The Republic of Ireland proved just too strong for Paraguay with a 2-1 friendly win in Dublin on Tuesday.
Ireland beat World Cup qualifiers to claim first win in six
The Republic of Ireland proved just too strong for World Cup-bound Paraguay as the hosts held on for a 2-1 friendly win in Dublin on Tuesday.
Coach Giovanni Trapattoni named the strongest line-up possible for just the second-ever international at the RDS Arena and was rewarded with their first win in six internationals.
The hosts produced a solid first-half display with Wolves striker Kevin Doyle heading a seventh-minute opener before Stoke midfielder Liam Lawrence fired home in the 39th minute.
Paraguay had plenty of possession but didn't pose the hosts any serious problems until the second half, when Argentina-born striker Lucas Barrios marked his international debut with a 58th-minute strike.
The South Americans began to find more space late on but the Republic claimed a morale-boosting victory and they will hope to claim another World Cup scalp on Friday, with England's Group C opponents Algeria visiting the RDS Arena.
Qualifying heartache
Ireland could have been forgiven for going into the game still smarting at not being able to join the Paraguayans in South Africa, but instead they chose to demonstrate that, regardless of Thierry Henry's handball in their play-off defeat by France, they were good enough to be there.
Trapattoni readily acknowledges that he may not have as much natural talent at his disposal as some of his managerial counterparts, but he has learnt over the past two years that he has a team spirit, a pride and a passion which can make up for much of the shortfall.
That was in evidence once again at the RDS as a Paraguay side which beat Brazil and drew in Argentina to qualify with two games to spare, struggled to break down the hosts early on despite dominating possession for long periods.
But while the Republic's work may have been a little more prosaic, they were far more effective where it mattered and scored twice before the break.
They were indebted to Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz for the opener as he inadvertently headed Damien Duff's free-kick against his own crossbar after the ball came through a crowd of bodies.
The rebound looped up off the woodwork and Doyle was on hand to head in from close range despite Santa Cruz's desperate challenge.
Jonathan Santana's rising shot sailed over Keiren Westwood's crossbar shortly after while Rodolfo Gamarra's driven free-kick went just beyond the far post and Sunderland defender Paulo da Silva.
Lawrence strike
However, Ireland extended their lead seven minutes later when Doyle chested down Stephen Kelly's cross to Lawrence, who thumped it past goalkeeper Aldo Bobadilla with the help of a deflection off defender Denis Caniza.
Westwood was called upon for the first time in stoppage time when he tipped Antonin Alcaraz's low strike wide.
The Republic might have killed the game off within minutes of the restart after creating two good chances in quick succession.
First Doyle tested Bobadilla with a left-foot volley on the turn, and then the goalkeeper blocked Duff's shot with his chest after the winger had escaped Da Silva's clutches on the left.
However, Paraguay reduced the deficit when Santana and Claudio Morel played their way around Paul McShane before Santana nudged it square to Barrios, who worked space to dispatch a right-foot strike past Westwood into the bottom corner.
Both managers made several changes late on with Trapattoni handing senior international debuts to Cillian Sheridan, Paul Green and Keith Fahey, while opposite number Gerardo Martino dispensed with three-quarters of his starting midfield.
In the meantime, Westwood was grateful to see Gamarra's teasing 70th-minute cross run through the goalmouth while Lawrence intercepted substitute Aureliano Torres' superb pass to Gamarra as Ireland withstood the visitors' late push for an equaliser.
| Republic of Ireland |
Team Statistics |
Paraguay |
| 2 |
Goals |
1 |
| 2 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 4 |
Shots on Target |
2 |
| 4 |
Shots off Target |
4 |
| 1 |
Blocked Shots |
1 |
| 2 |
Corners |
2 |
| 13 |
Fouls |
16 |
| 3 |
Offsides |
3 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
0 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 66.9 |
Passing Success |
83 |
| 17 |
Tackles |
18 |
| 82.4 |
Tackles Success |
61.1 |
| 33.1 |
Possession |
66.9 |
| 47 |
Territorial Advantage |
53 |
|
