"Late equaliser should not mask the deficiencies of the performance against Hungary"
"A draw which could have been a loss in a game which needed to be won."
"Mick McCarthy's reign was full of these games, Ireland being outplayed and falling behind before a late goal rescued a result against opposition lured into defending deep as crosses rained into the box."
Ireland salvaged a draw against Hungary with a late equaliser that obscured clear shortcomings across the performance. The result could easily have been a loss in a fixture that required victory. Late, nervy moments disguised recurring problems, including being outplayed and falling behind before rescue by a late goal. The opposition invited deep defending, forcing Ireland to rely on crosses into the box rather than sustained control or incisive play. The pattern mirrors previous matches under Mick McCarthy, where late goals have frequently patched over underlying tactical and defensive weaknesses.
Read at Independent
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