"Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson had admitted in advance that he would accept a "s****y" performance and a 1-0 win on a night when victory was the only option, and Ireland eventually delivered - if only just - as they made the most of Tigran Barseghyan's senseless second-half dismissal for a headbutt on Finn Azaz."
"Twenty-year-old Ferguson, who had passed up a glorious opportunity to open the scoring seconds earlier, dispatched a 70th-minute header to seal a 1-0 win at the Aviva Stadium and ensure already-qualified leaders Portugal's visit to Dublin next month and the trip to Hungary which follows it are meaningful, if daunting. They will need to be markedly better in both games than they were against a side ranked 103rd by FIFA if they are to stand any chance of claiming the runners-up spot after a performance which for long periods lacked the inspiration necessary to make life much easier than it ultimately was."
Ireland scraped a 1-0 victory over Armenia thanks to a 70th-minute header by 20-year-old Ferguson, delivered after he had missed an earlier chance. Armenia’s Tigran Barseghyan was sent off in the second half for headbutting Finn Azaz, reducing the visitors to ten men. The result keeps upcoming matches against Portugal and Hungary meaningful for Ireland’s chances of finishing as runners-up. Ireland operated in a compact 5-4-1 defensive shape that limited Armenian penetration, though the home performance often lacked inspiration. Key moments included a near miss by Spertsyan and a booked Seamus Coleman for a challenge on the Armenian keeper.
Read at Irish Independent
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