Ireland 3-1 Montenegro
And now we must wait.
Jim Crawford’s men held up their end of the bargain yesterday, beating Montenegro thanks to goals from the outstanding Will Smallbone, UCD winger Liam Kerrigan and Tyreik Wright.
All eyes turn to Helsingborg on Thursday night, where anything other than a Sweden win against Italy guarantees Ireland a historic play-off spot.
More on the permutations in a bit.
This was yet another masterclass from a gifted group of players.
Hot on the heels of Friday’s 3-0 win over Bosnia, this one had banana skin written all over it, given how Montenegro bullied and punished the Boys in Green in Podgorica last October.
And their physical style of play looked like it might give their hosts some trouble once again in the early stages yesterday evening.
Czech referee Jan Petrik let plenty of challenges go as they sought to unsettle the Irish, just like they did eight months ago when they scored twice inside the opening nine minutes.
But the class of players such as Smallbone, Conor Noss, Wright and Kerrigan helped Ireland gain a foothold in the game.
And Derby defender Eiran Cashin, with 12 Championship appearances this past season, showed why it was worth the long and often frustrating process to get his paperwork cleared.
Smallbone scored twice against Bosnia and he was quick yesterday evening to showcase his ability and awareness, dinking a quick free-kick over the top to Kerrigan.
While it came to nothing, that first minute incident was a sign of things to come.
Noss and Conor Coventry, winning a record 25th cap at Under-21 level, taking him past Graham Barrett’s tally of 24, soon took control of midfield and both had sights at goal.
Noss’s on 38 minutes, from a training ground corner routine, landed, via a deflection, into the arms of a grateful Montenegro goalkeeper Nikola Ivezic.
Three minutes later, Ireland were ahead thanks to a Smallbone screamer.
Ireland’s set-pieces were innovative throughout and this was another one that had clearly been worked on - even if it didn’t play out as planned.
The Southampton youngster played a short free-kick to Wright, who clipped the ball to the back post where Kerrigan, who won the free, sent it spinning up into the air.
JJ Kayode chested the ball back to Smallbone on the edge of the area, he controlled it with his chest and unleashed a fierce half-volley across goal and inside the right-hand post.
Montenegro threatened early in the second-half when Nikola Krstovic, who has been capped at senior international level, drew a smart save out of Derry City goalkeeper Brian Maher.
He pushed the ball to the edge of the area, where Zaim Divanovic sent the rebound high over the bar.
Two minutes later and another Smallbone set-piece saw Ireland double their lead.
He floated a right-wing free towards Cashin at the back post, he headed it across goal where Kerrigan controlled and then finished from six yards.
Wright made it 3-0 on 67 minutes when Evan Ferguson, only on the pitch three minutes, played a one-two with Lee O’Connor and crossed low for the Villa winger to finish.
Playing with a swagger now, Ireland pushed forward for a fourth and should have had one when Coventry’s shot was blocked into the path of Cashin.
He was denied by the keeper, who raced off his line, and Kerrigan fired over from an acute angle.
Viktor Dukanovic sent a few flutters through the Irish camp when he netted with 14 minutes to go.
There appeared to be a foul in the build-up, but play continued and he finished calmly past Maher from 10 yards.
Montenegro never looked like adding to their tally, however, and Ireland could have bagged another couple, with Ferguson twice going close.
His 89th minute effort was palmed away, while the 17-year-old Brighton man should have scored with an injury-time header after another Smallbone free was parried.
And now the wait for Thursday’s clash between Sweden and Italy, where a win for the Azzurri would send Ireland into the play-offs.
A draw and, with at least a play-off assured, Ireland would head to Ascoli next Tuesday with top-spot still up for grabs. A Sweden win and all three teams would still be in contention for the two top spots.
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