Republic of Ireland head coach Haimir Hallgrímsson stated that they can "do better" after the team's 2-1 comeback victory against Bulgaria in the first leg of the UEFA Nations League play-offs. This win gives them a certain advantage in the second leg of the match, providing a solid foundation for their campaign.
Read Also...:
World Athletics Indoor Championships 2025: Who is competing, how to watch & key timings
03-21, 2025
Emma Raducanu: Vladimir Platenik coach partnership ended over 'stress and pressure'
03-21, 2025
Salford beat Giants for first Super League win
03-21, 2025
Neco Williams: Wales star on World Cup, grief and family inspiration
03-21, 2025In the match, Bulgaria took the lead in Plovdiv, with Marin Petkov's goal in the 6th minute putting them ahead. However, the visitors then turned the score around before the end of the first half, thanks to goals from Finn Azaz and Matt Doherty, showcasing their resilience and attacking prowess.
Ahead of the second leg in Dublin on Sunday, Ireland carries a slight advantage. Hallgrímsson is clear that the team still has room for improvement in order to maintain their status in League B. "We can do better. This is just the first game of two. We look forward to going to Dublin and playing them in our home stadium," he told RTE, emphasizing the importance of home advantage.
Hallgrímsson was pleased with the "character" shown by the team, as Ireland recovered from an early unexpected goal to secure the second away win of his tenure as coach. "I thought we played very well in the first half, although we were a bit unlucky to concede a goal from their first attack," he continued. "I just wanted us to continue what we were planning to do (after Bulgaria's goal), and we did, we had some very good movement, which is what we want them to do, and I was happy at half-time."
Goal scorer Azaz said he was "buzzing" for his first international goal, scored from close range, which also capped off an impressive first-half performance for the Middlesbrough midfielder. "(Troy Parrott) created the opportunity for me, so I have to thank Troy. Robbie (Brady)'s cross was also great, I just had to be there," he told RTE. "It's probably the easiest goal I've ever scored; I'm not very good at headers, so I'm glad to get one tonight."
The 24-year-old believes his team can take a lot of confidence from this match played on the difficult pitch at the Hristo Botev Stadium, which made the second half fragmented. "The pitch was difficult to play on, but I thought we did well, we are still improving, and the confidence is still building. We will take a lot from it. We created a lot of chances and dominated in the first half, the second half was just about game management," highlighting the team's adaptability and strategic awareness.
