Ireland Draw Against Canada: Ogbene Scores Again
Chiedozie Ogbene struck again for his country, this time in Montreal, as the Republic of Ireland stretched their unbeaten run with a 1-1 draw against World Cup co-hosts Canada.
It was a friendly in name only. Canada are days away from opening a home World Cup; Ireland, watching the tournament from afar, are trying to build something more durable than a summer storyline. Both sides played like it mattered.
O'Brien's nightmare moment
Ireland fell behind in the 24th minute to the kind of goal that haunts defenders. Stephen Eustaquio whipped in a corner, Jake O'Brien rose to clear, and instead glanced a header past his own goalkeeper. One misjudged contact, one cruel twist, and Canada had the lead without landing a telling blow of their own.
The goal energised Jesse Marsch’s side. They pushed higher, pressed with greater intent, and tried to turn Irish uncertainty into a second goal. Ireland, though, steadied. They held their line, tightened up on set pieces, and waited for their chance.
Larin's rash challenge, Ogbene's ruthless finish
That chance arrived after the break. Jamie McGrath burst into the box, and Cyle Larin – fresh from signing a two-year deal with Southampton earlier in the day – mistimed his challenge and took the midfielder out. The referee pointed to the spot. No debate, no delay.
Troy Parrott stepped up. His strike was firm but too readable, and Maxime Crepeau, sharp and alert, dived to save. For a split second, Canada celebrated what looked like a pivotal stop from their World Cup-bound goalkeeper.
Then Ogbene crashed the party.
Reacting quicker than anyone in red, he pounced on the rebound and hammered it in on the 60-minute mark. A poacher’s finish, born of instinct and refusal to switch off. Ireland were level, and suddenly it was Canada who had questions to answer.
Crepeau stands tall, again
Crepeau knows all about watching a World Cup from the outside. A broken leg in the MLS Cup final cost him a place at Qatar 2022. Now fully fit and back in command, he looked determined not to let this warm-up drift away.
Ireland sensed a winner late on and almost found it through Mason Melia. The young forward surged through, driving at a tiring Canadian back line, but Crepeau read the danger and shut him down, standing big and smothering the chance. It was a save that matched the importance of his earlier penalty stop.
Canada look ahead, Ireland keep building
Canada’s night came with a caveat. They remain without captain Alphonso Davies, still nursing the hamstring injury picked up with Bayern Munich. His absence strips them of their most explosive outlet, and it showed at times when they tried to break with pace.
Even so, Marsch will take value from the test. Canada open the World Cup on June 12 in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina, then face Qatar on June 18 and Switzerland on June 24. This was a reminder that they can be vulnerable, but also that they have the resilience and goalkeeping presence to ride out difficult spells.
Ireland, who will not be in that tournament, leave Montreal with something less tangible but no less important: momentum. An own goal conceded, a penalty missed, and still they found a way back through Ogbene and pushed for more.
For a side rebuilding its identity away from the glare of a major finals, that kind of stubbornness might be the most valuable result of all.
