Michael Obafemi inspires Ireland to emphatic Nations League win over Scotland

Michael Obafemi marked his full debut with a stunning strike as the Republic of Ireland ended their wait for a first Nations League victory at the 13th attempt by putting Scotland to the sword.

The 21-year-old Swansea frontman drilled home a 30-yard piledriver to cement a 3-0 League B Group One win at the Aviva Stadium, just Ireland’s third victory in 18 competitive games under manager Stephen Kenny.

It could hardly have come at a better time after back-to-back defeats by Armenia and Ukraine which had raised fresh questions over Kenny’s tenure and prompted a defiant response from the 50-year-old.

The Republic’s first competitive win in Dublin since they beat Gibraltar in a Euro 2020 qualifier in June 2019 was set up by first-half goals from Alan Browne and Troy Parrott, who doubled Ireland’s entire Nations League tally inside eight minutes, and was thoroughly deserved as the Scots wilted in Dublin.

John McGinn passed up two first-half chances for Steve Clarke’s men, but they rarely threatened to get themselves back into the game once they were behind on a dismal afternoon for the 2,500 travelling fans among a crowd of 46,947.

As expected, Kenny shuffled his pack, handing Obafemi a first senior start for his country in one of five changes to the side which lost to Ukraine in midweek, while Grant Hanley and Scott McTominay were drafted into the Scotland line-up in place of John Souttar and Stuart Armstrong.

Ireland, stung by the criticism they had received after a poor start to the campaign, started with real tempo as Jason Knight snapped into tackles and wing-backs Browne and James McClean worked their way into advanced positions.

The visitors quickly settled, however, and, with McTominay orchestrating from the middle of