GIOVANNI Trapattoni has savoured his first win as Republic of Ireland manager, Robbie Keane`s goal clinching a 1-0 friendly victory over Colombia in London.Keane`s deflected strike early in the first half at Craven Cottage on Friday was enough to get Trapattoni off the mark after the Republic had drawn against Serbia in the manager`s first game in charge on Sunday.
It was fitting that Ireland captain Keane should score the winning goal because Trapattoni believes the Tottenham Hotsput striker can be his version of AS Roma icon Francesco Totti.
The serious business for Trapattoni starts next season when Ireland start their World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Montenegro, but the veteran coach will be enouraged by this result.
Colombia used the match as preparation for World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Ecuador, and they gave an impressive display that only lacked a cutting edge.
Their four-match unbeaten run has raised hopes that Jorge Luis Pinto`s side can reach the World Cup finals for the first time in 12 years, and more than 5000 Colombians turned one end of Craven Cottage into a vibrant swathe of yellow.
It took only three minutes for Keane to temporarily puncture that optimism, as Colombia were punished for squandering possession just outside the penalty area. Keane`s shot deflected off Elvis Gonzalez and looped over stranded goalkeeper Robinson Zapata, just crossing the line before Christian Zapata could clear.
This may have been an end-of-season friendly but the match was played at a ferocious pace.
Keane threatened again with a curling shot that drifted wide of the far post.
Juan Carlos Escobar`s surging run and shot brought Ireland goalkeeper Dean Kiely into action for the first time midway through the half.
Escobar tested Kiely more seriously moments later when he met Ruben Bustos`s cross with a bullet header, but the Republic keeper produced a fine save.
Ireland were struggling to cope with Colombia`s counter-attacks, and Falcao Garcia was only denied an equaliser by Liam Miller`s goalline clearance.
Kiely was in superb form, and he frustrated Colombia just before half-time with a brilliant double stop. First he plunged to his right to push away Garcia`s shot, then he sprang to his feet and kept out Edixon Perea`s follow-up effort.
Ireland were on the back foot after the break, yet Colombia, for all their neat approach work, went close to an equaliser only once, when Perea`s shot straight at Kiely after a flowing move on the hour.
Agence France-Presse
