As it happened: Ireland v Greece, Nations League
4 hrs ago 7:20PM
Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.
Ireland are looking to recover from Saturday’s disappointing 2-0 loss to England.
By contrast, the Greeks are coming into this game after an impressive 3-0 victory over Finland.
The visitors will be most people’s favourites this evening, given that they beat the Boys in Green twice in the recent Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Kick-off is at 7.45pm.
4 hrs ago 7:22PM
Confirmation of tonight’s Ireland XI, which has three changes from the England defeat.
STARTING XI | Ireland v Greece
Andrew Omobamidele comes into the side as well as Jason Knight and Alan Browne for the crucial match against Greece at the Aviva Stadium tonight ????
Kick-off is at 7.45pm, not long to go now ???????? pic.twitter.com/iSXWRSmDiQ
Greece's manager Ivan Jovanović and Ireland's manager Heimir Hallgrímsson. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
3 hrs ago 7:34PM
Here’s the Greece team for tonight…
3 hrs ago 7:43PM
Who do you think will win tonight?
3 hrs ago 7:55PM
5 mins – Not much to note so far.
Ireland appear to have adopted a 4-5-1 shape, with Brady and Omobamidele as full-backs.
Smallbone is seemingly playing as a 10 almost with Szmodics as the lone striker.
3 hrs ago 8:00PM
10 mins – Greece are seeing plenty of the ball with Ireland happy to sit back.
Neither side has created a significant chance yet.
3 hrs ago 8:02PM
11 mins – Chatzigiovanis’ corner finds Koulierakis, who gets in front of Omobamidele and heads just over the bar.
Greece have played most of the football so far with Ireland struggling to acquire any rhythm.
3 hrs ago 8:07PM
17 mins – It remains a very cagey contest.
But Ireland are coming into it more, with more of the game being played in the Greek half.
3 hrs ago 8:09PM
19 mins – Browne is in a good position but his cross is straight into the goalkeeper’s arms.
Both centre-backs were in the box — Ireland need to make more of those types of situations.
3 hrs ago 8:12PM
22 mins: Good interplay between Smallbone and Knight on the edge of the area.
The latter’s low cross finds Browne but his finish is deflected off the nearby defender and safely into the arms of Vlachodimos.
Andrew Omobamidele heads the ball away. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
3 hrs ago 8:17PM
26 mins: Bakasetas produces a decent effort from a free kick about 30 yards out.
However, Kelleher gets down well to parry it away for a corner.
3 hrs ago 8:21PM
31 mins: Omobamidele has just been somewhat harshly booked for blocking the run of Tzolis.
Otherwise not much has happened in the last few minutes.
3 hrs ago 8:23PM
33 mins: Szmodics attempts to audaciously lob the goalkeeper from about 40 yards out after Jason Knight’s long punt falls to him.
It’s well off target in the end though.
Greece's Konstantinos Koulierakis and Ireland's Sammie Szmodics. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
3 hrs ago 8:27PM
Here’s one of the few chances Ireland have created thus far…
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 10, 20242 hrs ago 8:29PM
38 mins: Collins wins a header on the edge of the area but knocks over Bakasetas as he does so and is penalised.
Szmodics follow-up shot from the edge of the area drifted wide anyway.
2 hrs ago 8:33PM
42 mins: Ireland have the ball in the net but it’s ruled out for a marginal offside.
It’s a shame as it was a great piece of play.
O’Shea’s cross-field pass found Ogbene, whose spectacular strike found the corner of the net despite Vlachodimos getting a hand on it.
2 hrs ago 8:35PM
45 mins: Great interplay down the right between Ogbene and Smallbone.
Eventually, the ball was pulled back to Browne on the edge of the area, but the Sunderland star produced a disappointing finish, blazing over the bar.
Ireland are finishing the half strongly.
There will be three minutes of stoppage time.
HALF-TIME: IRELAND 0-0 GREECE
2 hrs ago 8:41PM
So that’s the first half over.
It’s been far from perfect, but Ireland will be encouraged after an improved showing from Saturday.
Perhaps partially as a result of the change in formation, Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men look much more solid, though the inferior opposition is clearly a factor too.
Chances for both sides have been few and far between, but Ireland came into it more as the half progressed and were unlucky to see a brilliant Ogbene effort ruled out as they finished the stronger of the two sides.
2 hrs ago 8:50PM
Here’s a look at the moment when Ireland briefly thought they had opened the scoring…
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 10, 2024Chiedozie Ogbene reacts after his goal is disallowed. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
The second half is underway…
IRELAND 0-1 GREECE (Ioannidis 50)
2 hrs ago 9:00PM
Out of nothing, Greece take the lead.
Bakasetas squares it to Ioannidis, who is afforded far too much space to plant a superb effort into the corner of the net with Kelleher well beaten.
2 hrs ago 9:05PM
56 mins: Ogbene puts in a decent cross but Knight can’t get enough power in his downward header to trouble the goalkeeper.
Better from Ireland, who have Evan Ferguson warming up.
2 hrs ago 9:06PM
58 mins: Tsimikas has been booked for a late challenge on Omobamidele.
It looked nasty on the replay and perhaps the Greece star was lucky to get away with only a yellow.
2 hrs ago 9:11PM
Here’s a look at the opening goal…
2 hrs ago 9:11PM
63 mins: Ireland make their first change and it’s an attacking one.
Jayson Molumby is replaced by Evan Ferguson.
Greece's Fotis Ioannidis scores a goal. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
2 hrs ago 9:18PM
67 mins: Worrying moment for Ireland as Tzolis gets in behind the defence but shoots over from a difficult angle.
Greece then make a double change — Bouchalakis and Chatzigiovanis are replaced by Pelkas and Zafeiris.
As I type, Bakasetas curls a free kick just over from about 30 yards out.
2 hrs ago 9:22PM
74 mins: Double change for Ireland.
Jason Knight and Andre Omobamidele are replaced by Kasey McAteer and Matt Doherty.
2 hrs ago 9:26PM
77 mins: Greece are enjoying a good spell of possession at the moment.
It’s a long time since Ireland created a clear-cut chance.
1 hr ago 9:29PM
82 mins: Better from Ireland. They have Greece pinned back.
But as I type, Smallbone overhits a pass that goes out of play for a goal kick.
1 hr ago 9:32PM
84 mins: More changes for Ireland
Ogbene and Szmodics are replaced by Robinson and Idah.
The attendance has been announced as 37,204.
1 hr ago 9:33PM
85 mins: Robinson nearly makes an immediate impact.
His shot from the edge of the area deflects wide for a corner.
IRELAND 0-2 GREECE (Tzolis 87 mins)
1 hr ago 9:36PM
That’s almost certainly game over, unfortunately.
Greece counter. Tzolis gets away from Collins and fires an unstoppable shot into the corner of the net.
1 hr ago 9:38PM
There will be five minutes of stoppage time…
1 hr ago 9:40PM
Will Smallbone is named player of the match.
Members of the crowd disagree and there is a smattering of boos when this is announced.
To be fair, not many Irish players have excelled.
1 hr ago 9:41PM
Here’s that second goal…
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 10, 2024FULL-TIME: IRELAND 0-2 GREECE
1 hr ago 9:45PM
Right, that’s all from me.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
We’ll have more reaction on the site shortly.
