After facing defeat on home soil, the Irish players were motivated to a win tonight against football powerhouse France. The match was too intense as a place in the 2010 World Cup Finals was at stake. As disclosed by Giovanni Trapattoni, the Italian coach for Ireland’s national team, Irish players were once again successful in scoring an away goal. A beautiful strike from Tottenham Hotspur star Robbie Keane in the 32nd minute made sure that the match was going to the wire.

France was attacking with full strength with every second passing. Anelka and Henry from Chelsea and Barcelona respectively, tried very hard to score but in vain. Manchester United left back, Patrice Evra was also disappointing tonight as he missed some important chances and so did Arsenal’s Gallas and Real Madrid’s Diarra. Gallas’s Arsenal team mate Sagna was impressive throughout the 90 minutes.

Ireland too had a set of good and bad players for the night. Manchester United regular John O’Shea was unfortunate as he was injured and was visibly limping because of which he was substituted in the 66th minute. Manchester City goalie Shay Given made some good saves tonight and kept the score at 0-1 for 90 minutes.

The match entered extra time as the score over two legs remained 1-1. In the 103rd minute, France was awarded a free kick near midfield by Swedish referee Martin Hansson. Malouda lobbed the ball into the penalty box which was clearly controlled by Henry using his left hand near the left post before volleying it towards Gallas who easily headed the ball into the net. The referee allowed the goal and the Irish players pleas fell to deaf ears.

After the goal, France was in control of the game as they had an upper hand now. Ireland tried attacking but their efforts didn’t seem to trouble the French defense. The match ended in a draw after extra time. France goes through to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup Finals and Ireland goes back home as if all their efforts were for nothing.

For all who were heartbroken after Robby Keane’s 33rd minute goal, there was more to come. The Irish played well, and stuck to their plan. The French didn’t seem to have much of a plan but there’s truth when one says fortune favors the brave. The French probably had only 1 thing in mind, to win the game in exchange of anything.

The Word Cup qualifiers can have strange results with many a good team not making the final cut. France certainly was on that list before the game began tonight. With absolutely no luck right through both halves, the French looked a forlorn side and the Irish seemed to make a statement. With the last spat between both teams, even their egos were at stake.

Ireland simply needed to hold onto their 1 goal lead at added time, and move to penalties. Nail biting, that’s what most would expect, France had a lineup that you can write home about, only Benzema didn’t get to play and Malouda came on rather late. Patrice Evra, Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka, Sagna, and Diarra were party of this star studded lineup because they have players who’re key members in popular leagues. This World Cup qualifying play-off second leg match between The Republic of Ireland and France did see a great performance by Hugo lloris, but was that going to be enough?

French fans were already weeping, and the Irish were gleaming, was this going to be a mini victory? But then came the twist, certainly another classic repeat of the Hand of God incident, today Thierry Henry was certainly the chosen one.

A debatable William Gallas goal within the first 15 minutes of extra time will always be discussed. Gallas however didn’t do anything dubious, it was Henry. His handballs were not just prominent but they can be viewed as intentional and referees never saw a thing and the home crowd didn’t mind. The Irish players were hysterical, and the French jubilant. A ray of hope, and that’s all that was needed. We don’t always remember everything around us, but Thierry Henry’s handball incident at the Stade de France will attain historic proportions considering how much was at stake for the national teams of Ireland, and France.

Raymond Domenech couldn’t have asked for more. The 1998 winners have made the cut and will be a strong contender. Giovanni Trapattoni had everything going for him up until the unnoticed handball that saw the French through. French win at the play-off first leg in Dublin may have been a lucky deflection, and this time luck ran out of the Irish beer mugs and straight into Thierry Henrys hand. The French love many a thing, and they sure love their football. Everyone we know was there to support the national team including Zinedine Zidane, Barthez, and President Nicolas Sarkozy.

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