World Cup qualifying: Late Duffy header saves Republic of Ireland from Azerbaijan defeat

Callum Robinson (left) missed two late chances to win it for the Republic

Shane Duffy spared the Republic of Ireland's blushes with a late header to earn a World Cup qualifying draw with Azerbaijan in Dublin.

After losing their last home qualifier to Luxembourg, the Irish risked embarrassment once again thanks to Emin Mahmudov's first-half strike.

But Duffy's 87th-minute header earned Stephen Kenny's side their first point of the campaign.

The Republic created more than enough chances to win the game comfortably.

However, a lack of composure in the final third resulted in a draw against a side ranked 112th in the world and now without a win in 27 games in World Cup and European Championship qualifying.

While they avoided a repeat of the disastrous home loss to Luxembourg in March, the result sees the Republic - playing in front of home fans for the first time since November 2019 - extend their record winless competitive run to 15 games. They also failed to build on the encouraging display in Wednesday's last-gasp 2-1 defeat by Portugal.

Having failed to pick up a point from their first three qualifiers, the draw leaves the Irish further adrift of the top two with Serbia beating Luxembourg to join Portugal on 10 points.

With the first half seemingly drifting towards a scoreless conclusion, Mahmudov stunned the Aviva Stadium into silence with a superb right-footed effort that was as much to do with the Republic's feeble defending as it was the midfielder's clinical finishing.

Having picked up Duffy's headed clearance, Mahmudov was afforded the time and space by Seamus Coleman and Josh Cullen to shift on to his right foot and send a curling shot into Gavin Bazunu's right-hand top corner.

The goal was reminiscent of Gerson Rodrigues' winner for Luxembourg in Dublin in March when the Dynamo Kyiv attacker latched on to a loose ball and went unchallenged before firing past Bazunu.

Thankfully for the Irish this time, though, Duffy rose to meet Cullen's cross to keep another dismal defeat off Kenny's copybook.

Mahmudov looked to have condemned the Republic to another embarrassing defeat before Duffy's equaliser

Missed chances again prove costly

After running Portugal so close, falling at home to a team ranked 112th in the world will do little to ease the pressure on Kenny, who is still awaiting his first competitive win as Republic boss.

While Wednesday's game in Faro produced enough exhilaration and heartache to be mistaken for an actual tournament match, this was a far more sedate affair with the visitors happy to slow the game down at every opportunity.

Ireland looked dangerous on the counter against Portugal, and while they faced a much different proposition here with a sea of Azerbaijani defenders facing them every time they gained possession, the hosts still fashioned enough opportunities to take all three points.

Kenny made three changes from the Portugal game with Troy Parrott, Jayson Molumby and James McClean drafted in for Jeff Hendrick, Jamie McGrath and the injured Dara O'Shea.

With McClean at left wing-back and Matt Doherty switching to the right, captain Coleman moved to a central defensive berth and it nearly paid early dividends when the Everton stalwart intercepted a pass in midfield, drove forward and shot over the bar from the edge of the Azerbaijan box.

Daryl Horgan made an impact after replacing Aaron Connolly at half-time, producing two pinpoint crosses for Molumby and Adam Idah, neither of whom managed to hit the target.

While Parrott saw his snap-shot beaten away by Azerbaijan goalkeeper Sahruddin Mehemmedeliyev just before the hour, the Republic were not sharp enough in front of goal to trouble the Qarabag stopper who, at times, looked less than assured when dealing with crosses into his box.

Substitute Callum Robinson - absent in Portugal after testing positive for Covid-19 - missed two stoppage-time chances to snatch a dramatic win, dragging a shot wide before failing to generate enough power on a shot with the home side's last throw of the dice.

It could have been much worse for the Irish had it not been for goalkeeper Bazunu. Fresh from saving a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty in Faro, he kept out Azerbaijan substitute Rustam Akhmedzade's shot with his feet to stop the visitors from going two goals up five minutes before Duffy's leveller.

What's next?

Ireland's next qualifier sees them welcome group leaders Serbia to the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday (19:45 BST) with Azerbaijan at home to Portugal on the same day (17:00 BST).

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