The Euro 2024 dream is all but over for Stephen Kenny and Ireland after suffering a 1-2 loss to the Netherlands this evening at the Aviva Stadium, in their Group B qualifier.
The game couldn't have started better for Ireland, with Chiedozie Ogbene denied by a superb last ditch block. From the resulting corner, Ireland were awarded a penalty after a Virgil van Dijk handball, which Adam Idah superbly slotted home into the bottom left corner.
However, Ireland's night peaked there and then in the fourth minute, as the Dutch worked their way back into the game.
In the 19th minute, Denzel Dumfries was put through on goal but was tripped up Gavin Bazunu, leading the referee to award a yellow to the keeper and a penalty to the Netherlands. Liverpool's Cody Gakpo also slotted home from the spot.
The Dutch then took the lead in the 56th minute after Dumfries set up substitute Wout Weghorst.
Netherlands Come Back From A Goal Down To Beat Ireland
1-0 Ireland thanks to Adam Idah's very cool penalty kick
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Dutch lead 2-1. A simple enough goal. Dumfries heads the ball across goal and Weghorst steers home
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READ HERE: Moran Wonder Goal And 96th Minute Winner Sees Ireland U21s Past Turkey
While Ireland have ran the bigger sides close, including Portugal, France, and now the Dutch, Stephen Kenny has a poor record against weaker teams.
In the RTE studio after the match, Didi Hamann discussed this point, and was critical of the job that Kenny has done.
It's no shame going to Paris and losing there two nil, it's no shame losing to the Netherlands, even though I felt they were there for the taking.
The manager came out after the France game and said 'this is the first time that we got beat by more than one goal'. Now he's lost about twenty odd games now in his reign.
He tried to sell us that losing by one goal is not that bad. But in fact I think it's the worst thing that can happen because he's lost more games than he's won, and the goal difference is positive.
That means when they do win, [against] the like of Qatar, Luxembourg, they beat them by three or four goals, but every time the going gets tough, every time there's a tight game, they find a way to get beat.
This is the sign of a weak team. You can argue 'well these players don't play for clubs like the Dutch players or the French players'. But is Greece any better than us? Finland got 12 points, Scotland got 15 points now, other nations do it.
'They find a way to get beat... this is the sign of a weak team' - the panel react to another loss
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"And to say we're working towards Euro 24, or maybe now he's coming out and saying we'll work towards the World Cup in two years time," continued Hamann.
"It's not good enough.
"If you don't get the results your time will come to an end. I think he's very fortunate to still be in a job and it's the third time now at the half-way stage, we are out of the running.
"I think the team is a lot better than what they showed in the last one and a half years."
The result now leaves Ireland second from bottom in the group on three points, with the Netherlands and Greece on nine, and France on fifteen.
After five games, Ireland have only three games left - against the Netherlands, Greece, and Gibraltar - to pick up points.
SEE ALSO: Ireland Fans Furious At RTE For Giving Precedence To Golf Over Netherlands Build-Up
