Dovbyk’s equaliser cancels out fantastic solo goal from Collins

Artem Dovbyk’s goal in the second half was enough to earn Ukraine a point against the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Nations League.

Burnley defender Nathan Collins weaved his way through Ukraine’s ranks before firing past Dmytro Riznyk with the outside of his right foot.

This stunning goal was only enough to earn the Republic of Ireland a draw. Dovbyk’s leveller ensured that Ukraine sit top of the group ahead of the remaining games.

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A largely inexperienced Ireland team – with the notable exception of James McClean, who won his 94th cap – performed admirably at the LKS Stadium, with Collins, Dara O’Shea, Josh Cullen and Jason Knight particularly impressive to provide manager Stephen Kenny with further vindication of his vision.

Kenny was forced into reshuffles at the back and in attack, with Shane Duffy, John Egan and Michael Obafemi unavailable, and that meant starts for O’Shea, Darragh Lenihan, making his competitive debut, and, for the first time since September 2019, Scott Hogan.

Captained by McClean, who had joked at the pre-match press conference that the team chef had more chance of getting the armband, the visitors started on the front foot. with Troy Parrott’s early cross causing problems for keeper Dmytro Riznyk.

Ukraine, who had lined up with three at the back in Dublin last Wednesday evening, opted for four this time around, and that allowed the dangerous Mykola Shaparenko to adopt a more advanced role, although it was Ruslan Malinovskyi who tested keeper Caoimhin Kelleher with an 11th-minute snapshot.

However, the visitors should have been in front within seven minutes when Knight took advantage of Illia Zabarnyi’s slip to cross to the unmarked Parrott, who powered his header back across Riznyk but wastefully wide of the far post.

Kelleher was in action once again when defender Mykola Matviyenko’s 22nd-minute ball over the top put Vitaliy Mykolenko in behind wing-back Alan Browne, the keeper blocking the defender’s initial effort before Browne recovered to repel his follow-up.

Malinovskyi’s premature departure through injury and Mykhailo Mudryk’s arrival as his replacement saw Shaparenko drop back into midfield alongside Serhiy Sydorchuk, restoring the partnership which had proved so successful at the Aviva.

However, it was the playmaker’s 31st-minute pass which was picked off by Collins, who strode forward and eluded…