Slovakia v Ireland takes place tonight and the stakes for Stephen Kenny could not be higher as he enters the last chance saloon for a place at Euro 2020.
Yep, it’s still called Euro 2020 despite the fact that it will take place in 2021 but that’s neither here nor there. Defeat tonight would mean Ireland will not be taking part in the festival of football next summer, when four games will be held here in Dublin at the Aviva Stadium.
Basically, there will be no more back doors or ‘get out of jail’ cards. The winner of Slovakia v Ireland will go on to face Northern Ireland or Bosnia-Herzegovina in the play-off final next month for a place at the tournament.
Here’s everything you need to know about Slovakia v Ireland this evening…
What time does Slovakia v Ireland kick off?
Slovakia v Ireland gets underway at the National Football Stadium in Bratislava at 7.45pm
What channel is it on?
The match will be screened live on RTE 2, with Darragh Maloney presenting live coverage from 7pm. You’ll also be able to watch the match live on Sky Sports Football, which is handy for any Irish expats in the UK.
What’s the team news?
The debate over whether Stephen Kenny should start with Matt Doherty of Seamus Coleman at right back was put to bed when the latter picked up an injury playing for Everton last week.
Other than that, the gaffer should have a full squad to choose from. Slovakia, meanwhile, are in a bit of disarray with defender Milan Skriniar ruled out due to a positive Covid-19 test and key midfielder Stanislav Lobotka quarantining in Italy.
What are our chances?
Ireland’s away record against decent opposition has never been great and normally going over to Bratislava in search of a win would be a tall ask. However, the fact that Slovakia are missing some important players and the absence of fans in the stadium could be two factors that swing the balance in our favour.
Anything else we need to know?
The Apres Match lads are expected to appear on RTE’s coverage to provide some light relief – let’s hope we won’t need much of it.
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