Irish lose way in Moscow smog

After the haze, the daze. The Republic of Ireland gave an unfathomably poor defensive performance in losing their opening European Championship Group 10 match yesterday, conceding four goals for the first time since Eion Hand's final game as manager in 1985. Some horribly casual work at the back left them two goals down after little more than a quarter of the game and, despite retaliatory strikes by substitutes Clinton Morrison and Gary Doherty in the second half, the new, young but under-strength Russia were deserved winners. They will clearly be serious contenders for the one automatic qualifying position.

If nothing else, the result will dismiss any complacency brought about by Ireland's sterling work at the World Cup and their elevation to a side ranked 11th in the world and seeded to win this group. Less useful will be the cacophony created by the Roy Keane fan club for their man's return, which still appears impossible while Mick McCarthy remains in charge. "He ain't here and he isn't going to be here," was the manager's blunt appraisal of the situation. He admitted of the worst defeat in his 68 matches: "It's been a bad day in terms of defending. But I'd sooner be beaten 4-2 having a go than 2-0 without doing so."

Certainly the vulnerable back four would have been better protected by Keane, which goes for any defence in the world. Jason McAteer, preferred to the more defensive Gary Kelly on the right of midfield, offered no help to the man behind him, Steve Finnan, and Ireland could not cope with the pace of a side revamped to good effect by Valeri Gassaev after a dismal World Cup.

The smog that had caused some doubt on Thursday about whether the game could be played had not drifted away entirely – the forest and peat fires causing it continued to glow – and when the smokescreen surrounding team selection was lifted, there were few other surprises.

Playing McAteer soon looked a shaky strategy as the Russians poured down his side, with Igor Yanovski and Andrei Karyaka causing endless trouble, and Finnan unable to contain them on his own. In a half-empty Lokomotiv Stadium, Russia worked up a good head of steam from the first minute, in which Finnan carelessly surrendered possession to Karyaka and only just recovered in time to concede a corner.

From the flag-kick, Victor Onopko jabbed a thigh out to good effect, forcing Shay Given to save before Gary Breen hacked clear. Given landed himself in trouble shortly afterwards, losing the ball on the edge of the penalty area to Sergei Semak, who hooked it wide of the far post with the goalkeeper nowhere.

It was a dreadful start for the visitors, made worse when Damien Duff was forced to limp off in only the 17th minute with a thigh strain. Three minutes later, the Irish were a goal behind, and the manner of it was predictable: Finnan was neither tight nor dropping off as the experienced Onopko played a pass inside him for Karyaka to run on to and beat Given easily. All thoughts of a typical Irish comeback from a goal down were quickly banished. In the 24th minute, Eugeni Aldonin won the ball from Morrison in midfield, Dmitri Loskov ran at a retreating defence with it and played Vladimir Beschastnykh in to score with a fierce shot high into the net.

It was difficult to recall the last time Ireland had been two goals behind in a competitive game, or in such disarray. There were opportunities to reduce the damage before half-time, but Harte's characteristic 25-yard free-kick curled wide and, in the last minute, the same player, much better going forward than defending, headed McAteer's corner straight at the goalkeeper.

There could just as easily have been more goals for the home side. Caught out by a long diagonal pass, Harte failed to stop Beschastnykh connecting with a shot that flew wide, and Yanovski was all alone at the far post as he scuffed Aldonin's centre wide.

With Ireland making fewer chances as the second half progressed, McCarthy did the obvious thing in sending Doherty on to join his Tottenham club-mate Robbie Keane, who was working hard without reward in attack. Within four minutes the newcomer climbed to head in a left-wing corner. Less than 60 seconds later, Alexander Kerzhakov, a lively if surprising replacement for Beschastnykh, dived low to head in Karyaka's cross and restore the two-goal margin, which the stubborn Irish soon cut back.

Mark Kinsella chipped over the top for Finnan, who set up Morrison for a smart finish. But time and Irish luck ran out three minutes from the end as Given saved from Kerzhakov, only for the ball to hit Phil Babb, who had just come on, and trickle in for an own goal.

Russia 4
Karyaka 20, Beschastnykh 25, Kerzhakov 69, Babb og 86

Republic of Ireland 2
Doherty 46, Morrison 74

Half-time: 2-0 Attendance: 23,000