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RTE.ie, Ireland
Oct 7 2011
Trapattoni will aim for win over Armenia
Friday, 7 October 2011 23:55
Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has insisted he will send
out his team to beat Armenia in their crunch Euro 2012 clash on
Tuesday evening.
Russia's 1-0 triumph in Slovakia tonight means they will win Group B
if they beat minnows Andorra in Moscow.
The Republic, who overcame Andorra 2-0 tonight, will claim second spot
and a play-off berth if they avoid defeat to Armenia, rivals for the
runner-up position, at the Aviva Stadium.
But Trapattoni is adamant he will not play for a draw.
He said: "It would be very, very wrong to start with that mentality.
"We are not Manchester United, but Manchester United are a team with a
winning mentality and with that mentality we can go far.
"If we did that [play for a draw], it would not be my team. My team
will always play to win.
"We have built this mentality and that is important. With this
mentality, we can beat very, very strong teams.
"I don't think about the record eight games in which we have not
conceded a goal. I'm not interested in that. It's how we achieve the
result that matters."
Ireland got off to an ideal start against Andorra tonight when, having
already seen skipper Robbie Keane hit the bar, they took a
seventh-minute lead.
Keane might have opened the scoring himself had strike partner Kevin
Doyle not unwittingly blocked his shot on the line.
However, when defender John O'Shea helped the ball back into the
danger area, Doyle pounced to fire home from close range.
The game was effectively over with 20 minutes gone when Aiden McGeady,
who terrorised full-back Alexandre Martinez throughout, ran on to
Glenn Whelan's clever free-kick and fired in a shot which Josep Gomes
could only turn on to Ildefons Lima, who bundled it into his own net.
All that remained was for Ireland to see out the game to record that
eighth successive clean sheet, which they did in some comfort,
although they were dealt a blow when left-back Stephen Ward collected
a 31st-minute booking for diving, his second of the campaign and one
which will mean he is suspended on Tuesday.
Trapattoni said: "It's a great pity because I think the referee made
mistake because it was a foul against Stephen.
"I asked him and he said the player touched his leg. We were asking
for a penalty.
"We have other options, but it is a great pity because he is playing
well at this moment."
Trapattoni was otherwise pleased with the night's work.
He said: "I asked the team to start the game with 100 per cent
determination and not to underestimate the opponents.
"In the first 10 or 15 minutes, we could have been two or three goals ahead.
"But I'm happy because we played with the same attitude and the same
mentality and we had no problems in defence."
Andorra boss Koldo Alvarez was happy with the way his side stuck to
their task despite conceding two goals so quickly.
They now head for Russia for perhaps their toughest assignment of the
campaign with Ireland hoping, if not believing, that the Andorrans can
pull off a shock victory.
Asked if Andorra could win in Moscow, Alvarez said: "It's possible.
It's my job to believe that and if I didn't, I wouldn't go there."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Oct 7 2011
Trapattoni will aim for win over Armenia
Friday, 7 October 2011 23:55
Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has insisted he will send
out his team to beat Armenia in their crunch Euro 2012 clash on
Tuesday evening.
Russia's 1-0 triumph in Slovakia tonight means they will win Group B
if they beat minnows Andorra in Moscow.
The Republic, who overcame Andorra 2-0 tonight, will claim second spot
and a play-off berth if they avoid defeat to Armenia, rivals for the
runner-up position, at the Aviva Stadium.
But Trapattoni is adamant he will not play for a draw.
He said: "It would be very, very wrong to start with that mentality.
"We are not Manchester United, but Manchester United are a team with a
winning mentality and with that mentality we can go far.
"If we did that [play for a draw], it would not be my team. My team
will always play to win.
"We have built this mentality and that is important. With this
mentality, we can beat very, very strong teams.
"I don't think about the record eight games in which we have not
conceded a goal. I'm not interested in that. It's how we achieve the
result that matters."
Ireland got off to an ideal start against Andorra tonight when, having
already seen skipper Robbie Keane hit the bar, they took a
seventh-minute lead.
Keane might have opened the scoring himself had strike partner Kevin
Doyle not unwittingly blocked his shot on the line.
However, when defender John O'Shea helped the ball back into the
danger area, Doyle pounced to fire home from close range.
The game was effectively over with 20 minutes gone when Aiden McGeady,
who terrorised full-back Alexandre Martinez throughout, ran on to
Glenn Whelan's clever free-kick and fired in a shot which Josep Gomes
could only turn on to Ildefons Lima, who bundled it into his own net.
All that remained was for Ireland to see out the game to record that
eighth successive clean sheet, which they did in some comfort,
although they were dealt a blow when left-back Stephen Ward collected
a 31st-minute booking for diving, his second of the campaign and one
which will mean he is suspended on Tuesday.
Trapattoni said: "It's a great pity because I think the referee made
mistake because it was a foul against Stephen.
"I asked him and he said the player touched his leg. We were asking
for a penalty.
"We have other options, but it is a great pity because he is playing
well at this moment."
Trapattoni was otherwise pleased with the night's work.
He said: "I asked the team to start the game with 100 per cent
determination and not to underestimate the opponents.
"In the first 10 or 15 minutes, we could have been two or three goals ahead.
"But I'm happy because we played with the same attitude and the same
mentality and we had no problems in defence."
Andorra boss Koldo Alvarez was happy with the way his side stuck to
their task despite conceding two goals so quickly.
They now head for Russia for perhaps their toughest assignment of the
campaign with Ireland hoping, if not believing, that the Andorrans can
pull off a shock victory.
Asked if Andorra could win in Moscow, Alvarez said: "It's possible.
It's my job to believe that and if I didn't, I wouldn't go there."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress