Saturday 25 March 2017 09:24, UK
Martin O'Neill was happy with Republic of Ireland's position in Group D after Friday night's goalless draw with Wales at the Aviva Stadium.
The stalemate with Chris Coleman's team, who had to play the final 21 minutes of the clash with only 10 men following Neil Taylor's straight red card for a foul on Seamus Coleman, saw the Republic lose top spot in the group.
Serbia had moved to the head of the section after their 3-1 win at Georgia earlier in the day, although the Republic's subsequent point in Dublin did see them go joint top of the table on 11 points.
Third-placed Wales and Austria, who are fourth after beating Moldova 2-0, are now four points behind the leading duo at the halfway point on the road to Russia 2018.
"It's five games gone, we're exactly halfway. Two games at home, three away," O'Neill said after the full-time whistle.
"We've 11 points on the board. I would have taken that [at the start of the group].
"Serbia won, Austria won - they're not out of it. Wales didn't gain any ground on us, but we still have to go there and they are capable of winning matches."
The match in the Irish capital was marred by the broken leg suffered by the Republic captain Coleman, with O'Neill saying that he had been told Taylor's tackle "wasn't great".
"I'd like to have been in a position to have seen the challenge," O'Neill said.
"The players said it wasn't great. The television people said it wasn't great either.
"I've seen John [OShea's] injury and he has stud marks on his ankle. They tell me they're both pretty bad challenges."
