A night to cherish for Ireland as they fight back for thrilling win in Finland

David Sneyd reports from the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki

Nations League, Group 2 League B

Finland 1

Republic of Ireland 2

A NIGHT OF glorious firsts for the Republic of Ireland under manager Heimir Hallgrímsson.

Let’s start with the big one: a first win of this Nations League campaign.

Not only that, this 2-1 win over Finland in Helsinki is the first time Ireland have fought back from conceding first to win a competitive game since beating Kazakhstan in October 2013. More than a decade on and the Ireland fans can cherish another fantastic night like this after a thrilling 88th winner from Robbie Brady following a stunning assist from substitute Festy Ebosele.

Yep, you guessed it, his first assist, coming after Liam Scales’ first goal in green cancelled out Joel Pohjanpalo’s opener in the first half when he capitalised on a disastrous Nathan Collins under hit back pass.

So not only do Ireland now have their first win on the board in Group 2 of League B, but this is the first away victory in this competition since it began six years ago.

Hallgrímsson is the fourth manager in that time and barely a wet week – and boy was it absolutely lashing here in Helsinki the day before kick off – into his reign he can chalk off this precious milestone.

Signs of life and signs of progress. Finally. That is what Ireland needed, and not just to allay fears of relegation to halt the “downward spiral” as Hallgrímsson described what he inherited since the FAI opted not to renew Stephen Kenny’s contract last November.

Of course, the problems had been festering and the monster wrapping its tentacles around the international team had grown strong long before the Dubliner assumed the job from Mick McCarthy just as the Covid-19 pandemic also took hold on the world.

Of the starting XI that Hallgrímsson named here in Helsinki, seven were handed their debuts by the Icelander’s predecessor.

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Only Josh Cullen and Brady played a senior game prior to 2020 while Finn Azaz and Sammie Szmodics arrived over the last 12 months. Ebosele was another brought through by Kenny and, on this evidence of his pace and skill and composure to deliver the cross to the back post it will be Hallgrímsson who should benefit.

Hallgrímsson, of course, has already spoken about the need to “stop the bleeding” and it will be down to the men Kenny brought into the fold – some perhaps ahead of time – to do just that.

A new message is coming from the man in charge and different demands are now being placed on them too – a result like this backs up the positive talk and belief in what he can do.

Part of Ireland’s game plan for this Nordic exploration, against a similarly beleaguered team lacking in confidence and that actually started the night bottom of Group 2, was to lure the home side out close to the defensive third and then win possession to counter in the areas left exposed by a pair of full backs who ventured forward.

Ebosele proved that point.

It’s the reason why Chiedozie Ogbene and Szmodics were chosen wide to make the most of their pace and willingness to be direct.

There was one Ireland fan in the front row of the away end with his right arm in a sling.

Eyes were drawn to him early on as he and a few of his friends among the 1,000 travelling fans to Helsinki belted out songs of support with the players warming up in front of them in the corner where Pohjanpalo would later run to celebrate Finland’s opener in the 17th minute.

There was a brutal kind of symbolism to that moment, as well as witnessing that stricken man in the sling’s descent from optimism to annoyance and then a sense of renewed hope Liam Scales delicately headed home a header into that same corner of the same goal from Brady’s fizzed in swinging free kick on the right 12 minutes into the second half.

That equaliser came at a time when Ireland were on top, starting the second half with confidence and belief that was epitomised by Chiedozie Ogbene’s adventurous run that drew a foul from Leo Walta.

There was a time, and it does feel long ago now, when drawing games 1-1 was almost like an in-joke that only Ireland were in on.

But what’s been happening since is no laughing matter and this win, that keeps Ireland off the bottom of Group 2 in League was as precious as it was deserved.

When Brady rifled home high into the net he ran directly to that corner and the man in the sling moved just as quickly down the steps to celebrate wildly, both arms going absolutely 90.

Ireland equally went the distance here, and that will feel so sweet given this is a team that has felt like a man in a sling for some time, like it is more than just a little bit broken, maybe even feeble and most definitely vulnerable.

The manner of that opening goal summed it up. Just 25 seconds after Ireland won a throw on the halfway line Finland scored when four passes around the back ended with a fifth being under it and then punished.

But it wasn’t fatal and now Ireland have signs of life, even getting over Evan Ferguson’s disallowed goal when a free kick from Brady went out of play and couldn’t be kept in by Collins.

If the first time’s a charm, then hopefully it’s an offensive that can be sustained as they take this new momentum into another away clash in Greece – who beat England at Wembley – on Sunday night.

Next stop: Athens.

Finland: Lukas Hradecky; Adam Stahl, Arttu Hoskonen, Robert Ivanov, Tomas Galvez; Glen Kamara, Rasmus Schuller, Leo Walta; Robin Lod, Joel Pohjanpalo, Topi Keskinen.

Republic of Ireland: Caoimhín Kelleher; Dara O’Shea, Nathan Collins (captain), Liam Scales, Robbie Brady; Chiedozie Ogbene (Festy Ebosele 80), Josh Cullen, Jason Knight, Sammie Szmodics (Adam Idah 80); Finn Azaz (Jamie McGrath); Evan Ferguson (Troy Parrott 71).

Attendance: 16,105