Matt Doherty’s return to the Republic of Ireland fold coincided with the team’s Nations League victory over Finland in Dublin.
Doherty was left out of Ireland’s squad for their October internationals and was also absent from the initial call-ups this time around, but after being brought back at late notice, the Wolves defender was in from the off at right-back on Thursday evening.
It wasn’t a comfortable three points for Ireland in their penultimate game in Nations League B Group 2, who took the lead just before the break through Brighton & Hove Albion’s Evan Ferguson.
Both Doherty and the goalscorer were withdrawn on 76 minutes, just before Finland had the chance to equalise from the penalty spot, but Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher made the stop which earned his country only their second win in the group.
The Wolves man will hope to be back in the Ireland side for their final Nations League game against England at Wembley on Sunday afternoon (17th November, 5pm).
Solid at the back 💪#IRLFIN | #COYBIG pic.twitter.com/biPioGd5Wu
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) November 14, 2024
Two other members of Gary O’Neil’s first-team featured for their countries on Thursday, as Jorgen Strand Larsen was part of the Norway squad for their Nations League clash with Slovenia and Rayan Ait-Nouri was in Africa Cup of Nations qualification with Algeria.
As usual, Strand Larsen had to settle for a place on the bench as Erling Haaland started in attack for Norway, and the Manchester City striker helped himself to his 34th international goal as part of a 4-1 win.
The Wolves striker replaced Haaland for the final three minutes of the contest out in Ljubljana as his country cemented second place in Nations League B Group 3, with only one more group game to go on Sunday against Kazakhstan (5pm). The only way Norway can win promotion to League A is by bettering Austria’s result against Slovenia – although any win for Austria would secure their spot at the top of the group.
Having already booked their place at this winter’s AFCON, Algeria once again turned to Ait-Nouri to be their left side of defence on Thursday afternoon, but this time as a left wing-back.
Going into the game with a 100 per cent record in qualification, Algeria produced an underwhelming performance away in Equatorial Guinea as the match ended in a stalemate, with the Wolves defender lasting the whole 90 minutes. Algeria will bring their qualification campaign to an end on against Liberia on Sunday afternoon (4pm).
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— Équipe d'Algérie de football (@LesVerts) November 14, 2024
🇬🇶 🆚 🇩🇿#LesVerts⭐⭐ | #123vivalAlgérie🇩🇿 pic.twitter.com/s6MaJMKxRu
Brazil were also in action on Thursday, but Andre was not part of the matchday squad for their 1-1 draw against Venezuela in World Cup qualification.
The draw lifts Brazil up to third in CONMEBOL qualifying, but having played a game more than rivals Colombia and Uruguay, the latter will be Brazil’s next opponents in the early hours of Wednesday morning (20th November, 12.45am).
Wolves’ other internationals will be in action over the coming days, with captain Mario Lemina out with Gabon in Franceville for an AFCON qualifier against Morocco from 7pm this evening, while Santi Bueno and Uruguay have the opportunity to move back above Brazil and into second place in South America World Cup qualification if his side are able to claim all three points against Colombia in Montevideo at midnight.
Jose Sa and Nelson Semedo will hope to be part of the Portugal team who are in Nations League action at home to Poland (7.45pm), and there is also Portugal under-21 action today, as Rodrigo Gomes and Carlos Forbs could feature in their friendly with Ukraine (5.30pm). Tom King is also with Wales as the prepare for Saturday’s Nation League clash with Turkey (5pm).
