Ireland 0 Belgium 0 FT: International friendly as it happened

Here is the match report from Gavin Cummiskey. He writes Ireland draw out Belgium but fail to find killer touch in entertaining encounter.

[ Ireland draw out Belgium but fail to find killer touch in entertaining encounter ]

The player ratings are here

[ Ireland v Belgium: How the Irish players rated at the Aviva ]

That’s all from me, good night!

Josh Cullen speaks to Virgin Media: “I think we can be pleased with the performance against a good side. First time with fresh ideas across, happy with what we achieved in the game. Stuff to improve on, we need to be more clinical. We need to be winning games when we play like that.

“We were creating chances and causing a threat. We’ll keep working hard to take those chances in the future. I think we can be pleased with the performance.”

90 mins: Player of the match is midfielder Josh Cullen. Probably about right for a 0-0 game. Lots of good performances but none truly outstanding ones.

FULL-TIME: Ireland 0 Belgium 0

No goals then in Ireland’s first game under John O’Shea. Good performance, but a missed opportunity with Evan Ferguson’s missed penalty. Belgium weren’t at full tilt but could have won it but for a great save by Kelleher. Overall, Ireland had the better chances though.

88 mins: Ebosele on for Smallbone for the closing stages. His first touch though is well defended by Deman. Belgium give it away and he gets another chance and advances on the box but a bit hesitant on it and he’s blocked out for a throw-in. Idah wins a corner from the throw, big roar at the Aviva. Idah misses the header from the corner as Belgium counter, Doku with pace but over plays the pass completely.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

83 mins: Sub for Ireland - Robbie Brady off, Matt Doherty on. Belgium swapping their keeper, Kaminski on for Sels.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

79 mins: Possible penalty chance there after a quick free-kick, Openda clashes with Kelleher. Openda looked like he was trying to buy it, definite contact but no penalty anyway.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

75 mins: Great save by Kelleher! Belgium get their best chance of the game, Lukebakio gets the better of Brady and he cuts back well to Meunier who has a free shot in the box. It’s heading for the corner but the Liverpool goalkeeper makes a fine save to turn it away. From the corner, Doku has a dribble and cuts in before smashing it over the bar.

The attendance today it just over 38,000.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

71 mins: Bad control from Coleman out of play after a smart switch of the play by Szmodics. Finally some subs for Ireland - Knight on for Ogbene, Idah on for Ferguson, Johnston on for Szmodics.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

68 mins: Chance for Ireland. Ogbene gets a long ball on the right and beats Deman, plays to Smallbone in the box, then he lays off for Szmodics but his shot is blocked. Goes out for a corner, but O’Shea is not expecting it and goes out of play.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

63 mins: Long spelll of possession this half for Belgium who have been better since half-time. Ireland struggling to keep the ball for long. Bakayoko and De Winter come off for Belgium, replaced by Lukebakio and Onana.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

60 mins: Coleman has done a good job on Doku so far, not letting him gain an inch. Doku is just hugging the left touchline and getting a lot of the ball.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

56 mins: Brady gets some space down the left and runs at the defender but his cross is overhit for Ogbene at the back post, who can’t get to it. A better cross a few moments later is headed out for a corner. Ferguson wins the header from Smallbone’s corner but heads it over, was a tough chance.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

53 mins: Ogbene eases up the pitch by his standards before accelerating and being fouled by Vranckx in a dangerous position. Brady’s free-kick is poor this time, over everyone and over the bar.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

50 mins: Ireland concede a free in a dangerous place just outside the box on the right side after Bakayoko beat Brady with a lovely piece of skill. His free-kick is punches away by Kelleher. Then Belgium have another chance after Faes hits a high through ball, Batshuayi heads down and Openda shoots but well saved by Kelleher.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

Belgium subs Batshuayi on for Castagne. Tielemans off for Thomas Meunier. Jeremy Doku on for Leandro Trossard. Doku will be a danger, the Manchester City winger.

46 mins: Chance immediately for Ferguson from kick-off after a great cross by Brady and he just heads it over from outside the 6-yard box. His wait for a goal continues!

Half-time: Ireland 0 Belgium 0

Plenty of chances there for Ireland and should be ahead after Ferguson missed the penalty and Szmodics and Ogbene had chances. Belgium had very few chances of note. Encouraging display but still a stalemate at half-time.

45 mins: Chance at the end of the half for Szmodics to score on his debut. Ferguson flicks on a long ball and Szmodics gets past his marker but fires over from inside the box.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

42 mins: Ferguson having a good battle with De Winter and wins a corner. Smallbone’s corner is headed away over the far touchline and leads to nothing.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

40 mins: Quick free-kick in the middle of the pitch and find Bakayoko who wins a corner. Same player’s corner catches the wind and goes straight out of play.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

37 mins: Tielemans finds space in a dangerous area and plays to Openda but he miscontrols the ball. Ireland’s defensive shape is good in this half.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

34 mins: Bakayoko with a shot from just outside the box is well over, Ireland keeping good Belgium chances to a minimum so far.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

30 mins: Another chance for Ireland after Smallbone found Ogbene on the edge of the box but he drags his shot well wide of the goal. Ferguson will be gutted after that one.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

27 mins: Ogbene makes a break and is hacked down by Deman, a sign of his pace there. The free-kick from near the sideline is floated into the box, Collins wins it, hits it off Vermeeren and it’s a penalty! Handball. The crowd erupts.

Penalty missed! Ferguson to take it... and he misses. Straight down the middle and Sels gets it. Shame.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

23 mins: Collins finds Szmodics in a pocket of space, he tries to play in Ferguson but he’s marshalled out by Faes.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

19 mins: Great through ball to Openda, they’re trying that ball a lot Belgium, and it’s a corner after interception by Collins. Corner goes nowhere though. Ireland sitting back and frustrating the Belgians.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

16 mins: Nasty fall for Koni De Winter after a leap when competing with Ferguon but look like he’s okay. Another big hit by Dara O’Shea on Openda, letting him know he’s there.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

13 mins: Chance for Belgium for Tielemans after a good play down the left and a cross but he heads it well wide. A few moments later they win a corner, but it’s cleared.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

9 mins: Good start by Ireland, pressing well, although Belgium are starting to enjoy more possession. Kelleher gets a great cheer from the crowd after he is under pressure but dummies the defender to calmly keep the ball.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

3 mins: Big chance for Ogbene after only three minutes! Ferguson has a good tussle with Faes, wins it and Cullen to Szmodics and Ogbene is through from six yards out but he hits the side netting. Disappointing.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

2 mins: Looks like Collins at the back then, 5-3-2 set-up. Szmodics gets on the ball early aqnd wins a free-kick on the left side.

Ireland 0 Belgium 0

Ireland come out to the pitch for the national anthems, good atmosphere in the Aviva. Match will kick off in a few minutes. Official match graphics are saying Collins defensive midfield, which would be an interesting development. Here are the teams again.

Ireland team v Belgium: Kelleher, Coleman (capt), O’Shea, Omobamidele, Brady; Collins Cullen, Smallbone, Szmodics, Ogbene, Ferguson.

Belgium team: Sels; Castagne, Faes, De Winter, Deman, Tielemans (capt), Vermeeren, Vranckx, Bakayoko, Openda, Trossard.

Will be good to see Sammie Szmodics today. Top scorer in the Championship and the FA Cup. He makes his debut. He spoke to Michael Walker earlier in the week.

“I spoke to John O’Shea about a week ago. He asked about my availability and if I’d be interested and it’s a no-brainer, of course I would be.

“He just said he wanted to get me involved and get me some minutes, but he can’t promise me anything. He said he was excited to get me in and work with me and my feeling is exactly the same. Things that have happened in the past are in the past; I feel like it’s a fresh start. Within the next week I could have made my Ireland debut – it would be massive for me and my family.”

[ Ireland’s Sammie Szmodics: ‘Things that have happened in the past are in the past’ ]

Some words from John O’Shea before the game:

The Belgium team to play Ireland: Sels; Castagne, Faes, De Winter, Deman, Tielemans (capt), Vermeeren, Vranckx, Bakayoko, Openda, Trossard

Jérémy Doku on the bench, but still a fearsome frontline. Bakayoko plays on the wing for PSV Eindhoven. Aston Villa midfielder Tielemans captains the side.

Team announced:

Ireland team v Belgium: Kelleher, Coleman (capt), O’Shea, Omobamidele, Collins, Brady, Cullen, Smallbone, Szmodics, Ogbene, Ferguson.

No Mikey Johnston then, despite being the form player in the Championship. Looks like it might be a 3-5-2 formation set-up.

Ken Early writes that John O’Shea steps up to fill the void today as a sense of drift persists.

“This could have been a big week for the FAI. New season, new coach, new sponsor, new start.

“Instead, the announcement of the new sponsorship deal with Sky passed in midweek almost unremarked, with chief executive Jonathan Hill deciding not to speak the media. You might have thought Hill would leap at the chance of some kind of victory lap but the risk of awkwardness is apparently too great.”

[ Ken Early: John O’Shea steps up to fill the void as sense of drift persists ]

John O’Shea will opt for fundamental Irish traits as Belgian talent comes calling, writes soccer correspondent Gavin Cummiskey.

“Ireland is ranked 62nd by Fifa, to Belgium’s No 4 status, but interim manager John O’Shea could field up to nine Premier League players. The last time a full Irish XI came from the English top flight was the 1-0 loss to Germany in Stuttgart 18 years ago.

“This can be interpreted as progress. It also suggests that Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher will start ahead of Gavin Bazunu and veteran full backs Séamus Coleman and Matt Doherty can shake off cobwebs accumulated in Everton and Wolverhampton dugouts.

“Coleman is set to captain his country for the 27th time after recovering from knee damage sustained in the weeks after he kept Kylian Mbappé quiet in the Euros qualifier last March.”

[ John O’Shea to opt for fundamental Irish traits as Belgian talent comes calling ]

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the international friendly between Ireland and Belgium, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Kick-off is at 5pm. It is John O’Shea’s first game as interim manager, and it’s a tough one against fourth in the world. There will be no Kevin De Bruyne or Romelu Lukaku today, but still a tough prospect against the likes of Jérémy Doku, Leandro Trossard and Lois Openda. Liam Scales and Troy Parrott have been ruled out through injury for Ireland, but Lyon defender Jake O’Brien, Blackburn Rovers attacking midfielder Sammie Szmodics, midfielder Finn Azaz are all set to win their first Ireland caps. Ryan Manning is a late call-up to the squad. The line-ups will follow when they are available.

Ireland squad

Goalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)

Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Andrew Omobamidele (Nottingham Forest), Dara O’Shea (Burnley), Jake O’Brien (Lyon), Robbie Brady (Preston North End), Festy Ebosele (Udinese), Ryan Manning (Southampton).

Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jason Knight (Bristol City), Will Smallbone (Southampton). Jamie McGrath (Aberdeen), Callum O’Dowda (Cardiff City), Mark Sykes (Bristol City), Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough), Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion).

Forwards: Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion), Adam Idah (Celtic), Michael Obafemi (Millwall, on loan from Burnley), Sammie Szmodics (Blackburn Rovers), Chiedozie Ogbene (Luton Town).

[ Ireland v Belgium: TV details, kick-off time, team news and more ]