A demoralised Ireland captain, Nathan Collins, feels like the national team are currently in the “gutter” off the back of Thursday’s penalty heartbreak against Czechia, which ended a World Cup dream for this group of players. And as he reflected on the concession of a relatively soft and simple goal from a set-piece, which dragged the Czechs back to 2-2 and gave them the chance to take the match to extra-time and the successful penalty shoot-out, Collins admits those defensive lapses have to be eradicated if the team are to qualify.

Source: Irish Independent March 28, 2026 04:33 UTC