Rep. Ireland vs. Qatar – News and Probable Lineups

The Republic of Irlanda is eager to move past the disappointment of missing the World Cup as they prepare to face Catar at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday.

This friendly fixture offers the visiting side a chance to fine-tune their tactics ahead of the upcoming tournament in North America, while it marks Irlanda’s second match of the month.

Match overview

Irlanda secured a convincing 5-0 victory over Grenada on May 16, a result that few anticipated, especially after a scoreless first half.

Despite the victory, the win did little to mitigate the sting of the nation’s exit from World Cup qualifying at the hands of República Tcheca in March, though it did stretch their unbeaten run to six matches within 90 minutes.

Under head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, the team enjoyed four wins during this period, managing to score at least two goals in four of their last five outings. This is compared to only achieving such a feat in four of their previous 16 matches.

The Boys in Green are expected to be a tough opponent at the Aviva, boasting an unbeaten streak of eight matches at the venue, with their win over Grenada marking their fifth within that stretch.

This upcoming encounter will be the third meeting between the two sides; Irlanda triumphed 4-0 in their last encounter in October 2021, although earlier in that year, the teams shared the points with a 1-1 draw.

Catar’s opening World Cup fixture is set against Suíça on June 13, making this match their second-to-last preparation encounter leading up to the tournament.

In contrast to their Irish counterparts, Catar has faced challenges in attack, having scored two or more goals in only one of their last seven matches.

Defensively, they have recorded just one clean sheet in their past 11 fixtures, conceding seven times in their last four games.

Head coach Julen Lopetegui has a mixed record with the team, suffering seven losses and three draws across his 14 matches in charge, and another defeat at the Aviva Stadium would mark his fourth loss in five outings.

However, the visitors are unbeaten in their last three away matches, looking for a second victory in four away fixtures.

Team News

After netting a second-half hat-trick against Grenada, Jack Moylan will be aiming for another run in the forward line, while striker Troy Parrott will look to break his scoring drought in this match.

Brentford’s goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is unavailable for the upcoming game against Canadá on June 6, suggesting he will get the nod as starting goalkeeper on Thursday.

A solid midfield presence could prove crucial in this fixture, and Jayson Molumby and Joe Hodge appear to be strong candidates.

For Catar, goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham will hope that his central defenders Boualem Khoukhi and Hashmi Al Hussain can limit his workload during the game in Dublin.

Wingers Hommam Al Amin and Akram Afif may need to support Ahmed Alaa, who will be eager to avoid extending his goal drought to seven matches for both club and country.

Republic of Irlanda probable starting XI:

Kelleher; O’Brien, Collins, Scales; Coleman, Molumby, Hodge, Murphy; Ogbene, Moylan; Parrott

Catar probable starting XI:

Barsham; Al Aloui, Khoukhi, Al Hussain, Junior; Boudiaf, Madibo; Afif, Hatem, El Amin; Alaa

The form of the Irish team is impressive, and with the support of the home crowd at the Aviva, the visitors may encounter difficulties against their hosts.

Irlanda could also capitalize on the fact that Catar has more significant matches approaching, which might lead to a favorable evening for them.