Wednesday 19 November 2014 08:55, UK
Republic of Ireland boss Martin O'Neill remains focused on his side's European qualifying campaign, despite a morale-boosting 4-1 victory over the United States in Dublin on Tuesday.
A team featuring 11 changes to the one which lost 1-0 in Scotland on Friday was good enough to see off Jurgen Klinsmann's side at the Aviva Stadium.
O’Neill said: "The qualifying games are the most important and everything else is a build-up to them, even including tonight.
"We scored four goals tonight and it was nice, and it was nice to regain momentum from Friday night.
“But the most important fixtures, again, are the matches that we have in 2015.
The most important fixtures are the matches that we have in 2015
"We have seven points on the board. It was disappointing not to have got something from the game on Friday but it is not fatal.
“Regardless of the result on Friday, if we had got a point out of the game, we would have still been looking to try to beat Poland and Scotland.
"Those next two matches are of vital importance to us."
United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann admitted errors had cost his team dearly.
He said: "Always at 1-0 and then getting back into the game and equalising, you hope to get the lead, even before half-time and there were enough chances to score that second goal.
"They scored and individual mistakes cost you at this level, you can't allow those type of mistakes defensively.
"But we saw a lot of things, some good stuff, some not so good stuff and we will address that, obviously, with the guys.
"We have finished off a long year, 2014, which overall was a positive year.
"We are building and when you build a new cycle and you introduce new fresh players into the group, then there will be some growing pains along the way. That's just normal."
