Chiedozie Ogbene warns Ireland of tough encounter with Armenia

Chiedozie Ogbene has warned the Republic of Ireland that Tuesday night’s must-win World Cup qualifier against Armenia will be just as difficult as their showdown with star-studded Portugal.

Ireland battled manfully for 91 minutes at the Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon on Saturday evening only to go down to Ruben Neves’ stoppage-time header after Caoimhin Kelleher had saved a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty.

Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side sit at the foot of Group F with just one point from their opening three games and know realistically they may have to win all their remaining fixtures to stand a chance of qualification, a process which begins with the Armenians’ visit to Dublin.

Asked if that represented a different challenge, Ogbene said: “No, no. Listen, Tuesday will be as difficult.

“Let me not lie to you here now thinking that we’re going to go and get an easy result against Armenia. It’s going to be a difficult game.

“They’re going to come to our place, they know the pitch is big, so they’re going to make it as frustrating as possible, especially knowing that they’ve beaten us on their home pitch.

“It’s going to be a difficult game. We’ll just have to find ways to break it down. It’ll be a different dynamic from the game that we played away from home.”

Ireland were humbled 2-1 in Yerevan last month by a side ranked 103 by FIFA, some 42 places below, them and have scores to settle as a result.

However Ogbene, who was part of the team which lost a Nations League fixture 1-0 in Armenia in June 2022, insisted they did not under-estimate Yeghishe Melikyan’s side.

He said: “I knew it was going to be a difficult game, especially away from home. It would be arrogant of me to go to Armenia and think we’re going to win that game.

“These are international players. To be an international player, you need to know what you’re doing. Maybe from the leagues that we’re playing in, we back ourselves to go there and get the job done.

“Maybe reality hit. Maybe we need to be as disciplined as we can with Portugal, Armenia, whoever we play. It’s a life lesson.”

Ogbene and his team-mates flew back to Dublin bruised by the manner of defeat, but buoyed by the kind of bloody-minded defensive display which has characterised Irish football in the recent past.

Ronaldo hit the post before the break and then saw his 75th-minute spot-kick brilliantly saved by Kelleher, but ultimately Portugal needed Neves’ late intervention to maintain their perfect start to the campaign.

Striker Ogbene said: “Everyone was doing their part. I don’t think it was as easy as the boys defending the box against top-class opposition, Ronaldo moving everywhere – and not just Ronaldo, the other strikers.

“What they were doing was as difficult as what I was doing. But we just had to find a way. I had to do my job being an outlet and they had to defend.

“I know the result isn’t what we wanted. I’ll take confidence in the way the boys defended tonight, knowing that I can trust them and they can trust me and do my job. We can collectively get it right for the games ahead.”

Meanwhile, Charlton midfielder Conor Coventry has been called up to replace the suspended Josh Cullen after he picked up a second yellow card of the campaign in Lisbon, and Liam Scales will now not join up with the squad after missing the trip to Portugal because of a family bereavement.