Ireland Secures Multi-Eligibility Talent with Senior Debuts in Dominant Five-Goal Win Over Grenada
The Football Association of Ireland handed senior debuts to James Abankwah and Millenic Alli in a 5-0 win over Grenada, strengthening their international ties. The match, led by coach Heimir Hallgrímsson, featured a dominant second-half display as Ireland secured a convincing friendly victory in Spain.
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has made significant strides in anchoring the international allegiance of two highly rated, dual-nationality players by handing them their senior international debuts during a resounding 5-0 friendly victory over Grenada, All Nigeria Soccer reports.
The match, which concluded Republic of Ireland's intensive 10-day training camp at the Estadio Enrique Roca de Murcia in Spain, served as an ideal platform for head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson to integrate fresh talent into the squad. Amongst the new faces making their senior international bows were Udinese defender James Abankwah and Portsmouth forward Millenic Alli, both of whom remain eligible to represent Nigeria's Super Eagles through their heritage.
By fielding the duo in a senior international fixture, the FAI has taken a proactive step ahead of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to solidify the players' long-term loyalty to the Boys in Green.
On the pitch, the young Irish side shook off a quiet first half to completely dismantle the Caribbean team after the interval. Substitutes heavily dictated the tempo, with forward Tom Cannon striking twice in quick succession immediately after the break, scoring in the 46th and 56th minutes.
The second-half onslaught was completed by an exceptional hat-trick from Jack Moylan, who found the back of the net in the 62nd, 80th, and 84th minutes to cap off an emphatic performance and give the coaching staff plenty of positive selection dilemmas moving forward.
Related stories
Sports
CAF Confirms 2026-27 Calendar, Sets Dates for Major Competitions
CAF has confirmed dates and host countries for major 2026-27 competitions, including the 2027 AFCON in East Africa, CAF Super Cup in South Africa and youth tournaments across Ghana, Morocco and Egypt.
Sports
Burkina Faso Thrash Flying Eagles 4-1, Knock Nigeria Out of U-20 AFCON, World Cup
Burkina Faso thrashed Nigeria 4-1 to win the WAFU U-20 title, ending the Flying Eagles’ hopes of qualifying for both the 2027 U-20 AFCON and FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Sports
Mourinho: I Agreed to Succeed Ferguson at Man United in 2013, But Chose Chelsea
Mourinho reveals he had agreed to become Man United manager after Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013 but chose Chelsea instead, saying he followed his heart.
Sports
WAFCON 2026: Super Falcons Get World Cup Lifeline in Play-Offs
Nigeria’s World Cup hopes remain alive after WAFCON exit as the Super Falcons face South Africa for a place in the intercontinental play-offs.
Comments (0)
Leave a comment
All comments are moderated before publishing. Your email is never published.