David Sneyd reports from Greece

HEIMIR HALLGRÍMSSON WAS distinctly unimpressed with the two goals the Republic of Ireland conceded in their 2-0 defeat to Greece.

A strike from outside of the box just three minutes into the second half was followed by a second in injury time after Caoimhín Kelleher misplaced a pass from the back.

Hallgrímsson said he was proud of how his players reacted to the first setback but that giving up the initiative to the Group 2 leaders in League B of the Nations League was not good enough.

“Honestly, we were not happy with the first half. Before the game, we knew it was going to be a tough match with all that was going around, the wave that is here, and we knew that there would be a hostile atmosphere and a good crowd behind the Greeks.

“They just came from a win in England, they are top of the group and we knew that the first minutes would be tough. But going through the first half without conceding made us feel, ‘Okay, the chance is there for us’. But to concede so early was a blow and it was a sloppy goal. I need to see it again, but I saw one replay and it was a sloppy goal.

“But anyway, from that moment I think we really grew into the game. It was like a little bit of pressure was off, maybe comparing that to the Finland game as well, so it looked like when we have nothing to lose, we start to play like we should.

“I was proud of the guys second half, how they played, how they pressed, won the ball high up, got it in dangerous positions and had some chances, so proud of that, and we stayed in the game until the 87th minute or something.

“And then again Christmas in November again for us. We’re giving too many gifts to the opponent. But I like to take the positives from this and I think we showed ourselves. Hopefully the people saw that as well, what we can actually do, how we can play if we are on the front foot, positive with belief in what we are doing, et cetera, so happy with that positive to take from that.”

Kelleher made a string of important saves in the first half and Hallgrímsson was not pointing the finger of blame at the goalkeeper as he also reflected on this week as a whole, one which delivered a first win of his reign against Finland

“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. I have no delusions; this is always about results. This is a results business, the national team, so we always like to have points, and we always like to win,” he said.

“But now I’ve been two weeks with these guys, and I think what has happened in these two weeks has been really positive. I think the guys are more on board and I think when we do it, and it’s not like it’s five or 10 minutes.

“The second-half against Finland was really good and I think this second-half was pretty good as well, even under difficult conditions against a really good team, especially here at home. So I think we have shown ourselves and the fans again what we can do. If we keep working on the correct things, improving how we play both with and without the ball, there is only one way and that is forward, growing.”

Written by David Sneyd and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.