The Irish got off to a bright start with McGrath scuffing his shot after two minutes.   After five minutes a long free kick from Moran towards the goal was challengded for by Strapleton and Stevens and Wright with the ball breaking to Galvin who crossed ino the box.  Samson mishit the ball and Aldridge headed to Ray Houghton who sent a looping header over Shilton into the back of the English net.  The Irish crowd frooze, no off side flag, the referee blew his whistle and pointed to the centre circle, one-nil!   ANd so the legend was born at 15:06 on 12 June 1988.

Lineker has a chance shortly afterwards but Bonner got down well to save.  After 19 minutes a Morris shot into a crowed box was just truned wide by Shilton.  The English began to apply pressure and after 26 minutes the referee waived on play after Moran took down Barnes in the penalty area.  Waddle had a shot into the side netting and Linekar forced another Bonner save.  Despite the Englis pressure Ireland had one final counter attack before half-time when Houghton beat the off-side trap to force a save from Shilton

The second half seemed to last an eternity as the English besieged the Irish goal keeping Bonner the busiest palyer on the pitch.  After 48 minutes Lineker's shot was stopped by Bonner and Beardsley fired the shot over the bar.  Barnes had a free kick wide and both Beardsley and Webb put sots wide.  After 59 minutes Robson put Lineker clear but his chip over Bonner hit the bar.  On 60 minutes Whelan, for good measure, hit the English bar after the English defence failed to clear a McCarthy freekick. The English again laid seige to the Irish goal with Barnes and Stevens shooting wide and Lineker putting another shot wide of the far post.  Ireland had a brief respite when Quinn just failed to connect with Houghton's cross, however Bonner continued to frustrate the English producung fine saves from Barnes, Beardsley and Robson.

After 75 minutes a a Lineker shot was save by Bonner with his foot, from the corner Hoodle vollied wide.  The Irish managed to briefly lift the siege with Aldrige heading over and Whelan wasting a free kick.  But England refused to concede defeat and after 89 minutes Robson headed the ball down to Barnes who shot wide.  Then in injury time headed over Bonner from a Hoddle freekick in what looked like the equaliser, however Bonner who had been spectacular all afternoon had saved the best for last and in a twisting move managed to push the ball against the post and out for a corner.

The final whistle, the Irish had jusr endured the longest 84 minutes in the history of time - the period began when Houghton "put the ball in the English net" and the Irish smiles were saved by Bonner in particular who was magnificant.   The Irish stayed in the stadium for over an hour singing and enjoying the atmosphere in what was a very hard won victory.  Euro 1988 was where the Irish fans assumed the mantle, with the Danes, as the best supporters in Europe.  When the English fans left the ground and went into Stuttgart they were met by German hollogans and the fun began.  There was no trouble between the Irish and English fans, simply because by the time the Irish left the ground everyone else had gone!   The party began, with the Germans joining in the Irish celebrations, there was no sleep that night!

Republic of Ireland v USSR  15 June 1988 Niedersachsenstadion, Hanover

Both teams started the game with three points having won their opening games and knowing that a win would take them into the semi-finals.  Ireland put the Soviet's under pressure similar to that applied to England by playing a running game with Aldridge chasing long balls. The main Irish chances fell to the midfield, especially Ray Houghton, in one run he beat three players before his shot was saved by the Soviet keeper.

The Irish were first to score when a long throw-in from Mick McCarthy was met with a   Whelan mid-air left-footed volley which actulaly came off his shin and rocketed into the back of the Soviet goal.  Ireland continued to press and in the second half, another Whelan shot form a  McCarthy throw-in brought about a save from Dassaev.   Aldridge shot wide from a Galvin pass, who should have been awarded a penalty when Dassaev challenged with a feet-first tackle.

The USSR had few chances but enought to create a clear chance when Belanov flicked a long ball to Protassov who fired a shot under Bonner for the equaliser. The result left both teams on four points and still with a chance to qualiftwith a chance to qualif.   Holland had beaten England and now had three points and England, having suffered two defeats could not now qualify and had only pride to play for in their final game against the USSR.