REPUBLIC OF IRELAND kept their hopes of going to Russia alive with a typically gritty display in Copenhagen.
Martin O’Neill’s men will be slight favourites when the second leg kicks off in Dublin on Tuesday night.
But Denmark were kicking themselves for missing good first half chances to take an advantage to the Aviva Stadium.
Ireland found themselves in a play-off to qualify for a major tournament for a ninth time – with a mixed bag of results.
It is eight years ago this month that Thierry Henry’s handball denied them a place at the 2010 World Cup.
And you have to go back eight to 2002 for the last time they went through to the finals of this competition.
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Yet after over-coming Wales in what was effectively a play-off for second place last month there was confidence among Martin O’Neill’s squad.
This team have lost only twice on the road in competitive fixtures over the last four years – and their aim was to extend that record here.
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Ireland were happy to sit back and let Denmark ask some early questions and the home side should have taken an early lead.
A long ball to the back post saw Jens Stryger Larsen get a shot in which was beaten away by Darren Randolph.
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The rebound fell kindly to Andreas Cornelius but his shot was straight at the Middlesbrough keeper who clung on this time.
Just after the half hour a long range effort from Spurs midfielder Christian Eriksen was spilled by Randoph.
It fell perfectly for Pione Sisto who had time to pick his spot but rolled his shot wide when he really should have scored.
Ireland were struggling to make any kind of impact but finally got a sight of Kasper Schmeichel’s goal just before the break.
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James McClean did brilliantly to keep the ball alive down the left and crossed for Callum O’Dowda but his shot was blocked by Thomas Delaney.
Then Cyrus Christie got in down the opposite flank but was denied by Schmeichel while Jeff Hendrick’s follow up was weakly struck.
The home side grew increasingly frustrated as the second half wore on and Ireland’s defenders coped comfortably.
The best they could muster was a shot from sub Yussuf Poulsen which had Randolph scrmabling but drifted just wide.
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