Nathan Collins stunner helps Ireland draw with Ukraine

Defender Nathan Collins scored a sensational solo goal as the Republic of Ireland emerged from their Nations League clash with Ukraine with a creditable draw.

The 21-year-old Burnley centre-half wove his way through the home side’s mesmerised ranks before firing past stranded goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk with the outside of his right foot in front of a largely stunned crowd of 10,641 in the Polish city of Lodz.

Collins’ first senior international goal was ultimately only enough to claim a 1-1 draw against the Euro 2020 quarter-finalists, to whom they lost 1-0 at the Aviva Stadium last week, after Artem Dovbyk levelled to ensure his side will sit at the top of League B Group One when they return to action in September.

A largely inexperienced Ireland team – with the notable exception of James McClean, who won his 94th cap – performed admirably at the LKS Stadium, with Collins, Dara O’Shea, Josh Cullen and Jason Knight particularly impressive to provide manager Stephen Kenny with further vindication of his vision.

Kenny was forced into reshuffles at the back and in attack, with Shane Duffy, John Egan and Michael Obafemi unavailable, and that meant starts for O’Shea, Darragh Lenihan, making his competitive debut, and, for the first time since September 2019, Scott Hogan.

Captained by McClean, who had joked at the pre-match press conference that the team chef had more chance of getting the armband, the visitors started on the front foot. with Troy Parrott’s early cross causing problems for keeper Dmytro Riznyk.

Ukraine, who had lined up with three at the back in Dublin last Wednesday evening, opted for four this time around, and that allowed the dangerous Mykola Shaparenko to adopt a more advanced role, although it was Ruslan