Ireland 9-4 to qualify after heavy Belgium loss
IRELAND are out to 9-4 with bet365 and Betway to qualify for the knockout stages of the European Championship after being outclassed by a vintage Belgium performance in Bordeaux.
Martin O’Neill’s men can have no complaints about the 3-0 defeat and must now beat group winners Italy on Wednesday to stand any realistic chance of making the last 16, most likely as one of the four best third-placed sides to go through.
If there is any comfort it should come with the confirmation that Italy coach Antonio Conte has said he will rotate his usual starting 11 for the Lille showdown, but Ireland will have to improve to beat even the Azzurri’s reserves.
Ireland held out for the first half but Romelu Lukaku made the breakthrough soon after the interval and later added a third for Belgium with Axel Witsel also on target for the rampant Red Devils.
Lukaku is 7-1 to finish as the tournament top goalscorer and the Everton man is 16-1 by Betfair to be named as the player of the tournament with playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, who was moved centrally having featured on the wing in the 2-0 defeat to Italy, cut to 18-1.
Bizarrely, finishing second in Group E could be an advantage the way the knockout draw is beginning to shape up - a draw against Sweden will wrap up that position for Belgium - and they are interestingly quoted at 12-1 to win Euro 2016.
Marc Wilmots finally got his team selection right and the only sour note was an injury to Mousa Dembele, who was one of three changes to the side which lost first time out.
