Max O'Leary's long-awaited Republic of Ireland debut proved to be a bright spot in an otherwise uneventful friendly against Luxembourg, which ended in a 0-0 draw. The 28-year-old Bristol City goalkeeper, who received his first international call-up six years ago, showcased his shot-stopping abilities with two crucial saves, preventing Luxembourg from taking the lead and securing a stalemate for the Boys in Green.
The match, played at the Stade de Luxembourg, was the final game for the Republic of Ireland before their World Cup qualification campaign begins in September. Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson made five changes to the starting lineup from the previous game against Senegal, giving opportunities to players like O'Leary, Killian Phillips, Jake O'Brien, Troy Parrott, and Evan Ferguson. Hallgrimsson emphasized the importance of a strong performance over the result, but the first half was largely uneventful.
Luxembourg dominated possession in the first half, but O'Leary was only seriously tested in the 28th minute when he pushed Danel Sinani's strike behind for a corner. Sinani capitalized on a loose pass from Ferguson, but O'Leary reacted quickly to deny the Luxembourg forward. Ireland came close to scoring just before halftime when Nathan Collins headed Will Smallbone's free-kick onto the post.
The second half saw increased intensity from the visitors, with Kasey McAteer and Jack Taylor having chances to break the deadlock. O'Leary made another important save, this time denying Vincent Thill's shot from a tight angle. Troy Parrott had a goal disallowed for offside in the 65th minute. Jack Taylor hit the crossbar late in the game, but the Republic of Ireland were unable to find a winning goal.
O'Leary's performance was particularly noteworthy. He was called into action in the 13th minute, collecting Tomas Moreira's cross under pressure from Sinani. Later, he saw Gerson Rodrigues, whose participation was controversial due to a recent conviction for assault, drag a shot wide. Despite these challenges, O'Leary remained composed and made two vital saves, earning praise for his performance. Hallgrimsson acknowledged O'Leary's commitment to the national team, stating that his debut was a reward for his dedication and positive attitude over the years. "Traveling since 2019, he has been with us, supporting, always positive, always keeping up the standard for all this time without having a cap,”
While the Republic of Ireland extended their unbeaten run to four games, the match highlighted the need for improvement before the World Cup qualifiers. The team, missing several key players from the Sky Bet Championship, struggled to create clear-cut chances and lacked cohesion in certain areas. Few of the players auditioning in Luxembourg made a compelling case to be included in the starting lineup for the crucial qualifiers against Portugal, Hungary and Armenia in September.
