A PLUCKY IRELAND had only themselves to blame as a remarkable late comeback was not enough to atone for earlier defensive lapses – as Russia left Dublin with a priceless 3-2 win as Group B turned to a real dogfight.

First half goals from Aleksandr Kerzhakov and Alan Dzagoev, and a second-half effort from Roman Shirokov, gave the Russians an insurmountable 3-0 lead, and Ireland – restricting themselves to just 20 minutes to fight back – simply could not bare enough teeth up front to overcome it, as Robbie Keane’s penalty and Shane Long’s drive transpired to be consolatory.

Ironically, it was the home side that opened the brighter – Ireland had tested the visiting defence within the opening seconds with a flurry of inventive moves, and caused all sorts of headaches after seven minutes when Aiden McGeady fed Robbie Keane, whose cross for the head of Kevin Doyle agonisingly clipped the crossbar first.

Ireland were first undone just two minutes later. Chelsea’s Yuri Zhirkov was half-pushed by Richard Dunne; Shay Given couldn’t keep hold of Andrei Arshavin’s resulting free kick and as the Irish struggled to evacuate the area, the ball fell into the path of the incoming Kerzhakov, whose powerful shot brushed off Sean St Ledger and into the top-right corner.

The hosts did not learn from their mistakes. On 20 minutes, with the Russians winning the game’s first corner, Ireland were happy to play pinball in the penalty box and were lucky that John O’Shea’s backpass went wide. Thankfully, the second time around, St Ledger was in a better position to stretch the ball away.

Ireland did make their own attempts; a decent team attack built on 24 when the referee played advantage after Liam Lawrence was downed, and Aiden McGeady stormed down the left. His cross met the head of Keane whose lofty attempt was sent to Richard Dunne, who fed Doyle – only for the Wolves man to spill his juggle and scuff a half-volley when Keane was in a better position.

From there, the Russians struck once more, showing more fluent movement than Ireland could hope to handle. Sensing that Kevin Kilbane was farther from goal than he should have been, Roman Shirokov sent a marvellous ball down to Kerzhakov in the top-right corner. The Zenit St Petersburg forward cut across perfectly to feed Dzagoev – who bagged his first for Russia to cap a gorgeous move.

More of the same

The second half started with promises of more of the same: Glenn Whelan was totally absent while right-back Aleksandr Anyukov bombed into the side netting.

Five minutes in, Roman Shirokov shot from distance with the Irish defence nowhere around; his shot, admittedly, took a wicked deflection off the heel of Richard Dunne to lead Given irreparably wrong-footed, but the absence of any Irish effort to close him down was telling.

Much had been said before the game about restoring the famous ‘Lansdowne Roar’ – but for twenty minutes after Russia’s third, the crowd mellowed and showed about as much effort as the Irish defence had mustered. The visitors, meanwhile, chased every one-on-one and fifty-fifty challenge – and, indeed, emerged victorious from most.

And continually, the maroon-clad visitors brought wave after wave of attack – Arshavin battering the side netting on the hour when under comparatively little pressure, while mazing runs from Kerzhakov found nobody in front of goal to apply the finish. Another cross from captain Arshavin found Kerzhakov only inches away from making it 4-0.

Renaissance

Ireland’s midfield, to its credit, kept plugging away in the face of breathless Russian intensity. Lawrence continued to find space, and it was his industry that sparked Ireland’s accidental comeback.

With 20 minutes to go, a straightforward challenge from Zhirkov clipped the heels of Robbie Keane; referee Kevin Blom deemed the challenge to be two-footed, and the captain coolly wrong-footed Akinfeev for his 45th international goal.

Three minutes later, the hosts finally won their first corner – Keane, under pressure, laid off for McGeady whose shot was deflected out to the right. Though the resulting attack came to nothing (Kevin Kilbane, of all people, caught offside), Ireland correctly sensed that Akinfeev was not quite entirely comfortable.

And so, on 77, they struck again. A Shay Given free kick from halfway was hoisted down by Dunne; McGeady, pouncing, forced a good reflex save from Akinfeev but substitute Shane Long – only on the pitch two minutes – was on hand to batter it home. And, with 13 minutes to go, Lansdowne roared once more, while Russian coach Dick Advocaat scowled on the sidelines.

Sadly, Ireland never came truly close to finding an equaliser. Pressurising, McGeady sent O’Shea forward on the overlap; his cross was cleared but only back to McGeady. The Spartak Moscow midfielder lobbed inside towards the invigorating Long, but the hoist was inches too high for him.

Another dead-ball delivery from substitute Darron Gibson saw a nervous Akinfeev challenged by Dunne – fate dictated, however, that the ball evade all Irish feet. Indeed, Ireland were lucky that the game wasn’t killed on the spot: another silky ball from Arshavin left Igor Semshov with almost nobody to beat – all bar himself, that is, as he promptly fell over and handballed.

The four minutes of injury time provided titilation but no real chances for Ireland – Zhirkov laid off to Pavel Pogrebnyak, who managed to miss an open goal, and late claims for a second penalty when St Ledger went tumbling were in vain.

Ireland: Given, St Ledger, Kilbane, O’Shea, Dunne, Whelan (Gibson 65), Lawrence (Long 61), Green, Doyle (Fahey 71), Keane, McGeady. Subs not used: McShane, Westwood, Keogh, Cunningham.

Russia: Akinfeev, Anyukov, Ignashevich, V Berezutsky, Zhirkov, Shirokov, Denisov, Zyryanov (Semshov 67), Kerzhakov (Pogrebnyak 80), Arshavin, Dzagoev (A Berezutskiy 84). Subs not used: Gabulov, Bystrov, Bilyaletdinov, Bukharov.

Referee: Kevin Blom (Netherlands).

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Elsewhere in Group B, Armenia sprung a 3-1 defeat on Slovakia, while Andorra remain rooted to the foot of the table, losing 2-0 to FYR Macedonia.

Ireland remain top of the group – though only on goals scored – ahead of Russia, with Slovakia third. All three are on six points. Armenia and Macedonia are two points adrift on four, and Andorra are bottom with none.