In recent international fixtures, Norwich City’s Adam Idah has had both success and disappointment. In his last club game before the international break, Idah scored a late winner for the Canaries in a Championship comeback against Cardiff. However, in a Euro2024 qualifying defeat to the Netherlands, a goal for his country was disallowed. Despite this, Idah was on target in the match against Dublin on Tuesday night, coolly slotting the ball from the edge of the box with his right foot in the 29th minute, after Mark Sykes pressured Nando Pijnaker into a turnover. Idah was joined in the Irish starting line up by club mate Shane Duffy and former Norwich defender Andrew Omobamidele. He was replaced in the 66th minute by Evan Ferguson in what was Irish captain James McClean’s final game for his country.
His City colleague Dimitris Giannoulis had an assist in an entertaining 2-2 Euro2024 pool finale against France in Athens. Operating as a left wing back, he marked his 26th cap for his country with a cross that was converted into a goal by Fotis Ioannidis. However, a stunning strike by Youssouf Fofana denied the Greeks a win when he scored from long range from Kylian Mbappé’s pass. France had already topped Group B ahead of the final game of the section, with the Netherlands joining them at the finals next summer while the Republic of Ireland finished fourth in the same group after only two wins over minnows Gibraltar in a disappointing qualifying campaign.
In other international action, Tony Springett was an unused substitute in the Republic of Ireland Under-21s 2-2 draw against the Italian counterparts in Uefa U21 qualifying. Leeds ace Wilfried Gnonto struck a brace, including a 96th minute equaliser while City centre back Jonathan Tomkinson was part of the US Olympic set up that lost 1-0 to Morocco in Spain as part of their preparations to take part in next summer’s tournament at the Paris Games. The US have qualified for their first Olympic men’s football tournament in 16 years, which is open to players under the age of 23, with three over-age players permitted to take part.
Marcelino Nunez is set to start Chile’s World Cup qualifier in Ecuador later on Tuesday night in his international action.
