Liam Scales isn't best known for his goalscoring exploits, yet the Celtic defender has now netted during a UEFA Champions League match for his club and bagged his first for his country within the past month.
Scales, 26, headed home Robbie Brady's free-kick to give the Republic of Ireland a deserved equaliser in their UEFA Nations League away clash against Finland on Thursday night.
Brady then grabbed a last-grasp winner to seal maximum points in Group B2.
Scales barely put a foot wrong throughout the 90 minutes as he relished earning just his sixth international cap.
Speaking after the match, the Hoops centre-back reflected on the special moment and explained how getting on the scoresheet for Ireland had always been a personal goal.
He said: “It’s brilliant, it was a great feeling, and the fans just make it that bit better. We’ve been due a win, especially away from home, and to win it like that was brilliant.
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“We work hard on set pieces and we are told to attack in between the spaces. It was just one of them where I've attacked the space and the ball's arrived. It happened so quick that you are just trying to get as much good contact on it as you can to direct it, and luckily enough I did.
"I don’t get many; I’ve had a few this season already. I think in the last 10 or 15 games, I’ve more than I had in the previous two seasons already.
“Droughts come as well as a defender but hopefully I can chip in with a few more. It’s always been top of the list for me, so to check that off is amazing. I’ll reflect on it tonight and take it all in.”
Match-winner Brady was also quick to praise Scales' contribution, simply stating: “Scalesy’s done unbelievable to get himself a goal."
On Ireland ending a three-game losing streak, Scales added: "I think it will give us confidence, and I think that's been missing.
"We want to make a habit of winning tough games away from home, winning games at the Aviva. We want to make it a habit. We don't want to make it a one-off. We want it to become more regular.
"So, that's the plan. We want to take the confidence into the next few fixtures and hopefully pick up as many points as we can."
