Everton and Premier League veteran Seamus Coleman rolled back the years with a ‘top notch’ performance as the Republic of Ireland kept Kylian Mbappe’s France at arm’s length during Monday’s European Championship qualifier at the Aviva Stadium.
You can probably count one on hand the amount of times Mbappe has had an evening as quiet as this over the last 12 months or so.
The prospect of arguably world football’s fastest forward going head to head with 34-year-old Coleman was enough to make anyone’s hamstring twinge. But, while the Everton stopper had plenty of help – Nathan Collins standing strong alongside him and Chiedozie Ogbene tracking back like a man possessed – Coleman proved that there is still plenty of life left in this old dog.
“Listen, I had help, didn’t I?,” says Wolves youngster Collins, a well-drilled Irish backline limiting Didier Deschamps’ World Cup finalists to half-chances throughout (Irish News).
“Seamie there was class again. We were helped. It wasn’t just me, it was the whole team. We nullified Mbappe, but it was the whole team.”
Everton’s Seamus Coleman outstanding vs Kylian Mbappe
Stephen Kenny has come under considerable fire since replacing Mick McCarthy as Ireland’s head coach but this was a performance which justified his methods; an organised backline complemented by a composed midfield and a frontline full of effort and intensity.
The Republic were a couple of Mike Maignan saves away from capping a fine team display with a deserved point too, Collins denied by what he describes as an ‘unbelievable’ stop from the AC Milan glovesman heading into stoppage time.
The Irish Mirror, meanwhile, gave Coleman an 8/10 for his efforts. The Everton legend’s his vast experience and never-say-die spirit ensuring that there was to be no repeat of the Mbappe masterclass against the Netherlands three days earlier.
“A top-notch captain’s display,” the Irish Mirror write.
Kenny’s opposite number – Didier Deschamps – offered a gracious assessment of Coleman’s performance too, his France side dominating possession but only breaking Ireland’s resistance thanks to a trademark Benjamin Pavard piledriver.
“I think the opposition did a really good job on defending them (Mbappe and left-back Theo Hernandez),” Deschamps tells the Irish Independent.
“We scored four on Friday, but didn’t pose much of a threat today. That speaks to the work of the Irish defence. The two games were really different.”
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