No time for regret as do-or-die Italy clash awaits Ireland U-21s

In back-to-back 2-2 draws at Turner’s Cross, Jim Crawford’s men were a matter of seconds from taking three points from each.

Last November, it was Leeds United’s Wilfried Gnonto who struck in the dying seconds to deny Ireland a famous win over top seeds Italy. And 11 months on, it was the turn of Benfica’s Andreas Schjelderup to silence the Cork crowd with another late leveller. But perhaps this one hurt even more as a November play-off for Euro 2025 was snatched from Irish hands.

Victory would have set up a winner-takes-all clash away to group leaders Italy next Tuesday, but now Ireland will go to Trieste knowing they must at least match, or better, third-placed Norway’s result when they host Turkey at the same time.

What seemed to be a fortress early on in their campaign for Slovakia 2025 with back-to-back opening victories, the Leeside venue has quickly turned into a place where the feeling of heartbreak is all too familiar. But now, there’s no time to feel sorry for themselves, no time for regret. It’s do or die next.

Minutes after the life was sucked out of a packed Turner’s Cross, Killian Phillips emerged from the dressing room, one which Crawford admitted there were “tears” in after their big chance slipped away.

“I can’t say anything really, I’m gutted,” said the Crystal Palace midfielder, on loan this term at St Mirren.

“It’s been a couple of times now where we have conceded a last minute goal. It’s very raw at the minute, very emotional. It’s a very, very tough one to take. If we won we would have gone over to Italy knowing a play-off was guaranteed. We just have to dust ourselves off and now, we go to Italy knowing we have to better Norway’s result. It’s all or nothing on Tuesday night.”

As Crawford’s young guns aim to become the first Irish side to qualify for an U-21 European Championship, this really is a case of all or nothing. Norway’s 93rd-minute leveller on Friday night came in hugely controversial circumstances as replays confirmed that Anselmo Garcia MacNulty’s shirt was clearly pulled by an opposition player just seconds before the goal.

But Phillips says in their post-mortem, there won’t be any blame game.

“It’s been a couple of times now we have been unlucky with decisions, but there’s no blame game or anything. We’re all together, and we have been since the first game,” said the 22-year-old.

“We have faced adversity before and we have always overcome it. We just need to dust ourselves off and go again. Norway had a lot of the ball but I don’t think they really had a shot on target until the goal. In the second half we got after them a little bit more, put them under pressure and the goal came from us winning it back.”

While the Kilbarrack man insists there are positives to take from Friday’s qualifier, there were improvements he felt his side could make heading into Tuesday’s do or die clash. Ireland struggled to impose themselves on Norway in the first-half and although they came out with a new vigour after the break, Phillips feels the Young Boys in Green need to back themselves more in the final third.

“I think at times we had the ball and went side to side a little bit too much. I think we just need to get on it, turn and move forward,” he said, added winning his seventh U-21 cap.

“I think we can do a lot more of that. The quality in the group is unbelievable so we just need to believe in ourselves a little bit more. We’re not just a team who work hard, we’re a team who can play football as well. Especially in Italy now, they are a great team but there will be times when they can be open too. You have to play forward and take a few risks.”

Having been seconds from beating Italy in Cork 11 months ago, Crawford’s men know they are able to match the five-time U-21 Euro champions. But equally, they are well aware too that they can’t afford to switch off if they are to get the result they are so desperate for.

“We know we can beat Italy on any day, we’ll be raring to go.”

This next generation will hope that day arrives on Tuesday, for history awaits.