Football
2018 International Friendly, International Friendly
IRL 
2
FT
 USA
1
ESPN staff 6y

United States concedes late goal as Ireland snatches win in friendly

Substitute Alan Judge scored in the 90th minute to give Republic of Ireland a 2-1 win over a young United States squad in a friendly in Dublin on Saturday.

Bobby Wood shook off a difficult club season to score his 12th international goal just before halftime, but Graham Burke equalized for Ireland, and the game appeared headed for a draw before Judge -- who had only entered the game two minutes earlier -- found the late winner.

U.S. interim coach Dave Sarachan took with him to Europe a much-changed squad from the team that beat Bolivia 3-0 on Monday, as many Major League Soccer players stayed in the U.S., but the average age of the team was still just over 23 years old.

The hosts were on the front foot early, earning a number of corners before Jonathan Walters lashed a half-volley wide from distance.

U.S. goalkeeper Bill Hamid had another unconvincing performance after conceding four goals to Ireland in a 2014 friendly, but punched away James McClean's shot from 30 yards.

The Americans got more into the game midway through the first half and nearly scored when Tyler Adams picked up lose ball after corner, and put a shot on target, but Rubio Rubin tried to redirect it and it went over the bar.

A minute later, a fine touch from Timothy Weah led to Wood's shot from 20 yards that went inches wide.

John O'Shea came off for Ireland as planned in the 34th minute to a rousing ovation in his 118th and final appearance -- the third-most in the national team's history.

A minute before the break, Hamid struggled to deal with a cross and nearly gave Ireland the lead but Seamus Coleman could not put a shot on target.

And the U.S. broke through on the final play of the first half as Wil Trapp sent in a long free kick that Matt Miazga headed across goal, and Wood got his boot to it from close range to provide the opening goal.

But Ireland struck back in the 57th minute when Hamid again failed to reach a cross, and Kevin Long headed back across goal for Darragh Lenihan to shoot, and Burke got a touch to it before it crossed the line for the equalizer.

Walters nearly put Ireland ahead in the 63rd minute when he was given space to shoot and fired wide, but the U.S. then had two good chances of its own as Wood's shot from 12 yards was saved and Weah pounced on a defensive error, only to blaze his shot over the bar.

Ireland thought they were ahead moments later when Lenihan headed in a free kick past Hamid, but the Ireland man was ruled offside in what replays showed to be a tough decision.

The U.S. had the next opportunity 10 minutes later when the promising Weston McKennie did well to bring down a ball in the box and stung the hands of Ireland keeper Colin Doyle.

Sarachan gave national team debuts off the bench to defenders Tim Parker and Shaq Moore and midfielder Luca de la Torre, while also bringing on 18-year-old striker Josh Sargent in search of a winner, but Ireland had the better of the late chances.

And the winning goal finally came as McClean dragged the ball past U.S. defenders in the box and Judge took it off his teammates foot to score, with the ball hitting Hamid's hand and the underside of the bar on the way into the net.

The U.S. will now travel to France to play their final friendly of the month next week in Lyon.

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