Ireland 0-0 North Macedonia in Friendly Draw

The Republic of Ireland played out a goalless draw with North Macedonia in a friendly match at Dublin's Aviva Stadium on March 31, 2026, as both teams sought to move past their recent disappointments in World Cup qualifying playoffs.

The fixture, attended by 39,560 spectators, lacked the high stakes that had originally been anticipated. Ireland had entered the evening five days after a penalty shootout loss to Czechia in Prague, where they surrendered a two-goal lead in extra time during the playoff semifinal. North Macedonia arrived following a 4-0 defeat to Denmark in their own semifinal the previous Thursday. With Czechia and Denmark now contesting the final playoff spot elsewhere, the game offered little beyond an opportunity for the players to regain some rhythm.

Under manager Heimir Hallgrímsson, Ireland made three changes to the lineup from the Prague match. Liam Scales returned from suspension at left wing-back in place of Ryan Manning, John Egan started in central defense instead of Jake O'Brien, and Jason Knight entered midfield for the unavailable Jack Taylor. Goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher anchored the backline alongside captain Nathan Collins, Dara O'Shea, and veteran...