Ireland stall as Wales stand tall in vital Euro 2020 qualifiers

Two vital Euro 2020 qualifiers see mixed fortunes for home nations as Wales and Ireland both bring the Group Stage to a close.

Republic of Ireland 1-1 Denmark

Ireland’s bid for an automatic qualification place fell at the last, painfully familiar hurdle last night when Denmark drew at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Ten years to the day that Thierry Henry’s handball denied the Irish safe passage to the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, Irish hopes were at least postponed by a familiar foe. Denmark, of course, were the opponents in the World Cup 2018 play-off that went so disastrously wrong. Back then, Ireland took the lead, sending a passionate home crowd of Irish fans into raptures. The celebrations, however, would not last long.