Keane dominates Cyprus

By Mark Jones

Ireland 4, Cyprus 0

DUBLIN — Four goals, maybe, but one player stood out above the rest. Roy Keane’s form for Ireland during the current soccer World Cup qualifying campaign has hardly been vintage, and then there was last Saturday. As the team spluttered and stuttered to a valuable, if unconvincing, victory in Nicosia, Cyprus, Keane produced a performance of such breathtaking skill and aggression that manager Mick McCarthy went as far as claiming that his captain was the best player in the world.

If McCarthy’s suggestion was just a shade over the top, there was no mistaking the sheer overall quality of Keane’s display as the Irish kept their unbeaten record in Group 2. The customary control and precision in midfield, key defensive interventions and two of his side’s goals for good measure — on the occasion of his 50th international cap, the man was a colossus.

Keane ranged about the pitch, driving on his teammates, who suffered several lapses of concentration that would surely have been costly against more potent opposition than the Cypriots.

"Roy was immense," McCarthy said. "when you consider the influence he has not only on us but on the opposition, you have to say he has no equal. In my book, he’s definitely the best player in the world at the moment."

Although Ireland had been expected to win after securing away draws against both Holland and group favorites Portugal, there were justifiable worries that the visitors would struggle against a packed Cypriot defense. However, Keane soon settled nerves with the game’s first goal when he took advantage of some impressive approach work by Gary Kelly on the right wing to volley home from 10 yards.

Then, three minutes before the interval, Kevin Kilbane surged into the Cypriot area only to be fouled and Ian Harte calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the resultant penalty, and the Irish were 2-0 in front. However, before Harte’s goal, Kelly had been forced to clear off his line twice as McCarthy’s defense looked particularly shaky.

In fact, only Kelly of the back four was satisfied with his performance. Kenny Cunningham, returning after injury, was his usual commanding self, while Gary Breen once again looked below international standard and Harte was frequently exposed on the left side. Former Republic manager Jack Charlton, who was a spectator at the game, wasn’t overly impressed by the defensive blunders.

"We might have been punished by a better team," said Charlton, "and for a while Mick [McCarthy] was anxious. He started yelling and swearing at a few players and I didn’t blame him. I was a bit anxious about the two center-backs; they got away with a few offside decisions."

Some of the sloppiness was in evidence farther up the pitch as well where Jason McAteer, and to a lesser extent Mark Kinsella, gave the ball away on occasions, errors that hardly pleased Keane himself.

"There was too much sloppy play," he said, "but I don’t think we would have made those sort of errors against better teams. I think it was a lack of concentration that led to the mistakes. We made the game harder than it should have been and I’ve no doubt now that this group will narrow down to the home games against Portugal and Holland."

Ireland continued to live dangerously during the second half as errors by Kinsella and Cunningham gifted a chance to Michael Constantinou, and then 10 minutes from full-time, Marios Christoloulou fired his shot over the bar from close range. However, Kelly’s deflected shot found the net for the winners’ third goal, and Keane, all persistence and strength, surged through the Cypriot rearguard to round off a brilliant display with the fourth.

McCarthy, whose father, Charlie, passed away last week, is now focused on tonight’s (Wednesday) game against Andorra in Barcelona. The Irish will be strong favorites to register another success. However, the manager will be more than interested in the result of the vital Portugal-Holland match in Lisbon.

"Portugal are the best team in the group, but our results so far have given us an opportunity to finish ahead of them," McCarthy said. "We’ve still got to grind out results against smaller teams like Andorra and we’ll have a clearer picture this week. A win for Portugal is what we’d like because it would virtually knock the Dutch out of contention."

Ireland: Given; Kelly, Breen, Cunningham, Harte; McAteer, Kinsella, Roy Keane, Kilbane; Connolly, Robbie Keane. Subs: Holland for McAteer, 78 mins.; Duff for Kilbane, 83 mins.; Doherty for Robbie Keane, 89 mins.