to topple the favourites.

"We've got to be very careful that we don't think 'ah, we'll take these on'," said the former Cork City and Drogheda United manager. "It is a 90-minute game and you have to make sure they are right.

"I'd say if the game is open, there is no better team -- whether it is Spain, Barcelona or Real Madrid, they are very good on the counter. That is the thing that we have to get right and it is something that we have spoken to the players about."

Ireland (probable) -- McCarey (Wolves); Walker (Wrexham), Egan (Sunderland), O'Connor (Blackburn), Shaughnessy (Aberdeen); Murray (Watford), Carruthers (Aston Villa), O'Sullivan (Blackburn), Hendrick (Derby), Forde (Wolves); Smith (Watford).

Spain (probable) -- Badia (Espanyol); Carvajal (Real Madrid), Gómez (Barcelona), Miquel (Arsenal), Aurtenetxe (Athletico Bilbao); Sarabia (Getafe), Pardo (Real Sociedad), González (Athletico Madrid), Deulofeu (Barcelona); Morata (Real Madrid), Juanmi (Malaga).

Ref -- C Turpin (Fra)

Spain U-19 v Ireland U-19

Live, RTE 2 and Eurosport 6.45

Yillan

I'm delighted this is on live, but I can't imagine it'll be much of a contest.

I wonder will Johnny Giles be in the studio. If he doesn't know anything about premier league players outside of the top 4, I can't imagine his knowledge of Ireland U19 players is great. Hope Liam is there

Yillan

Peter Bloody Collins, a boxer and Ray Houghton's brother... christ

Mr. Denton

Yillan wrote: »

I'm delighted this is on live, but I can't imagine it'll be much of a contest.

I wonder will Johnny Giles be in the studio. If he doesn't know anything about premier league players outside of the top 4, I can't imagine his knowledge of Ireland U19 players is great. Hope Liam is there

Certainly on paper Spain look strong favourites. But then Ireland have already hammered Italy to get this far so they have the potential to beat anyone.

Mr.Crinklewood

The referee looks about 12.

Mr. Denton

Ireland in white vs Spain. Just like WC2002. Maybe we'll win on peno's this time.

MrStuffins

Spain are defintely massive favourites, but after the drubbing Turkey gave them, i'm hoping they'll be a bit down!

COME ON YOU BOYS IN WHITE GREEN

ctrl-alt-delete

Looking forward to this,

http://www.veetle.com/index.php/widget#FA5FD08D3DDD9CBF2DE0AF579EDA8161/true/default

good link there for anyone like myself who are abroad.

newballsplease

Is the ref uner 19 aswell?!

Brian017

Is this in HD ON RTE TWO? I have a 1080i HD icon on my on screen guide but I have my doubts

Mr. Denton

Ref is 29.
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cl%C3%A9ment_Turpin

mike65

No its upscaled SD.

ctrl-alt-delete

Never a free out there, Carruthers jumped fairly for me.

Raskolnikov

This Spanish team don't look as dominant as their u-21's or senior team. I think we have a smidgeon of a chance here.

dreamers75

pitch is in feckin bits, ball is bobbling all over the place.

Mushy

So weird seeing Murphy play when see him most weeks

Raskolnikov

There's a ginger playing for Spain rather amusingly.

Cypher_sounds

The spanish U-19 captain is waving the imaginary card, doesn't bode well for the future.

LuckyGent88

We have started pretty well. Have had a good bit of possession and the Spanish havent created much.

Ref is 27 :eek:

Mr. Denton

Raskolnikov wrote: »

There's a ginger playing for Spain rather amusingly.

Alex. He's the most Irish looking player on the pitch.
http://www.uefa.com/under19/teams/player=250006094/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alejandro_Fern%C3%A1ndez_Iglesias

Raskolnikov

We got lucky there, post Spain.

ctrl-alt-delete

"The blast from Gomes, the needle through the haystack, but it hit the final straw before it could find the back of the net"

American commentator on my stream

Washington Irving

LuckyGent88 wrote: »

Ref is 27 :eek:

He's 29, got his UEFA badges when he was 27

Cypher_sounds

Ireland doing well here so far, Spain defence are playing pretty deep.

Yakult

Great strike!

dreamers75

screamer

everdead.ie

Wow lovely goal

Cypher_sounds

Some goal.

Raskolnikov

What a goal, we were far too passive

LuckyGent88

nice finish but defender wasnt tight enough to him

Mr. Denton

Great goal. Can't say it hasn't been coming.

Professional Griefer

That was a lovely strike, defender probably should have done better.

Kiwi_knock

Great goal, not sure if we can hit back.

Raskolnikov

Nearly 2-0.

mike65

Didn't the co commentator say something about the player who slung out the ball to the goal scorer being kept quiet by Caruthers about 20 seconds earlier.

kenco

great goal in fairness and should have been two. Lets keep it tight until the half and regroup

Yakult

What happened there?

Raskolnikov

Ah jesus, that was amateur.

paulcorr

Is Eoin hand even watching the match he is the worst i have ever heard,doesnt even know what country he is in thinks he is in Bulgaria.

LuckyGent88

Great save

Raskolnikov

What a free, but what a save too.

Kiwi_knock

Yakult wrote: »

What happened there?

Keeper has to release the ball after a set number of seconds, I think the ref was indicating 5 seconds.

Cypher_sounds

Really great flying save there keeper.

Mr. Denton

They're targeting our right side now every single time. Doolin's going to have to do something about that.

Raskolnikov

We've went to pieces.

Yakult

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Keeper has to release the ball after a set number of seconds, I think the ref was indicating 5 seconds.

Thought as much, dumbass commentators were saying a back pass.... :rolleyes:

LuckyGent88

under serious pressure at the moment. Cant get hold of the ball at all,really need to get to ht only a goal down at worst.

Mushy

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Keeper has to release the ball after a set number of seconds, I think the ref was indicating 5 seconds.

Thought the rule was 6 and that its rarely impleted

everdead.ie

Soft yellow there

Kiwi_knock

We need half time quickly, we are struggling to keep up.

Mr. Denton

Morata had no interest in going for that header there. Lost his bandage anyway.