BBC SPORT | Football | Internationals | Republic of Ireland

Russia 4-2 Republic of Ireland

An uncharacteristically sloppy performance saw the Republic of Ireland make the worst possible start to the Euro 2004 qualifying campaign.

The Irish never recovered from a dreadful first half which saw Mick McCarthy's side go in 2-0 down at half-time.

Russians punish sloppy Irish

The visitors pulled to within a goal of the Russians on two occasions in the second half but Phil Babb's unfortunate own goal three minutes from time sealed Ireland's fate.

Photo Gallery: Russia shock Irish

Ireland made a nervous start and the Russians could have had two goals in the opening five minutes.

Firstly, Shay Given produced a brilliant save to stop a Andrei Kariaka header in the opening minute after Steve Finnan had carelessly conceded a corner.

Photo Gallery: Pictures from Moscow

However, the Newcastle goalkeeper was then guilty of a dreadful error in the fourth minute when his botched clearance should have been punished by Sergei Semak with the goal gaping.

Steve Finnan had a nightmare first half
Finnan was at fault for Russia's first goal

Robbie Keane relieved the pressure by producing a mazy run into the Russian penalty area in the seventh minute which troubled the home defence.

After Keane had been dispossessed, Damien Duff almost got in a shot on goal but the chance was blocked.

With the Irish appearing to gain in confidence after their early nerves, they hit the woodword with Duff's shot from distance flicked by on by Harte.

However, Ireland then suffered a blow with the influential Duff forced to leave the field because of a thigh injury to be replaced by Clinton Morrison.

Portugal hold England

Things went to bad from worse in the 19th minute when Andrei Karyaka put the Russians ahead with the Irish defence left hopelessly exposed after a dreadful Finnan error.

Ian Harte wasted a chance with a free-header in the 21st minute when he unwisely attempted to nod back towards Morrison instead of going for goal himself.

The miss became even more crucial when another example of shocking Irish play enabled Vladimir Beschastnykh to fire in a second goal past a helpless Given in the 26th minute.

Doherty introduced

Matt Holland was dispossessed in midfield and with the Irish defenders outnumbered, Beschastnykh was able to pick his spot.

Beschastnykh, one of only two Russian survivors from the 2-0 defeat by the Irish in Dublin, had another opportunity in the 35th minute but he shot inches wide.

By this stage, the Irish were giving the ball away alarmingly in midfield with the speedy Russians threatening to over-run the visitors' defence.

Igor Yanovsky wasted another glorious chance for the Russians two minutes before the break when he steered the ball wide with the again defence again nowhere.

Ian Harte had a couple of half-chances before half-time.

Firstly, the Leeds man curled a free-kick from 25 yards just wide and then he headed a Jason McAteer corner into the arms of Russian goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov.

Kevin Kilbane (right) didn't have one of his better Ireland outings
Andrey Solomatin and Kevin Kilbane battle

The Irish improved in the third quarter without creating anything of note.

There was the suspicion that the Russians were adopting a more defensive approach given their two-goal advantage.

Midway through the second half, Irish boss Mick McCarthy threw Gary Doherty on a second striker with McAteer withdrawn to the bench.

Doherty had an immediate chance when he hit straight at the Russian keeper but the Tottenham man then made amends by heading a Ian Harte corner to the net in the 68th minute.

The Irish seemed to be back in the game but within a minute the Russians had restored their two-goal advantage.

Have your say on Ireland's defeat

Kenny Cunningham failed to reach Karyaka's cross and substitute Alexander Kerzhakov was able to head past Given.

But the Russians were exhibiting defensive woes of their own and Morrison's neat finish in the 75th minute after good work by Mark Kinsella and Finnan left a goal in it again.

The Irish threw bodies forward in the closing minutes and when Mark Kinsella lost the ball, substitute Kerzhakov was through on goal again.

Kerzhakov's pointblank shot was saved by Given but the ball then rebounded off the unlucky substitute Babb into the net.

Dare one say it but a certain Roy Keane was missed from this performance.

Russia: Sergei Ovchinnikov; Gennady Nizhegorodov, Sergei Ignashevich, Yevgeny Aldonin, Sergei Semak, Igor Yanovsky, Viktor Onopko, Rolan Gusev, Andrei Karyaka, Dmitry Loskov, Vladimir Beschastnykh.

Ireland: Shay Given; Steve Finnan, Ian Harte, Kenny Cunningham, Gary Breen; Matt Holland, Jason McAteer, Mark Kinsella, Kevin Kilbane; Damien Duff, Robbie Keane.

Referee: Claude Colombo (France).