Ireland have taken a point from their Euro 2016 opener against Sweden.
Declan Taylor looks at those who had a good day, and those who had a tougher time at the Stade de France.
GOOD DAY FOR…
Wes Hoolahan
It does not get much better than firing your country ahead in the opening game of a major tournament with a fine strike in front of the end loaded with your own supporters. Such a moment has been a long time coming for Hoolahan, who had to wait until he was 30 for his full senior debut, but the 33-year-old looked like he had been doing it his whole life given the aplomb with which he finished.
The Norwich man, who was named Man of the Match, has even revealed that he may retire from international football after these Championships but he might decide to stick around if he continues to make such an impact.
Tournament’s reputation
The levels of violence in Marseille and then Lille over the opening weekend has damaged the reputation of the tournament already but there could not have been a better advert for fan harmony than in Stade Denis last night. During the build-up, in the stadium’s surrounding areas, both sets of supporters drunk and sang – mainly Abba – together without even a hint of trouble.
Then, once inside the good spirits continued. There was no booing of the opposition anthem, no goading and certainly no gumshields. It was the sort of family-friendly utopia that Uefa have always hoped to create.
Seamus Coleman
Seamus Coleman sets up Republic of Ireland’s opening goal at #Euro2016 but it's not enough to see off Sweden #IRLSWE pic.twitter.com/SmDPyUvZay
— Premier League (@premierleague) June 13, 2016
His former club manager at Everton Roberto Martinez, who had a liking for hyperbole, once declared that Seamus Coleman is one of, if not the best, full-back in world football. He made a thrilling start to life on the big stage here, thundering up and down the right throughout in a performance which he punctuated by slaloming into the area and crossing for Wes Hoolahan’s opener.
Major tournaments are often defined by a clutch of unlikely stars and, on this basis, Coleman could go on to be one of the stand-out defenders of Euro 2016 – which will certainly please Martinez.
BAD DAY FOR…
John O’Shea
The captain looked certain to prod his side ahead in the 17th minute when Ciaran Clark’s header flashed across goal. But, with the goal gaping, the ball bounced agonisingly underneath his outstretched book and out for a goal kick.
Then, having marshalled Zlatan Ibrahimovic, along with Clark, so brilliantly throughout, it was O’Shea who was beaten by the Sweden talisman before he crossed for the equaliser. That would have angered him, but the miss will keep him awake at night.
Jeff Hendrick
Not to say that the Derby midfielder did not play well, on the contrary, Hendrick was one of the best players on the pitch. But that will not stop him from reliving the four opportunities he had to score over and over again.
First he produced a fine save from Andreas Isaksson with a fizzing strike in the 10th minute, then he beat the keeper completely in the 32nd, only for his effort to bounce back off the bar. A low drive just after the interval was again saved by the keeper before he squandered a one-on-one chance to score moments after Sweden’s equaliser.
Ciaran Clark
Just about the nightmare scenario for any defender, although the knowledge that Sebastian Larsson was waiting to tuck the ball home had he not scored himself may make him feel a touch better.
Ibrahimovic had barely had a sniff throughout before he wriggled past O’Shea and got to the byline before crossing into the centre. Aware of the Larsson lurking, Clark had to do something but the ball was fired in his direction with such pace that he could only nod the ball into the net.
