Losses to lower ranked opposition

The 1-0 loss to Luxembourg was a new low for the Republic of Ireland, in more ways than one. Currently ranked 98th in the world by FIFA, Luxembourg are the lowest ranked side to have defeated the Boys in Green in a senior home international.

The first loss to a lower ranked side came less than a year after FIFA introduced the rankings, when Spain, then ranked 14th in the world, won 3-1 at Lansdowne Road against the ninth ranked Irish, in the final home qualifier for the 1994 World Cup in the USA. The build up to the game had focussed on a win for Jack Charlton's team and qualifying for a tournament in front of the home fans for the first time. The team had been on an eight year unbeaten run at Lansdowne Road, having not been beaten at the venue since Charlton's first game in charge against Wales in 1986, but three first half goals - more goals than the team had conceded in the qualifiers until that game - put paid to this record, with Sheridan's goal in the second half the only consolation.

The following two losses to lower ranked sides were by the same scoreline, 59th ranked Czech Republic beat twelfth ranked Ireland in June 1993, and 40th ranked Austria beat tenth ranked Ireland 3-1 in June 1995, the same scoreline the Austrians would beat Ireland by in Vienna three months later.

The loss to the Austrians was the last loss to a lower ranked side in a competitive game until Switzerland, then ranked 55th in the world won 2-1 at Lansdowne Road in October 2002, in a game remembered as the last game of Mick McCarthy's first reign in charge.

The previous loss to the lowest ranked side came in May 2016, when Belarus, then 77th in the world, won 2-1 at Turner's Cross in a warm up game for the 2016 European Championships in France. 

If the UEFA Nations League is counted as a competitive international, then that would mean the Stephen Kenny is the first manager to lose two competitive games to lower ranked sides since Jack Charlton, having already lost 1-0 to 58th ranked Finland in September 2020

Ireland face 58th ranked Qatar tonight in a friendly - will things improve for Stephen Kenny?

Date	Level	Home	Rank	Score	Away	Rank
13-October-1993	World Cup Qualifier	Republic of Ireland	9	1-3	Spain	14
5-June-1994	Friendly	Republic of Ireland	12	1-3	Czech Republic	59
11-June-1995	European Cup Qualifier	Republic of Ireland	10	1-3	Austria	40
29-May-1999	Friendly	Republic of Ireland	38	0-1	Northern Ireland	69
16-May-2002	Friendly	Republic of Ireland	15	1-2	Nigeria	27
16-October-2002	European Cup Qualifier	Republic of Ireland	14	1-2	Switzerland	55
24-May-2006	Friendly	Republic of Ireland	31	0-1	Chile	64
31-May-2016	Friendly	Republic of Ireland	31	1-2	Belarus	77
5-September-2017	World Cup Qualifier	Republic of Ireland	29	0-1	Serbia	42
6-September-2020	UEFA Nations League	Republic of Ireland	34	0-1	Finland	58
27-March-2021	World Cup Qualifier	Republic of Ireland	42	0-1	Luxembourg	98

Episode 26 - A Serbian Episode

With the qualifying campaign for the World Cup in 2022 about to start, I'm joined by Mark Kennedy of Hawkeye Sidekick and Philip Flanagan of The Bottomless Pit of Football to discuss the players we'd like to see Stephen Kenny call up for the first two qualifiers against Serbia and Luxembourg, and the friendly against Qatar. What difference will new coach Anthony Barry make to the preparations and tactics for the games, and who will play against Wales in the U21s friendly?

Note - this episode was recorded before it was announced that Darren Randolph would not be available for the games in March

Episode 23 - We Didn't Get Wales!

The draw for the UEFA qualification groups for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar has taken place, and Stephen Kenny now knows his Republic of Ireland side will face Portugal, Serbia, Luxembourg, and Azerbaijan as they bid to qualify for the biggest football tournament in the world for the first time since 2002. I'm joined again by Mark Kennedy of Hawkeye Sidekick and Philip Flanagan of The Bottomless Pit of Football to discuss the group, Caoimhin Kelleher's Liverpool debut, and John Joe Patrick Finn, a 17 year old who made his first appearance for Getafe at the weekend, who qualifies to play for the Boys In Green.