Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was named Player of the Match in Republic of Ireland’s 2-0 defeat to Greece but made a costly mistake in the closing stages of the Nations League match.
Greece took the lead in the first half through captain Tasos Bakasetas and Ireland required a string of fine saves from Kelleher to keep them in the game.
But the 25-year-old, who is set to deputise for the injured Alisson when Liverpool’s Premier League campaign resumes next weekend, gave away a goal in injury time as his loose pass was intercepted by Petros Mantalos, who scored to seal Greece’s win.
Following the goalkeeper’s late error, Ireland striker Troy Parrott backed Kelleher to mentally recover.
‘It’s frustrating for all of us, there is nothing we can do. Everyone makes mistakes, Caoimh doesn’t make many,’ Parrott said.
‘Everyone in the dressing room is behind him, but I don’t think he needs it because he’s strong enough mentally to deal with it.
‘Obviously, it’s frustrating to give a good side like this chances, especially at that time in the game when we were coming back into it and creating good chances ourselves. It’s difficult, but we have to move on.
‘That [pressure] is what you want, it’s why we all play football to deliver on the biggest stage. It doesn’t add any pressure, all of us should be able to own up to what the manager is saying when we’re playing in these big games.’
When asked about Kelleher’s error, Ireland head coach, Heimir Hallgrimsson, said: ‘I have a goalkeeper coach who always says the same thing – football is a team sport until a goalkeeper makes a mistake, then it’s no longer a team sport.
‘It is what it is. You never know but we were really in the game, we were getting the ball in dangerous positions at this moment.
‘But winning or losing was not there, it was because we started too late, I think, to believe in ourselves.’
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