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Troy Parrott scores his side's stunning opener. Ryan Byrne/INPHO
From The 42Match Report
Troy Parrott lights up Aviva Stadium but Ireland are pegged back by Austria in second half
Striker scored a fine brace to put hosts in command before late collapse in a 2-2 draw.
Republic of Ireland 2
Austria 2
FOR ALL the emotional baggage and bombardment of the last week, the Republic of Ireland served up a night of thrilling entertainment that ultimately ended in desperate disappointment with this 2-2 draw against Austria.
Troy Parrott’s two first-half goals, the first of which will go down in lore, temporarily had Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side top of this Nations League group before a five-minute collapse in the final quarter saw the visitors earn a point through substitutes Alexander Prass and Michael Gregoritsch.
Until that point this was a performance that felt like the ultimate in coherence. The defence was organised, midfield composed and the front two working in perfect unison.
A manic end was to be expected, yet it could so easily have been avoided.
Ireland were putting on a show against the group favourites, a team that reached the last 32 of the summer’s World Cup.
This was not an Irish team buckling under the toll of pressure that has followed them since coming into camp and dealing with the issue of Israel.
There were protests before and during the game, and the FAI faced a grilling in the Oireachtas on Wednesday.
From being so close to producing an emphatic victory, Hallgrímsson must now help rejuvenate his players for the testing encounter to come behind closed doors against Israel.
This is a four-game international window that has tested every one of them like never before.
And yet for a time it felt so easy here.
Ireland fans had reason to clap from the first whistle due to a mixture of the attacking awareness and intricate play of Parrott, Idah and Jack Moylan as well as a determination to simply pressure Austria in their own box and not let them settle.
Within seconds Ireland won the ball back and were able to build themselves with ease, Conor Coventry comfortable taking a pass on the half turn from Caoimhín Kelleher and allowing James Abankwah show some adventure.
The positive, front-footed team selection that Hallgrímsson trusted was starting as they meant to go on. Idah was a torment, hounding the channels and holding the ball up when required.
This had the makings of solid, impressive operation.
And then the night took a gloriously outrageous turn. Ireland went back to front and delivered a goal of such rarified beauty.
Shane Long powered home a stunning winner here down the opposite end against world champions Germany in 2015, his very own Night of the Long Knife.
Parrott produced something that was just as piercing but had a measure of lethal grace that sets it apart from any other goal scored by an Ireland player in this venue. Although, his last two here in competitive action against Portugal weren’t bad either.
This is where Parrott is taking his career and, by extension, the hopes of a country. Endless possibilities and optimism.
Kelleher aimed his clearance to Idah and such had been his earlier effectiveness, defender David Affengruber dropped off instead of trying to press.
Poor Philipp Lienhart was last man and exposed. At first, it seemed like Parrott was too isolated near the centre circle. He seemed to gesture for help before realising he needed to go it alone with three men around him.
The Dubliner spun and had the goal in his sights. Lienhart was sent in the direction of Ringsend with the first nutmeg, Affengruber came back on the cover but Parrott’s next change of direction left the defender in a twisted knot that will need to be untied in Vienna.
The low, side-footed finish as he opened his body in the box went through the legs of goalkeeper Florian Wiegele and Ireland had the lead on 12 minutes.
It felt like a goal of such national importance that the FAI should insist on calling a meeting with an Oireachtas committee to discuss it.
Ireland fans had more reason to sing. Olé, olé, olé echoed around south Dublin along with a new variation,
Parrott again, olé, olé
The game was stopped twice briefly as the Stop The Game protests ahead of Sunday’s visit to Serbia to play Israel took the form of tennis balls raining down on the pitch and one fan evading added security and making it in front of the Ireland bench with a Palestine flag.
The Gardaí helped cart him off in front of Hallgrímsson and Co, and the FAI will await Uefa’s report given this fixture was one of their test events for Euro 2028.
With Finn Azaz supporting Coventry in a deeper position in midfield, there were times Ireland were troubled with Austrian runners into the box off their target man Sasa Kalajdiz.
Other than one finger tip save in the box from Patrick Wimmer on 40 minutes, Kelleher was mostly untroubled.
Within five minutes Ireland also doubled their lead courtesy of Parrott’s precise penalty kick. After a deep cross from Ryan Manning on the left, Moylan’s scuffed attempt was then misshit by Phillipp Mwene with Manning clipped by Nicolas Seiwald on his blindside.
It was a comedy of errors before Parrott completed the serious business from 12 yards with an effort that sent the keeper the wrong way and clipped the left post on its way in.
Ireland were in control and it stayed that way after the break until substitutes from both teams played a part in the visitors eventually drawing level in a desperate period between the 72nd and 77th minutes getting one back on 71 minutes. Defender Liam Kitchin was only on the pitch a matter of moments after replacing Liam Scales and was caught in possession by Wimmer just outside the box on the left.
He fizzed the ball across and the other Ireland sub, Jayson Molumby, managed to nick it at the front post but could only direct it back to Wimmer who teed up Alexander Prass to finish high into the net after he had been sprung from the bench.
Austria had their second wind and they soon had Ireland on the ropes when John Egan gave a free kick away just outside the D of the box and Gregoritsch, one of three half-time changes by Ralf Rangnick, nonchalantly dipped his effort over the wall to wrong foot Kelleher.
With 10 minutes to go the game was in the balance and Austria seemed the most likely, the last act of note being Prass slicing a great chance into the night sky on 89 minutes.
Republic of Ireland: Caoimhín Kelleher; James Abankwah (Jake O’Brien 75), Dara O’Shea (captain), John Egan, Liam Scales (Liam Kitching 62), Ryan Manning; Jack Moylan (Tom Cannon 86), Conor Coventry, Finn Azaz; Troy Parrott (Chiedozie Ogbene 75), Adam Idah (Jayson Molumby 62).
Austria: Florian Wiegele; Stefan Posch, David Affengruber (Maximillian Wober HT), Philipp Lienhart, Phillipp Mwene; Nicolas Seiwald (Konrad Laimer HT), Xavier Schlager (captain); Patrick Wimmer, Carney Chukwuemeka (Michael Gregoritsch HT), Romano Schmid (Alexander Prass 67); Sasa Kalajdzic.
Referee: Allard Lindhout (Ned).
Written by David Sneyd and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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