Ireland face Czech Republic in playoff semi-final
‘We are just riding the wave of confidence’
Seamus Coleman believes the Republic of Ireland have “a duty” to lift the country by completing the job of qualifying for a World Cup for the first time since 2002.
The Republic visit the Czech Republic on Thursday in a World Cup playoff semi-final that few would have imagined possible after collecting one point from their opening three qualifiers. Having reignited their campaign with two Troy Parrott-inspired wins over Portugal and Hungary in November, however, Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side will take confidence and momentum into their bid to end a 24-year absence from the World Cup.
Playoffs have brought misery for the Republic in the past, from Thierry Henry’s handball for France in 2009 to Denmark’s 5-1 rout in Dublin in 2017, but Coleman insists recent history will be forgotten in Prague and has urged the team to finish the job. A home playoff final against Denmark or North Macedonia awaits the winner of the semi-final at the 19,370-capacity Fortuna Arena.
