Chiedozie Ogbene on Republic of Ireland’s 0-1 loss to France: Losing isn’t a cause for celebration

Chiedozie Ogbene Sees Doubt in France’s Stars in the Republic of Ireland’s 1-0 Euro 2024 Qualifying Loss

The Republic of Ireland may have fallen to a 1-0 loss against France in Dublin but Rotherham forward Chiedozie Ogbene put in a great performance on the pitch. In the closing stages, Ogbene was able to see doubt in France’s stars, and even though goalkeeper Mike Maignan produced two stunning late saves to deny the Republic a famous point, Ogbene believes that his team managed to put pressure on France with set-pieces. “The overall feeling is disappointment,” says Ogbene, “but the performance, possibly the best under manager Stephen Kenny, was a massive boost.”

Despite the result, Ogbene remains optimistic about the team’s performance against one of the best teams in the world. In fact, Ogbene had a great game and gave AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez, who started the World Cup final against Argentina, a torrid time in Dublin. His performance has boosted his confidence, and he believes that he has what it takes to go to the next level: “Sometimes you don’t play well and you start doubting yourself. But when I can put performances in like this, it gives me the belief that maybe I can be effective at the next level and that’s my dream and so it keeps my dream alive.”

Republic of Ireland’s Best Performance under Manager Stephen Kenny

Despite the defeat, the Republic of Ireland’s performance was a massive boost for the team, especially under manager Stephen Kenny. Ogbene says that although the team is disappointed about the result, they need to focus on the positives and take the experience as a learning opportunity. “We were all trying to get the ref to speed up the game and an experienced nation like that know how to suck the life out of the game,” adds Ogbene.

Overall, the Republic of Ireland’s performance was commendable, and Ogbene’s individual performance was outstanding. The team may have lost the game, but they won the hearts of the fans with their passionate play.