Nations League: Republic of Ireland draw 0-0 with dominant Danes in Dublin

Jeff Hendrick missed a glorious early chance after the Danes had stopped playing because of an injury to the Republic's Harry Arter

The Republic of Ireland earned their first Nations League point with a defensive display against a Denmark side missing Christian Eriksen.

Jeff Hendrick did miss a glorious and controversial early chance after the Danes stopped playing following an injury to the Republic's Harry Arter.

However, the visitors dominated possession, with Pione Sisto hitting the woodwork just before half-time.

As the hosts rallied, Kasper Schmeichel denied Cyrus Christie.

The Republic had a late penalty shout turned down after Shane Duffy was bundled over in the area but the Danes carved out the majority of the chances, with Arter clearing a Simon Kjaer header off the line shortly before being replaced.

After last November's 5-1 World Cup play-off defeat by the Danes at the same venue, and a 4-1 thumping by Wales last month, a cautious Irish display was always on the cards.

However, the lack of ambition from the home side did little to rouse the crowd on a low-key night as Denmark moved to four points in Group B4, one ahead of Wales.

Bizarre early incident a big talking point

Hendrick should have put the Republic ahead in the fifth minute but a goal would surely have caused pandemonium after the Danes clearly stopped playing following the injury to Arter.

Denmark playmaker Thomas Delaney, expecting the ball to be kicked out of play, was robbed by Hendrick but, with only Schmeichel to beat, the Burnley midfielder pushed his shot wide.

Hendrick said afterwards he had "no idea" Arter had fallen to the turf and had "played to the whistle as we were always told right from when we were kids".

Schmeichel and Denmark captain Kjaer made their views known to Hendrick after the incident, with James McClean also getting involved before matters calmed.

Harry Arter cleared a goalbound Simon Kjaer header off the line in the second half

Six Republic changes from Wales hammering

Republic boss Martin O'Neill made six changes from last month's hammering by Wales as he handed a first start to Wolves right-back Matt Doherty.

Doherty replaced injured skipper Seamus Coleman, with Arter also back in the side after his withdrawal from last month's games following his much-publicised bust-up with assistant boss Roy Keane.

McClean and Shane Long returned after injury with O'Neill opting to draft in Richard Keogh and Kevin Long into a three-man defence alongside Duffy.

However, the three-man defence quickly evolved into a five-man rearguard as wing-backs Doherty and McClean got precious little time to get forward.

After a chastening outing for Fulham against Arsenal last weekend, Christie was selected in an unfamiliar central-midfield role but went on to perform a solid job.

Arter sat in front of the Irish back three and fulfilled the task reasonably well, despite an early booking for a wild lunge on Middlesbrough's Martin Braithwaite, and cleared a Kjaer headed off the line just before his substitution.

Danes soon take control

After Hendrick's controversial early chance, the Danes took control as Borussia Dortmund's Delaney and Ajax's Lasse Schone bossed the midfield exchanges despite being outnumbered.

However, despite dominating possession, the visitors were lacking attacking thrust as Eriksen's absence gave the Irish defence badly needed respite.

Against the run of play, the Republic could have taken the lead on 39 minutes as Brighton centre-back Duffy headed wide from point-blank range after a Hendrick free-kick.

Denmark responded by going close twice before the break as Doherty's intervention diverted a Mathias Jorgensen effort wide, and Celta Viga player Sisto clipped the outside of Darren Randolph's left-hand post after cutting inside Christie from the left wing.

Stevens arrival improves Republic shape

The introduction of Sheffield United wing-back Enda Stevens for Callum O'Dowda at half-time allowed McClean to push into a more advanced role, but the visitors continued to dominate possession.

Despite owning the ball in the 15 minutes after half-time, Denmark's only real chance was Kjaer's effort which was cleared off the line by Arter.

As so often happens at the Aviva Stadium after being second fiddle for the most part, the hosts' best period came during a frenetic closing quarter, with Schmeichel spreading himself to deny Christie after Shane Long's lay-off.

Southampton striker Long, while still without an international goal since November 2016, battled manfully all night as he won a number of free-kicks for his side and held the ball up well before running out of legs in the second half.

Randolph had to make late saves from club-mate Braithwaite and Delaney to keep the Irish on terms before Duffy's late penalty claim after his coming-together with Brentford defender Henrik Dalsgaard.

What's next?

The Republic continue their Nations League campaign against Wales in Dublin on Tuesday before their concluding return game with the Danes on 19 November.

Three days before that, Denmark play Wales in their penultimate game in Group B4.