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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Andy Hunter

Ireland dreams end in shootout heartbreak after Krejci’s late goal rescues Czechs

Matej Kovar Ladislav Krejci Jake OBrien Nathan Collins Ryan Manning Troy Parrott World Cup Caoimhín Kelleher Finn Azaz Glenn Nyberg
The Republic of Ireland team look dejected after losing a penalty shootout against the Czech Republic in Prague
The Republic of Ireland team look dejected after losing a penalty shootout against the Czech Republic in Prague. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/INPHO/Shutterstock

A familiar tale of World Cup playoff agony awaited the Republic of Ireland in Prague, but this was no hard luck story. Heimir Hallgrímsson’s team twice had the Czech Republic where they wanted them, in normal time and in a penalty shootout, and twice they let them off the hook. Dreams of a first World Cup in 24 years evaporated as a consequence.

Ireland led 2-0 after 23 minutes of a scrappy semi-final and 3-2 after the first six penalties of the shootout, but the momentum built on the back of outstanding qualifying wins over Portugal and Hungary could not be sustained. The misery of this latest playoff defeat – Ireland’s fifth loss in six World Cup playoff fixtures – will be heightened by the realisation it was so unnecessary.

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