The Republic of Ireland’s friendly clash with New Zealand on Tuesday night will signal the end of one international career and perhaps two as a difficult calendar year draws to a close.
James McClean is set to make his 103rd and final appearance for his country in a fixture which could be manager Stephen Kenny’s last in charge, with his current contract due to expire on the final whistle.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the talking points surrounding the game at the Aviva Stadium.
Return of the MacView this post on InstagramWrexham’s McClean has represented his country with distinction since making his senior debut as a substitute in a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic in February 2012. A veteran of Ireland’s Euro 2012 and 2016 finals campaigns, the 34-year-old has played as a winger, a frontman and a wing-back under Giovanni Trapattoni, Martin O’Neill, Mick McCarthy and Kenny, and famously scored winning goals in Austria and Wales in World Cup qualifiers as the Republic made it to the play-offs for the 2018 finals. McClean was a late addition to the squad for Saturday evening’s 1-0 Euro 2024 defeat in the Netherlands but did not feature in Amsterdam and is sure to be given a rousing send-off in Dublin.They think it’s all overThe Football Association of Ireland will consider a review of the campaign which ended at the Johan Cruyff Arena at its scheduled board meeting next week, and the outcome is unlikely to be positive for out-of-contract manager Stephen Kenny. The 52-year-old is convinced the framework is in place for a brighter future after a major refit which has seen him hand out 26 competitive debuts in his three-and-a-half years at the helm, but whether or not he remains in place to build upon that work is a mater of some contention.
Handy Andy?Kenny’s trawl for new talent has seen him repeatedly dip into the nation’s resources at under-21 level, with the likes of goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, defenders Dara O’Shea and Nathan Collins, midfielder Jason Knight and striker Evan Ferguson now established as regulars in his team. He could hand Brighton midfielder Andy Moran, currently on loan at Sky Bet Championship Blackburn, a first senior cap after drafting him in from Jim Crawford’s squad as they prepared for European Under-21 Championship qualifiers against Norway and Italy to continue that trend.
Give us a goalKenny freely admitted in the wake of the defeat in Amsterdam, which saw his side draw their fourth blank in eight qualifiers, that creativity and a lack of goals had become a problem. Seven of their nine goals in the campaign came in the two games against Gibraltar – for context, group winners France put 14 past the minnows at the weekend – and the other two were a Collins equaliser from a corner in Greece and an Adam Idah penalty against the Dutch at the Aviva Stadium.
All White on the night?View this post on InstagramDarren Bazeley’s All Whites arrive in Dublin on the back of a 2-0 friendly defeat by Ireland’s Group B rivals Greece in Athens on Friday evening, a result which means they have won only one of the 12 games they have played since their World Cup qualification campaign drew to a close in March last year. New Zealand have twice made it to the World Cup finals – in 1982 and 2010, when they went out after the group stage in South Africa despite draws with Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay. Their last visit to Ireland in November 2019 ended in a 3-1 friendly defeat in which Derrick Williams, Sean Maguire and Callum Robinson scored for the hosts.
Portland Timbers v San Jose Earthquakes: 'No time for sulking' – Neville calls on struggling hosts to respond
Phil Neville warned Portland Timbers have "no time for sulking" as the head coach offered an eye-opening appraisal of his side's struggles ahead of their MLS meeting with San Jose Earthquakes.
The Timbers are winless in a club-record nine straight matches after their 2-1 defeat to Seattle Sounders on Saturday.
Portland sit bottom of the Western Conference table and former Inter Miami boss Neville acknowledged the Timbers must improve – and rapidly.
"Massively disappointed, the result in these games is the most important thing," Neville said, looking back at the Seattle loss.
"I have to take full responsibility for this run, in life you get difficult moments and we have to really work hard; make sacrifices – that is the message for the players.
"There's no time for sulking, any criticism that comes our way has to be aimed at me. I select the team, the system, the tactics over the last nine games.
"We've got to be better, but I am absolutely convinced we are going to get this right.
"We've got to go out fighting, the results have to change very quickly. I am under no illusions about that."
The Quakes are just a position above the Timbers but overcame Colorado Rapids 3-2 in their last outing, suggesting to coach Luchi Gonzalez that his side are starting to click into gear.
"We had quite a bit of new additions to the team," he explained. "They're good players and they need time to adapt to this league.
"They're showing more confidence and showing how they can adapt to this league.
"We need to support them. We need to on and off the field know that with more time, this group can compete with anybody in the league."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Portland Timbers – Evander
Evander remains Neville's go-to man, having scored four and assisted three in just eight league appearances this year.
The Brazilian leads the Timbers for goal contributions in MLS this term, and Neville will hope his star man can deliver once more here.
San Jose Earthquakes – Hernan Lopez
Hernan Lopez was one player referenced by Gonzalez as needing time to find comfort in his new surroundings.
The Quakes man did just that on his first MLS start, scoring to overturn a two-goal deficit against Colorado.
MATCH PREDICTION – PORTLAND TIMBERS WIN
Portland are the overwhelming favourites for victory here, going unbeaten in 20 straight home matches against San Jose in all competitions (W16 D4) – dating back to September 2011.
That is the Timbers' second-longest home unbeaten run by one MLS team against another in all competitions, with this a chance to extend that impressive run.
Yet it will be by no means one-way traffic, considering Portland made it a club-record nine straight regular-season matches without a win (D3 L6), including three straight losses, with defeat to Seattle.
San Jose have also won three straight matches in all competitions for the first time in three years, setting this up for an enticing clash.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Portland Timbers win – 55.8%
San Jose Earthquakes win – 19.6%
Draw – 24.6%
Colorado Rapids v Vancouver Whitecaps: Armas demands response for home fans
Chris Armas called on his Colorado Rapids side to pay back the support of their fans when Vancouver Whitecaps visit Dick's Sporting Goods Park in MLS.
The Rapids fell to a 3-2 reverse at home to San Jose Earthquakes in their last outing, missing the chance to make it four wins in five league games.
Sixth-placed Colorado are one of three teams on 18 points, behind Los Angeles FC and also the Caps in the Western Conference standings, and head coach Armas wants to make home advantage count for this one.
"I'd like to acknowledge our fans once again, they came out in good numbers to support the team, gave us good energy on a rainy night [against San Jose]," Armas said.
"They still came out and supported us. We don't take that lightly.
"We have to do better and we will get back, dust ourselves off. Wednesday becomes really important again, so we'll ramp it up."
The Caps return to action after a 3-0 defeat to Los Angeles FC last time out, leaving them level on points with Colorado.
Vancouver head coach Vanni Sartini will be desperate for a response from his side after slamming their performance against the Rapids.
"I don't want to be misunderstood, it's not out of this world that we lost here," Sartini said of the LAFC defeat.
"You can sometimes lose away. It was the performance in the first half which was actually bad, so that's the thing that makes me a little p***ed off…
"We were losing every battle. We killed ourselves doing things that we never do."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colorado Rapids – Rafael Navarro
Rafael Navarro has scored in consecutive games for the Rapids for the second time this year (also in April).
The only Rapids player to score in three straight games since the beginning of the 2020 season was Diego Rubio, who did so in August 2022.
Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White
Brian White became the Caps' top scorer in history last month and leads the club charts for goals once more this season.
The Vancouver forward has five goals in just 10 games this term and will be hoping to continue that run against the Rapids.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
The Whitecaps have lost only one of their last seven visits to Colorado (W3 D3), dating back to 2017. That suggests Sartini will hope to leave Colorado with at least a point.
Vancouver also hold a record of W10 D3 L5 in Wednesday regular-season matches since the beginning of the 2021 season, with the 10 wins in that time more than any other MLS team.
Yet Colorado's loss to San Jose was just the fourth defeat in the last 15 regular-season home games (W5 D6), after losing three home league games in a row last May.
That three-match losing run is the last time Colorado lost consecutive home matches, which Armas will hope to avoid here.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Colorado Rapids win – 44.3%
Vancouver Whitecaps win – 27.5%
Draw – 28.2%
Girona 0-1 Villarreal: Traore strike lifts Yellow Submarine
Bertrand Traore's goal gave Villarreal a 1-0 win at Girona on Tuesday that prevented the hosts from reclaiming second spot in LaLiga.
Girona, who have enjoyed a superb campaign, are third with 75 points, trailing Barcelona, who moved a point clear with a 2-0 home win over Real Sociedad on Monday.
Alexander Sorloth and Goncalo Guedes went close for Villarreal in the first half, but Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga was in fine form.
Traore broke the deadlock in the 59th minute after latching on to a superb pass from Guedes, however.
Viktor Tsyhankov, Savio and Artem Dovbyk all went close for Girona, but could not find the back of Filip Jorgensen's net.
Villarreal were reduced to 10 men in the 95th minute after Kiko Femenia was sent off for a second yellow card after a push on Aleix Garcia.
Data Debrief: Rare home loss for Girona
Girona have suffered only their second defeat at Montilivi in LaLiga this season, following a 0-3 loss to Real Madrid in September.
The home side attempted 749 passes in this game, their highest total in a single match in LaLiga this season.
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