Two Changes As O'Neill Names Team To face Wales

16 October 2018; Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill arrives prior to the UEFA Nations League B group four match between Republic of Ireland and Wales at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Gavin Cooney
By Gavin Cooney
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Martin O'Neill has named the Ireland team to face Wales in this evening's Nations League clash with Wales at the Aviva Stadium.

The team shows two changes - Shane Long and Callum O'Dowda and drop out for Callum Robinson and Aiden O'Brien. The formation is anyone's guess - but we're going to take a stab at O'Neill replicating the 3-5-2 of last Saturday, with Jeff Hendrick dropping deep to allow Robinson and O'Brien partner each other up front.

Ireland team to face Wales 

Randolph; Doherty; Keogh, Duffy, K Long; McClean; Arter, Hendrick, Christie; Robinson, O'Brien

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Callum O'Dowda misses out with a head injury sustained in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Denmark, while Seamus Coleman, Robbie Brady, Stephen Ward and Jon Walters are all out through injury, too.

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If Ireland are to sustain realistic ambitions of topping the group they need to win tonight.

Given that the ties in the group standings are decided by the head-to-head record between the sides tied, a draw would make it impossible for Ireland to top the group. Avoiding relegation should be Ireland's main aim, however: a win makes that likely, while a draw would leave us needing to win away to Denmark to avoid the drop.

Lose tonight, however, and relegation is probable - Ireland would need Denmark to lose their final two games to beat the drop. Those games are against us in Aarhus and away to Wales in Cardiff.

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Kick off at the Aviva is at 7.45pm this evening.

 

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