National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10300 (Terracing: 7725, Seating: 2369, VIP seats: 206) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Brayden McPaul took the kick off in the first half of the match. Manuel Antonio Cromefeldt sent away a hard shot on goal in the 5th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. An unexpectedly hard shot by Manuel Antonio Cromefeldt in the 5th minute of play forced U21 Ireland's goalkeeper Richard Duggan to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Manuel Antonio Cromefeldt took the ball and in the 7 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Richard Duggan. Richard Duggan dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 0-1. The supporters of U21 Belgium booed when U21 Ireland was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 10 match minutes in a wonderful position. Beamard Sheridan didn't get a good kick on the ball. Richard Duggan took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Manuel Antonio Cromefeldt, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Beamard Sheridan charged in rather forcefully in the 20th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Beamard Sheridan the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. In the 20th match minute, U21 Ireland was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Beamard Sheridan to maneuver through the defense. When Jimmy Hollants fell near the penalty area in the 21st minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored U21 Belgium's protests and gave Jimmy Hollants a yellow card for diving instead. In the 21st match minute, U21 Belgium was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Jimmy Hollants to maneuver through the defense. In the 26th minute Manuel Antonio Cromefeldt shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Richard Duggan saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 28th minute the ball was on its way in behind U21 Ireland's goalkeeper Richard Duggan, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. In the 36th minute, Manuel Antonio Cromefeldt ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Richard Duggan was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-3. Richard Duggan didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Manuel Antonio Cromefeldt went, in the 47th minute, to the upper right corner, 0-4 was the resulting score.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Manuel Antonio Cromefeldt to make the kick off. In the 52ndth minute of the game Barram Duggan who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but U21 Belgium's Gabriel Van Dyck was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. 54 minutes into the game, Seoirse McJon cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-4. Gabriel Van Dyck was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. 62 minutes into the match, U21 Ireland's goalkeeper Richard Duggan had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Manuel Antonio Cromefeldt. Gabriel Van Dyck showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Brayden McPaul, who was totally free with the ball in the 67th minute. When U21 Ireland's Brayden McPaul, in the 67th minute, received a pass right in front of the net, it looked like a certain goal, but his shot went outside. A wasted opportunity for U21 Ireland. Gabriel Van Dyck showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Barram Duggan, who was totally free with the ball in the 73rd minute. 77 minutes into the match, U21 Belgium's goal looked a bit too open when Seoirse McJon came free, but Gabriel Van Dyck reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Beamard Sheridan made in the 79th minute of the game a sloppy throw-in which Breffni Barrett however managed to control. Manuel Antonio Cromefeldt sent away a hard shot on goal in the 81st minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. In the 90th minute of the match Bernard McFrank shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Gabriel Van Dyck showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. A collision led to U21 Ireland getting a freekick after 91 minutes play. Bernard McFrank hit a great ball. U21 Ireland's Richard Duggan played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Manuel Antonio Cromefeldt in the 92nd minute of play. The U21 Belgium supporters could be heard counting down the last seconds of the match. They errupted in celebration when the whistle blew, knowing U21 Belgium would go home with victory in their luggage after a match that easily could have ended differently.