Serbia v Ireland: What time, what channel and all you need to know about tonight's World Cup qualifier

Seamus Coleman, left, and Matt Doherty during a Republic of Ireland training session at Stadion Rajko Mitic in Belgrade, Serbia. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Tony Considine

March 24 2021 08:35 AM

Ireland's World Cup qualifying campaign kicks off this evening with Stephen Kenny still searching for his first win as Ireland boss.

Here's all you need to know about tonight's game.

What time is kick-off?

7.45pm Irish time.

Where can I watch it?

The game will be shown on RTE2 and Sky Sports Football with coverage on both starting at 7PM. We'll also be live-blogging all the action as it happens here on Independent.ie.

What will Ireland's starting line-up look like?

Once again., Stephen Kenny's plans have been decimated by circumstances beyond his control with a hefty injury last rather than Covid-19 the issue this week.

His first and second choice keepers are both missing after the weekend news that Caoimhín Kelleher was joining Darren Randolph on the injury list. Kenny has since confirmed that Bournemouth's Mark Travers will make his competitive debut between the sticks.

James McCarthy and John Egan had already been ruled out by the time Kelleher, Conor Hourihane, Callum O’Dowda and Kevin Long were ruled out last Sunday and the likes of James McClean and Aaron Connolly have joined up with the squad carrying knocks.

This has left the Irish boss with the below squad to pick from and it's thought that both Seamus Coleman and Matt Doherty will start tonight.

Goalkeepers: Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth), Gavin Bazunu (Rochdale, on loan from Manchester City), Kieran O'Hara (Burton Albion).

Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), Shane Duffy (Celtic, on loan from Brighton), Enda Stevens (Sheffield United), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Dara O'Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Ryan Manning (Swansea City), Cyrus Christie (Nottingham Forest), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers).

Midfielders: Alan Browne (Preston North End), Jeff Hendrick (Newcastle United), Jayson Molumby (Preston North End, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), Jason Knight (Derby County), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Conor Coventry (West Ham United), Robbie Brady (Burnley), James McClean (Stoke City), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth).

Strikers: Callum Robinson (West Bromwich Albion), Aaron Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion), Shane Long (AFC Bournemouth, on loan from Southampton), James Collins (Luton Town), Troy Parrott (Ipswich Town, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur).

What about Serbia?

Serbia will be hoping for a new manager bounce with Dragan Stojkovic who takes over with the side at a low ebb following their Euro 20 play-off defeat to Scotland. It's slim pickings in terms of players familiar to a Premier League audience with Manchester United and Crystal Palace midfielders Nemanja Matic and Luka Milivojevic both recently retired from international football. Former Manchester City defender Aleksandar Kolarov is also absent leaving Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic the only Premier League player in the squad with Ajax's ex-Southampton man Dusan Tadic also present.

What are the coaches saying?

Stephen Kenny: “There are only eight games. If you start well, it can be about momentum at times. You don’t get many opportunities like that in life, so you’ve got to grasp it and take the opportunity and give everything of ourselves and when the game against Serbia is over then we can switch to the game against Luxembourg.

“There’ll certainly be tactical changes but all of the players are just focused on the game against Serbia now. We want to give everything of ourselves to get the best result that we possibly can.”

Dragan Stojkovic: "To be honest, I do not pay attention to Ireland and their composition. I am focused on my team and my players.

"I know enough how much a coach needs to know, which is enough to convey to my players, in a tactical sense, what will be waiting for us tonight. But I have a lot of respect for the Irish team.

“Our thoughts are focused on playing well, dominating the game and winning and we have to get ready for it. If you ask me if I would be happy with the point? I have to say no."

What are the pundits saying?

Daniel McDonnell says that: "Put simply, the stakes are incredibly high for Kenny after a damaging autumn. History books have little scope to reflect the impact of Covid dramas and injury crisis; a record of eight games with no wins and one goal scored will live longer and that’s why he is under pressure to deliver."

Daniel McDonnell: Opinion Big match preview - Parking the bus won’t be good enough to end Ireland’s wretched run

Former Ireland striker John Aldridge thinks that Stephen Kenny needs to take a more pragmatic approach saying: "The job of a manager is to get the best out of the talent he has at his disposal and while Kenny’s long-term vision may be to change the way Ireland play and deliver a more attractive style of play, you have to ask how realistic that is right now."

John Aldridge: Opinion Could any manager deliver attractive winning football with this Ireland team?

What are the odds?

The bookies make Serbia clear favourites - Paddy Power have Ireland to win at 9/2, Serbia odds-on at 8/13 with the draw 23/10.

Online Editors

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