We were resting players for Italy anyway…
The pre-match contrast in emotions
Buzzing for this Irish game #EURO2016 #IRLBEL
— Cathal Caldwell (@1_Caldwell) June 18, 2016
Bag of nerves..dunno how I'll survive 90 mins #Coybig #Euro2016 #IRLBEL
— gavexile (@gavexile) June 18, 2016
Some of which manifested it self in criticism – harsh on the Honey Monster…
What's Richard Dunne on punditry for? Expert advice on how to score OG's + get sent off? #IRLBEL
— Charlie Bowers (@Teariki_05) June 18, 2016
Irish people, 99% of the time: "What's the point of anything? Everything's shite."
Irish people during football: "WE JUST HAVE TO BELIEVE."— ⭐ amy o'connor ⭐ (@amyohconnor) June 18, 2016
Dear Belgians this is ketchup,it goes on chips.#IRLBEL #COYBIG pic.twitter.com/76Xig1lqfC
— Andrew Maxwell (@andrewismaxwell) June 18, 2016
A nervy first half
Tactique intéressante de l'Irlande.. #BELIRL pic.twitter.com/V8W6MP39lm
— Betclic.fr (@Betclic) June 18, 2016
"Feeding the fish before we kill it" – Ireland Right now #IRLBEL #EURO2016
— Ryan Cullen (@RyanCullen90) June 18, 2016
We haven't been under this kind of pressure from Belgium since they forced us to save the European banking system. #COYBIG
— Colm Tobin (@colmtobin) June 18, 2016
Halftime reflections
Belgium all over us like the kind of rash many Irish fans contracted in la Pigale last weekend. #IREBEL #IRLBEL
— Mallow News (@MallowNews) June 18, 2016
If you put Witsel and Fellini in the team do they have more hair the the other 20 players combined? #IRLBEL
— Barry Walsh (@BarryWalsh85) June 18, 2016
Minutes into the second half, Shane Long gets kicked and…
Oh dear. Lukaku decides to be good again. Great goal. #BEL #IRL
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) June 18, 2016
Oh, farts! #IRLBEL
— Magda Sobota (@mynewhandbag) June 18, 2016
Don't know how this wasn't a penalty pic.twitter.com/oaEq1Lvta7
— Orla Murphy (@OrlaMUFC) June 18, 2016
Minutes later and the Belgians have an injury
belgium getting righteous about ireland not putting ball out of play. they did run down the end & score while long was down with head injury
— Ken Early (@kenearlys) June 18, 2016
It got very very ugly after that
2-0 game over Witsel finds enough space in the Irish box to build a detached 4 bedroom house with a nice garden and 2 parking spaces
— An Pucan (@anpucangalway) June 18, 2016
The Irish haven't given this much space away since the plantations.
— Paul Dockery (@_Paulitics) June 18, 2016
That's that. 3-0 to #BEL.
F*ck off, Tintin.
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) June 18, 2016
Desperate times call for desperate measures
You know things are bad when you're bringing on McGeady to rescue it #IRLBEL
— Thoss Byrne (@Thossbyrne) June 18, 2016
Definitely going to need @RayHoughton8 for the Italy game now..dust off those boots
— Mick Ring (@MickRing83) June 18, 2016
The little victories
I don't care how nice it is I'm never eating Belgian chocolate again #COYBIG #IRLBEL
— Hairy Baby (@HairyBabyTees) June 18, 2016
Don't be too harsh on these Belgian lads, at the end of the day they have to cope with the fact that they are from Belgium#IRLBEL #EURO2016
— Ryan Cullen (@RyanCullen90) June 18, 2016
So what does it mean? Well, Ireland will know exactly what they need to do to qualify when they play Italy next Wednesday. The odds for that match are here. It’s certain they’ll need to win, with a draw unlikely to be enough.
But at least we’re at the Euros. Scotland…