Westwood clean sheet in Serbia draw

Kieren Westwood pulled off a stunning late save as Ireland held Serbia to a 0-0 draw
15 August 2012

The Republic of Ireland conjured an admirable performance in a goalless draw against Serbia to consign to the past their harrowing Euro 2012 campaign.

The match at the Red Star Stadium in Belgrade may only have been a friendly, but it was crucial Giovanni Trapattoni's side emerged with creditability after a summer to forget, and they did exactly that.

Chances were sparse in a game that lacked sparkle overall, but at least Kieren Westwood proved himself as Shay Given's replacement for the long term with one stunning save late on to guarantee a deserved draw.

For Trapattoni, the starting line-up on show was very different to the one that took to the field in the final group game against Italy in Euro 2012. The only survivors from a 2-0 defeat were John O'Shea, serving as captain for the first time, Aiden McGeady and Glenn Whelan.

It meant there was at least a degree of freshness to what was a relatively experimental line-up, in particular as Trapattoni at least kept to his word and changed the formation. Trapattoni adopted a 4-1-4-1 format, with Whelan sitting in between defence and midfield, and Stoke team-mate Jon Walters serving as the lone frontman.

For the opening 45 minutes Ireland looked more solid and compact than at any time in Poland where they were often cruelly exposed, albeit the calibre of opposition was considerably higher. But they at least frustrated Serbia whose attempt to work their way in behind the Irish defence often floundered.

After the break, and following a 26-yard free-kick from Aleksandar Kolarov lifted narrowly over the crossbar in the 51st minute, it was the Republic who went on to conjure two of the game's better chances.

Initially, in the 56th minute, McGeady produced a jinking run in midfield to create some space for himself before laying a ball out wide to James McClean. Following a surging run down the left flank the Sunderland winger delivered a low ball into the area that was flicked only a yard wide by Walters.

The save of the game, though, belonged to Westwood in the 71st minute who proved himself superbly with a full-stretch effort away to his left in turning aside a low 20-yard free-kick from Zdravko Kuzmanovic.

As to be expected with any pre-season friendly, a raft of substitutions unfolded throughout the second half. The most notable of those saw West Ham's Joey O'Brien on for the final 11 minutes to win his first cap for five years having suffered a catalogue of injuries in the intervening period.

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