Republic of Ireland 2 - 2 Bulgaria | 2022 - UEFA Under-17 Championship | 2034000

UEFA European Under-17 Championship | Municipal, Santa Comba Dao

29 March 2022 - 00:00 (15:00 local time)

Republic of Ireland 2 - 2 Bulgaria

Vata(61) Curtis(75) full-time Raychev(13) Raychev(41)

Report
Preview
Lineups
Minute by Minute Commentary
Statistics
Gallery

REPORT | MU17 2-2 Bulgaria

The Republic of Ireland Men’s Under-17s hopes of reaching the UEFA European Under-17 Championships in Israel are officially over as they failed to progress from the Elite Phase following their 2-2 draw with Bulgaria at the Municipal, Santa Comba Dao in Portugal on Tuesday afternoon.

29th Mar 2022

Following defeats to Portugal and Finland in their opening two games in Group 8, Ireland knew that they needed a comprehensive win here and results elsewhere to go their way if they were to qualify for the tournament next month.

But goals from substitute Rocco Vata and Sam Curtis were only enough to earn them a point as they had trailed by two goals at half-time thanks to a brace from Bulgaria’s Roberto Iliev Raychev.

The Irish team dominated for large spells of the first half but they paid the price for a lapse in concentration in the 13th minute when Raychev raced onto a loose back pass before the attacker expertly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner.

And things got even worse for the Boys in Green shortly before the break when Raychev notched his and his side’s second of the game when his perfectly timed run from the right allowed him to hammer home a cross pulled back from the left.

Head Coach Colin O’Brien made a couple of alterations to his side during the interval and it paid dividends just past the hour mark when the recently introduced Rocco Vata powered his header past goalkeeper Aleks Anastasov Bozhev from close-range.

Ireland continued to pile players forward in their numbers and they deservedly grabbed an equaliser in the 75th minute when Sam Curtis drilled his shot past the keeper at his back post.

Ireland battled until the very end as they went in search of a winner but ultimately it just wasn’t to be their day or their tournament.

Republic of Ireland: Doherty; Savshak (Vata 46), Heffernan, Curtis, Martin Sean McHale (O’Brien 59); Tetteh (Umeh 59), Ferizaj, McManus, Zefi; Bloxham, O’Mahony (McLoughlin 46).

Bulgaria: Bozhev; Atanasov, Georgiev, Marinov (Pavlov 70), Tsonev; Do (Chakarov 87), Stoyanov, Mitkov (Hadzha 80); Raychev (Vasilev 87), Kirev, Marinov.

Referee: Ion Orlic (Moldova).

Tactical Lineups

Republic of Ireland

Substitutes

Coach

Colin O'Brien

Bulgaria

Substitutes

12 Velizar Iliev (G)
2 Slavi Chakarov
4 Simeon Vasilev
14 Konstantin Pavlov
15 Petar Gospodinov
16 Viktor Vasilev
17 Stefan Traykov
20 Nedzhib Hadzha
21 Alexander Petrov

Coach

Iordan Petkov

Officials

Referee Ion Orlic
Assistant Referees Denis Oala
UEFA Delegate Costas Kapitanis
Assistant Referee Two Luciano Maia
Fourth Official Cláudio Filipe Ruivo Pereira
Referee Observer Costas Kapitanis

Minute by Minute Commentary

1" The match is under way.
3" Asen Mitkov (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Gideon Tetteh (Republic of Ireland).
3" Cathal Heffernan (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
3" Roberto Raychev (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland).
4" Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
7" Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland) takes the corner.
8" Gideon Tetteh (Republic of Ireland) has an effort on goal.
8" Aleks Bozhev (Bulgaria) blocks a shot.
12" Petar Kirev (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland).
12" Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
13" Roberto Raychev (Bulgaria) scores!
14" Zahari Atanasov (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland).
14" Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
15" Asen Mitkov (Bulgaria) misses the target.
18" James Mc Manus (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Mihail Tsonev (Bulgaria).
18" Rosen Marinov (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
22" Roberto Raychev (Bulgaria) misses the target.
25" Asen Mitkov (Bulgaria) misses the target.
25" Mark O'Mahony (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Martin Georgiev (Bulgaria).
25" Antoan Stoyanov (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
26" Roberto Raychev (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland).
26" Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
29" Zahari Atanasov (Bulgaria) takes the corner.
31" Borislav Marinov (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Ivan Savshak (Republic of Ireland).
32" Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
33" Ivan Savshak (Republic of Ireland) misses the target.
34" Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland) takes the corner.
34" Borislav Marinov (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland).
35" Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
37" Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Chung Nguyen Do (Bulgaria).
37" Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland) is cautioned by the referee.
37" Aleks Bozhev (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
38" Antoan Stoyanov (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Mark O'Mahony (Republic of Ireland).
38" Antoan Stoyanov (Bulgaria) is cautioned by the referee.
38" Cathal Heffernan (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
39" Mark O'Mahony (Republic of Ireland) misses the target.
40" Mark O'Mahony (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Zahari Atanasov (Bulgaria).
40" Martin Georgiev (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
41" Roberto Raychev (Bulgaria) has an effort on goal.
41" Fintan Doherty (Republic of Ireland) blocks a shot.
41" Gideon Tetteh (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Mihail Tsonev (Bulgaria).
41" Mihail Tsonev (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
41" Roberto Raychev (Bulgaria) scores!
The referee blows for half-time.
46" The second half begins.
46" Caden Mc Loughlin (in) - Mark O'Mahony (out) (@@teamID)
46" Rocco Vata (in) - Ivan Savshak (out) (@@teamID)
54" Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Mihail Tsonev (Bulgaria).
54" Aleks Bozhev (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
55" Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Mihail Tsonev (Bulgaria).
56" Aleks Bozhev (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
56" Rosen Marinov (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland).
56" Rosen Marinov (Bulgaria) is cautioned by the referee.
57" Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
57" Borislav Marinov (Bulgaria) has an effort on goal.
57" Fintan Doherty (Republic of Ireland) blocks a shot.
58" Borislav Marinov (Bulgaria) takes the corner.
58" Chung Nguyen Do (Bulgaria) misses the target.
59" Luke O'Brien (in) - Martin Sean Mc Hale (out) (@@teamID)
59" Franco Umeh (in) - Gideon Tetteh (out) (@@teamID)
60" Martin Georgiev (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Franco Umeh (Republic of Ireland).
60" Martin Georgiev (Bulgaria) is cautioned by the referee.
61" Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
61" Rocco Vata (Republic of Ireland) scores!
62" Petar Kirev (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Sam Curtis (Republic of Ireland).
63" Luke O'Brien (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Borislav Marinov (Bulgaria).
64" Luke O'Brien (Republic of Ireland) is cautioned by the referee.
65" Aleks Bozhev (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
66" Rocco Vata (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Borislav Marinov (Bulgaria).
66" Rocco Vata (Republic of Ireland) is cautioned by the referee.
67" Zahari Atanasov (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
68" Thomas Bloxham (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Asen Mitkov (Bulgaria).
68" Rosen Marinov (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
68" Rocco Vata (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Martin Georgiev (Bulgaria).
69" Martin Georgiev (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
70" Konstantin Pavlov (in) - Borislav Marinov (out) (@@teamID)
72" Mihail Tsonev (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland).
73" Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
75" Caden Mc Loughlin (Republic of Ireland) has a shot blocked.
75" James Mc Manus (Republic of Ireland) takes the corner.
75" Sam Curtis (Republic of Ireland) scores!
77" Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Asen Mitkov (Bulgaria).
77" Antoan Stoyanov (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
77" Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland) misses the target.
78" James Mc Manus (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Asen Mitkov (Bulgaria).
80" Nedzhib Hadzha (in) - Asen Mitkov (out) (@@teamID)
81" Roberto Raychev (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
81" Roberto Raychev (Bulgaria) misses the target.
82" Nedzhib Hadzha (Bulgaria) is penalised for a foul on Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland).
82" Justin Ferizaj (Republic of Ireland) takes the free-kick.
83" Caden Mc Loughlin (Republic of Ireland) is flagged for offside.
83" Aleks Bozhev (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
84" Franco Umeh (Republic of Ireland) misses the target.
86" Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Roberto Raychev (Bulgaria).
87" Simeon Vasilev (in) - Roberto Raychev (out) (@@teamID)
87" Slavi Chakarov (in) - Chung Nguyen Do (out) (@@teamID)
87" Nedzhib Hadzha (Bulgaria) has an effort on goal.
87" Fintan Doherty (Republic of Ireland) blocks a shot.
88" Franco Umeh (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Petar Kirev (Bulgaria).
88" Franco Umeh (Republic of Ireland) is cautioned by the referee.
88" Zahari Atanasov (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
89" Nedzhib Hadzha (Bulgaria) has a shot blocked.
89" Slavi Chakarov (Bulgaria) misses the target.
90" Rocco Vata (Republic of Ireland) has an effort on goal.
90" Aleks Bozhev (Bulgaria) blocks a shot.
90+1" Rocco Vata (Republic of Ireland) takes the corner.
90+4" Simeon Vasilev (Bulgaria) misses the target.
90+4" Kevin Zefi (Republic of Ireland) is penalised for a foul on Nedzhib Hadzha (Bulgaria).
90+5" Aleks Bozhev (Bulgaria) takes the free-kick.
The final whistle is blown.