Martin O’Neill has named his team to play Moldova
The Republic of Ireland are in Chisinau for the World Cup qualifier against the supposed minnows of Group D, their first game against Moldova.
The eastern European nation last won a qualifier three years ago, when they trounced Montenegro 2-5, they’re ranked 161st in the Fifa rankings and have yet to score in the current qualification group.
For any other country, this would be cause for optimism going into the game, but this has the feel of a banana-skin for Ireland given their patchy performance on Thursday night against the other so-called minnow of the group, Georgia.
O’Neill is also without Robbie Brady, through concussion, and Jeff Hendrick, who is suspended for the game. However, the good news is that Wes Hoolahan starts. Glenn Whelan replaces Hendrick.
Here’s the Ireland XI:
And here’s how they’ll line out:
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