Preview: Bulgaria v Ireland
The Republic of Ireland will be hoping to end the international season on a high as they face Bulgaria in a World Cup qualifier in Sofia on Saturday evening.
Both sides are still unbeaten in the qualifying campaign although Italy do still look favourites to claim top spot and automatic qualification. For either Ireland or Bulgaria to have realistic hopes of qualifying automatically and avoiding the play-offs – a win on Saturday would be essential.
Ireland go into the game two points behind Italy and five points ahead of Bulgaria, although Saturday’s hosts do have a game in hand.
Last time the sides met, Bulgaria clinched a 1-1 draw at Croke Park, although Bulgaria have still just won one game of five in their qualifying campaign.
Ireland’s build up to the game hasn’t been helped by a number of injuries to senior members of the squad. Shay Given’s injury being particularly troubling following last week’s problems and the bizarre decision to play the injury troubled keeper in last Friday’s near pointless friendly with Nigeria in London.
Given, Robbie Keane and Richard Dunne are all said by the Irish camp to be fine and set to play although Paul McShane is likely to miss out having injured his ankle in training this week. A defensive reshuffle is predicted to see Sean St. Ledger now win his second cap.
Speaking ahead of the game Irish assistant manager Liam Brady was piling pressure on Bulgaria, “They’re very strong at home and they know they have to beat us to get themselves back in the group so they’re going to be very dangerous but we’ve got a very experienced squad of players who have handled themselves very well on their travels. We’ve got everything to gain as well, if we can beat them in their own back yard it puts us in a great position.”
Brady did admit that the game was crucial for Irish ambitions, “this is our hardest game so far because of the situation and the position we have gotten ourselves into in the group”.
Bulgaria v Republic of Ireland - Saturday, 6th June 2009- Sofia
kick off: 6:30pm (Irish time) – Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark)
Live on RTE 2 TV & RTE Radio 1
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