Dunne marshalls defiant troops to stifle Bulgaria
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BULGARIA 1
REP OF IRELAND 1
Bulgaria believed that their World Cup campaign was only beginning last night, instead it appeared to end on a night of Irish defiance in Sofia.
Ireland again conceded a careless goal but once more it didn't matter. Richard Dunne, outstanding all evening, gave Ireland a lead they deserved before sloppy play from Kevin Kilbane allowed Bulgaria to equalise.
They spent the rest of the game trying to break Ireland down but they ran out of time, and having allowed Ireland a start in the group, Bulgaria are now running out of options.
The return of Dimitar Berbatov, Martin Petrov and Valeri Bojinov was going to be the moment when Bulgaria accelerated. It was always a high-risk strategy with half the matches gone but the mood in Sofia last week was that anything could be achieved.
Instead it was Ireland who discovered the art of the possible. There are still tough games remaining but last night was supposed to be the toughest. In the June heat, in front of a hostile crowd, Ireland were supposed to perform valiantly and wilt. But Trapattoni has worked on a different story.
Trapattoni and Keane had been dismissive of the heat 24 hours the game, but most of the Irish players went to the dug-out for water just before kick-off.
They needed to make sure they didn't spend as much time chasing the ball as they had in Dublin but an opening exchange between Bojinov and Berbatov suggested that Bulgaria were going to make Ireland work.
Instead Ireland took the game to Bulgaria. Caleb Folan started strongly, signalling what was to come in the first 20 minutes. Early on, he held the ball up well before releasing the excellent Damien Duff who put in a cross which Stephen Hunt attacked well. His header was saved by Dimitar Ivanov who almost immediately had to stop another Irish effort when Folan took an ambitious shot from outside the box.
The start gave Ireland confidence and while the crowd roared each time a Bulgarian forward was flagged offside, on the sideline Trapattoni applauded as much for the organisation as the decision.
Occasionally Bulgaria got through, most dangerously in the 19th minute when Stilian Petrov picked out a run down the right from Dimitar Telkiyski. He knocked it back to Zhivko Milanov but his cross was headed over by Berbatov.
Ireland were not as wasteful. Folan was outstanding, with every ball sticking to him and when he went down after a collision with Petrov, the concern of his team-mates reflected his importance.
Ireland continued to attack and Hunt was cynically taken down by Angelov as he went down the left, but the free-kick worked to Ireland's advantage. Hunt swung it in and the Bulgarians were clueless at the back as Dunne thumped in a header.
Ireland had the lead after 23 minutes but they needed to keep their nerve. Immediately Martin Petrov went close from a hopeful ball forward and Trapattoni was jittery on the touchline.
He could sense the impending danger but unfortunately Kevin Kilbane couldn't, letting a long ball from Milanov bounce believing there was cover from Sean St Ledger. There wasn't and it was Kilbane's responsibility. Telkiyski finished smoothly past Given. Ireland had the lead for six minutes and the next hour threatened to be worse.
Bulgaria were transformed and Ireland diminished, with the knowledge that it was their own mistake seeming to subdue them further.
Bulgaria took hold of the ball, causing problems down the Irish left where they attacked Kilbane at every opportunity, with Berbatov coming deep to exert more control.
The game was gripping but that wouldn't have interested Trapattoni who knew that Ireland faced a struggle to remain level at half-time. Just before the interval, Given saved well from Radostin Kishishev and Ireland had, at least, achieved something.
They needed to keep possession if the second half was not to be even more testing. Folan was still holding up the ball but he was finding it hard to link with players as Ireland tired.
Damien Duff was beating his man on the right but Ireland needed more from their midfield, particularly Glenn Whelan. Instead they retreated, allowing Bulgaria to play and when Stilian Petrov found Berbatov with a ball over the top, only a poor touch from the Manchester United forward prevented Ireland going behind.
Bulgaria's need was greater and Bojinov and Martin Petrov were replaced with more than half an hour to go as they looked for the win required.
Without the ball, Ireland were more anxious and Trapattoni sent McGeady on for Hunt with 20 minutes remaining hoping that he could deliver an attacking threat.
Trapattoni made an even bigger decision, removing Robbie Keane and sending on Leon Best. Folan had become irreplaceable.
A free kick on the edge of the Irish box was wasted by Bulgaria and McGeady and Folan both went on runs that had the home side retreating before Ireland were forced into a third change when John O'Shea hobbled off and was replaced by Stephen Kelly.
The game entered the stage every Irish fan has learned to dread but the home crowd were subdued and Dunne, as he had been all night, was alert to every danger.
Instead it was Ireland who attacked with McGeady cutting in from the left but shooting just wide in injury time. Seconds later, he conceded a sloppy free-kick 25 yards from the Irish goal and again Ireland anticipated the worst.
There was no threat then but the game wasn't over and Kelly flicked one cross away as Ireland entered the decisive moments. They held out. Things no longer seem quite so improbable.
- Dion Fanning
