Ireland U21 debutant scores last-minute winner to keep slim hopes alive
Kazakhstan 0
Ireland 1
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U21s kept alive their slim hopes of Euro 2027 qualification after a last-minute winner away to Kazakhstan.
Oisin Gallagher headed home in the 89th minute in Turkestan to secure all three points for Jim Crawford’s side.
Oisin Gallagher with the goal on his Under-21s debut! 🙌A big goal in Kazakhstan!#IRLU21 | 🇰🇿0-1 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/A3Zk8jyrMi— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) March 31, 2026
Gallagher, making his U21 debut, got on the end of a deep Sam Curtis cross after a brilliant run from outside the box and powered past the Khazakh ‘keeper.
The Lincoln City midfielder — currently on loan at Boston United — wasn’t in the initial squad, but was called up as an injury replacement for Shamrock Rovers youngster Adam Brennan.
Ireland left it late to bounce back from another deflating setback, having been held at home by Moldova last Thursday and shocked 4-0 away to Andorra in November.
These were two blows in the play-off race, but Gallagher’s winner avoided a total knockout.
Ireland’s Jaden Umeh in action against Kazakhstan’s Olzhas Baibek. Aleksandar Djorovic / INPHO
Aleksandar Djorovic / INPHO / INPHO
Ireland are five points behind second-placed Slovakia, who are level on points with leaders England, though Lee Carsley’s side have a game in hand. Just the winners, and best runners-up across all of the groups, qualify automatically, with the rest of the second-placed sides going through the play-offs.
The Young Boys In Green drew 2-2 with Slovakia at home in October, and face them away in September next, before rounding out their group campaign with a home double-header against Kazakhstan and England.
Elsewhere this evening, the Ireland U17s booked their World Cup spot, but results elsewhere mean they won’t compete in the eight-team European Championships.
