Armenia want 'revenge' for 2011 against Ireland but are in a downward spiral

It may be slightly forgotten with the shifting sands of time but Armenian football fans still feel a bitter taste when they think about the last time they faced Ireland.

It was back in the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign - the only time both nations have been drawn together.

Keith Fahey scored the only goal in the 2010 encounter in Yerevan but it's the second game in Dublin the following year that Armenia are hoping to right a few wrongs about when the Boys in Green visit their capital for the start of the UEFA Nations League campaign on Saturday (live on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player).

A handball by former Ireland striker Simon Cox was followed by a sending off for then Armenia goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky by Spanish referee Eduardo Gonzalez midway through the first half for handling outside his box.

However replays showed the shot-stopper had not touched the ball with his hands.

Setanta Sports Eurasia's Armenian journalist and commentator Robert Gasparyan joined the RTÉ Soccer Podcast this week for an in-depth analysis of Ireland's opponents and explained how the controversial 2-1 defeat in 2011 was a blow at a time when the country was enjoying its best qualification campaign to date.

"I think that your fans when they come to Yerevan, they will see that the Armenia national team fans still remember that match. They want to have revenge, definitely," said Gasparyan, adding that vengeance will be in the form of some colourful displays from the main national team ultra group, the First Armenian Front.

But how well equipped are Armenia to exact some on-field retribution for the events of 11 years ago?

They will be without the greatest player in their history, Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The former Manchester United, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund