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Slovakia national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Playoff Semi-Finals Route B
Oct 8, 2020 at 7.45pm UK
Národný Futbalový Štadión
Republic of Ireland national football team

Slovakia
0 - 0
Rep. Ireland


Duda (101'), Hamsik (114')
FT
(aet)

Hourihane (20'), McClean (48'), Duffy (68')
Slovakia win 4-2 on penalties

Stephen Kenny: 'We must be at our best against Slovakia'

Stephen Kenny: 'We must be at our best against Slovakia'
© Reuters
The game will be the new manager's third at the helm.

Stephen Kenny admits it will take a brilliant performance in Bratislava for the Republic of Ireland to safely negotiate their Euro 2020 play-off semi-final.

Ireland, one of the host nations, face Slovakia in what is just Kenny's third game at the helm on Thursday evening knowing their dreams of making it to the delayed finals tournament will be over if they do not come away with a victory.

He knows that could be a big ask with the ink on his blueprint for lasting success still wet, but the prize which awaits is all the motivation he and his players need.

Republic manager Stephen Kenny
Republic manager Stephen Kenny thinks Slovakia will start the match as favourites (Niall Carson/PA)

Kenny said: "I think, in perspective, most neutrals if they are commenting on the game would see Slovakia with the home advantage and would see them as slight favourites.

"We are going to have to really play at the top of our game to win. The motivation is very high – the players' careers are short and the opportunities to get to the European Championships and major tournaments are not so frequent, so if you can achieve that, particularly when it's in Ireland – which is unprecedented – would be incredibly special.

"For the players themselves, they know they are going to have to really put in a brilliant performance to win."

Ireland have made it to both the Euro 2012 and 2016 finals, further enhancing their reputation as a team which can scrap its way to victory when it needs to.

Matt Doherty will look to enhance his international reputation against Slovakia
Matt Doherty will look to enhance his international reputation against Slovakia (Niall Carson/PA)

While that is a quality Kenny is keen to retain, his mission is to create a more proactive team that can take games to the opposition, and that is something he will be looking to do in Bratislava.

He said: "Listen, we're happy to get through and win the game, but the point is we're not setting up to contain and hope we score through a set-play or a break. We will play our own game. We have good players also and we must not underestimate ourselves."

Full-back Matt Doherty will hope to retain his place in the team after getting the nod against Bulgaria and Finland last month as he continues his efforts to impress not only his international manager but also the man who paid £15million to take him from Wolves to Tottenham in August, Jose Mourinho.

Asked to compare the two, he said: "They both want to play football. Obviously they both have a winning mentality, they both want to win every game they play. I've got nothing but positive words to say about both."

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Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny pictured on September 6, 2020
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

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Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

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Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

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Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

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Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

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Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

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Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

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Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

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Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

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Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


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