After the loss, the pressure is not easing on Ireland, who will face the Netherlands at Dublin's Aviva Stadium in a Euro 2024 qualifying Group B match on Sunday. Ireland lost 0-2 to France on Thursday night, while their opponents ran out comfortable 3-0 winners against Greece.
In their opening Euro 2024 qualifier against France, Ireland, as they did against Didier Deschamps' side six months ago, failed to find an effective way to deal with France. Instead, they were in awe of Benjamin Pavard's bombardment, a tribute to Bruno Aurelian Tchouameni's ability to cannon the ball into the bottom corner of the net after Ireland failed to close him down in time, before Marcus Thuram's quick turn and shot landed to set up the game.
Ireland didn't fail to show promise briefly, with Mike Menain (showing excellent reflexes to keep out a Chiedozie Ogbourne shot and the Luton Town man going just over the crossbar, but Kenny's side only had 32% of the ball and it was clear that they were losing out to the better team on the night.
Ireland have now lost three of their opening four European qualifiers, only winning 3-0 against Gibraltar, and they sit fourth in the five-team table, although only three points separate them from the Netherlands.
However, thanks to their recent performances in the Nations League, the Dutch boast a game behind, while Ireland have lost just one European Championship qualifier at home, although their recent pattern of winning and losing games hasn't made for much pleasant reading for the more superstitious supporters.
While Ireland couldn't find an answer against France, Dutch fans were treated to a masterclass in first-half showmanship at the Philips Stadium from Denzel Dumfries, who provided three first-half assists for Ronald Koeman's side to help them beat Greece.
Despite playing the Nations League final on their home turf, Holland lost 2-4 in extra time before defensive problems plagued them again in the third-fourth place playoff, where they lost the bronze medal in a 3-2 victory in Italy.
For the Netherlands, the win against Greece was only their second in six competitive matches, with the other four ending in Dutch defeats, but they sit second in Group C ahead of France, who ended their five-match unbeaten run in European qualifiers with a 4-0 defeat six months ago.
Furthermore, the Netherlands have won just one of their five encounters with Ireland since the turn of the century, a 4-0 thrashing in a 2006 friendly. And the 'Emerald Green' made up for it in a hard-fought 1-1 draw in 2016, with Luke de Jong only erasing Sean Long's opener in the last five minutes of the game.
Likely Ireland starting XI: Bazunu; Collins, Egan, Duffy; Brown, Cullen, Morenby, McLean; Ogbourne, Idah, Knight
Likely Dutch Starting XI: Flecken; Gertruda, De Vrij, Van Dijk; Dumfries, Drowne, De Rong, Brind; Simmons, Gacpo; Verhulst
MATCH PREDICTION: Ireland 0-2 Netherlands Kenny has urged the Irish to put on the performance of their lives against the Dutch, but words of encouragement may not be enough for a nation that has been inconsistent on home soil in recent months. Although Ireland's record against the Dutch is fair, Koeman's men are certainly back on track and should take the other three points in Dublin if they have anything to show for it against Greece.
