RTÉ Sport: As It Happened: FYR Macedonia 0-2 Rep of Ireland

Watch a preview of the game here from 6pm, live coverage to starts at 8:20pm (ROI only).

Get all the UEFA Euro 2012 latest scores here.

2254 Right folks, on that note from Gilesy, that's that for tonight. A great result for Il Trap's men.

All this weekend's Euro 2012 results can be found at this link.

All the Euro 2012 tables can be found at this link.

Thanks for your flood of comments. Sorry I couldn't get to all of them.

See y'after.

2252 John Giles has just been asked how he feels about Ireland's chances of qualifying, and responded by saying: 'Very good, much better than before the match!'

2251 Also, in England's group G, Montenegro have drawn 1-1 with Bulgaria. That result means England stay top of their group.

2250 There is a full report up on the match now. Click here to get it.

2247 I forgot to mention earlier that Robbie Keane was named Man of the Match. Totally deserving of the award.

2246 Well done lads and Thank You for proving me wrong..!!!

U.S.A.

2245 Match live on Russian TV! Still can't get the GAA here though! Diarmuid Fleming!

2243 At a party in Marino. Was promised I'd get the football but when I arrived and saw a Guy in a poncho playing the bongos I knew I was screwed. Come on Ireland! Alan Patrick O'Brien.

2242 My house in Honduras has no running water but it has internet! Loving the game! Kevin Shannon

2236 Ireland now have 13 points, the same as Russia and Slovakia. Because Ireland have a worse head-to-head record than Slovakia and Russia, they are third in group B. Slovakia top the group, Russia are second. The head-to-head record works out like this:

Slovakia drew with Ireland and beat Russia (four points); Russia lost to Slovakia and beat Ireland (three points); Ireland lost to Russia and drew with Slovakia (one point).

2235 Enjoying updates while waiting for The Script concert in NY!!!

2234 Park a truck in front of goal & go on to WIN WIN WIN. I AM IN MY HOTEL FORCED TO WATCH THE RUSSIANS (highlights only)!!!!!

That bus was well and truly parked Joe!

2229 And to your comments:

James Hatch: following with sleepy head - us in Japan - pass the rice crispies!!

Frank McCaughey: Sitting on beach in Clearwater Florida refreshing. Thanks for updates. Frank

Gavin O'Flaherty: In putney, london - great text-cast and great result - do or die match in the luznicki stadium.

2226 There was much talk of players not being committed to Ireland, pulling out of the Carling Cup and losing pride in the jersey, over the last few weeks. While this was not vintage soccer, in fact at times it was pretty awful to watch, there was 100% commitment out there tonight and Ireland grafted for it. Three points in the bag and Ireland are still in the battle to win this group.

90+3 min O'Dea heads clear a long ball from Macedonia. The header rolls for a throw, but referee Meyer says there is not enough time to take it. Full-time. Ireland win 2-0.

90+2 min The corner is taken short to Long, he has a pop on goal, but it's a tame effort to be fair.

90+1 min Three minutes to be played of injury-time. McGeady breaks down the right wing and crosses to the centre. The ball is bundled out for an Ireland corner.

89 mins The Red Lions win a free outside the area and Trickovski will take it. As has been his style all night, he swaggers to the ball, but the effort on goal is poor - the shot flies over the bar.

87 min Savik gets on a long ball wide right, but the referee says handball.

Ireland break down the other end, with a break down the left. McGeady skips past Sikov and crosses to the penalty area where Keane is waiting. Keano smahes it at goal from six yards out and Noveski blocks it. The hat-trick was calling for Robbie there!

85 min Long plays towards Keane but the Ireland captain is dispossessed. Ireland win it back as Popov plays a loose pass.

84 mins Hasani squares up to shoot just outside the penalty area, but O'Dea rushes up and makes a sliding tackle. O'Dea has been a good performer this evening.

84 min Declan Tyrell: No fingernails left. Listening in Hampshire England, were sitting too far back protecting a lead as we always seem to do, com 'on you boys, step up to the plate and close the game out.

82 min No shots on target from Ireland in the second half, but no goals conceded either. A return I think we will all accept.

Popov has yet another long-distance effort at goal, that must be t the sixth or seventh he's tried. Again it sails wide.

Macedonia look demoralised now.

82 min Throw to Macedonia as Ireland once more overcook it, Hunt was the offender again. Lack of precision from the winger so far tonight.

81 min Enjoying the updates while wine tasting in upstate New York. Come on, Ireland! sprahnif@comcast.net

80 min Your messages are flooding in. I will try and get to them all shortly.

78 min Hunt gets the ball on the right, he cuts inside Hasani and goes to ground, winning a free-kick. The free is taken quickly and Kelly sprints down the right wing to get on to it. His cross is awful as he lobs it way up into the sky - the Red Lions clear it.

78 min Sitting on a ferry, pretending to be a tourist but keeping an eye on the game on me phone. Michael Tierney

76 min Gjurovski tries to spread a ball down the right wing, but he totally overcooks it and the ball runs into touch. I'd have to say, we're looking good here. They are tiring and we are defending well as a unit.

76 min In my hotel in Kathmandu Nepal at 3am, keep the updates coming. Come on Ireland! Cooker3

75 min Hasani spreads the ball to the area where Savik is wating, he crosses, but Kilbane clears.

Macedonia come again, with the ball played back to Popov. He riffles an effort at goal from way out - cracking effort, but it goes just wide. I think Given had it covered.

73 min Trickovski breaks down the left and wins the corner. It is cleared before Popov lashes it back into the box. O'Dea clears and prevents the corner. Ireland are defending stoutly now.

72 min Popov gets down the left byline and crosses deep towards the back post. Kilbane heads clear for a corner. The corner is then cleared by McGeady.

71 min Following the match from a wet Madrid on the phone! (the missus won't even let me on the laptop). Come on Ireland!

71 min In London pretending to watch a DVD with the Mrs while watching updates on the iPad, c'mon Ireland!!

70 min Ireland win a corner of their own, but O'Dea gives away a free-kick for pushing.

69 min Trickovski smashes an effort on goal from outside the penalty area. Given tips the stinging effort over the bar. Great save. The corner comes to nothing.

68 min Ivan Trickovski cuts inside Kelly on the edge of the area and fires an effort at Given. The Ireland keeper gets down quickly and makes the stop with Red Lions swarming for the fumble from the keeper. Good save.

67 min Popov crosses into the Ireland box where Hasani handballs it - free-out. No major problems for Ireland yet. Macedonia have all the possession but lack bite.

66 min Stephen Hunt tries to find Long down the right flank, but Hunt overplays the ball and it goes out for a throw.

65 min Game is live on Espn3.com for anyone in the USA without a irish boozer handy!

65 min Whelan is taken down by Trickovski in the middle of the park. Free to Ireland, nasty tackle - should have been a yello card.

Shane Long comes on for Simon Cox.

63 min Trickovski chips a ball into the box toward Pandev - cleared by O'Shea.

62 min come on The boys in Green-dont sit back-we are all supporting you here in Tenerife. Anne Murphy.

62 mins Shane Long has taken off his tracksuit and is warming up.

61 min The pace has seeped out of the game and Ireland are sitting back - worrying.

59 mins Ireland lose it in midfield again and a ball is played into the Ireland box - Given comes off his line to get to it before Pandev can.

58 min Ireland in possession and they try to go down the right with Hunt, but Popov steals back possession.

Another break up the left from the Red Lions and a ball is crossed deep to the far right-side of the Ireladn penalty area. Pandev takes it down and fires past Given to the back of the net, but the assistant referee calls it back for handball!

56 min Red Lions break up the left wing and the ball is eventually passed in to Trickovski who fails to stop it and the ball rolls past him.

56 min Come on Ireland,finish it out....Marty in pacific beach san Diego

55 min Getting the text updates while fishing at the Delaware Water Gap in NJ/PA USA. Not a bad world after all

54 min The ball is played short to Hunt, who tries to cross to the box, but succeeds in smashing the ball into the stands. The less said about that the better.

53 min Free-out for Ireland. O'Shea takes it but it is poor and the Red Lions win it back, before failing to use ti adn McGeady gets possession, before breaking down the left wing. He wins a corner.

52 min Its pandevmonium for Macedonia up front!! any chance of a shout out to James, Damo, Ciaran, Cathal, Cuss and Sparrow

Pandevmonium - love it!

51 min The lazer is still being shone in Given's eyes, but his groin doesn't appear to be troubling him.

50 min Robbie Keane get on the end of a loose ball from an Ireladn free-kick. On the edge of the area he tries to chip the keeper, but he can't get the right height and it lands in the keeper's arms.

49 min Wet afternoon here in Bogotá only bright spot is watching Ireland winning!!

48 min Shay Given was administered a pain-killing injection for his troublesome groin at half-time.

47 min Ireland go wide left, but McGeady can't control the ball and it runs out of play.

46 min Andrews finds Keane, who is fouled with a bad tackle from Grncarov.

45 min The Red Lions start the second half.

2135 The teams are back out on the pitch in Skopje.

2132 Declan Lyons: Greetings, Please tell George that the stadium, Emperor Philip the 2nd in Skopje is not new. It has been built slowly over the past 20 years. I lived close to the stadium for nearly two years and went to a Liverpool match there last year. Macedonia have been building the stadium for 20 years!

Best wishes.

Cheers for the info Declan.

2130 Aidan Connolly, Washington DC: Only found one pub in DC showing the game. Fados in chinatown. I thought washington was the capital of a superpower?

I don't think superpowers are classified according to how many Irish pubs they have Aidan!

2129 For the seconnd penalty - which was given by the referee - O'Shea caught Pandev in his private parts - no doubt it was a spot-kick!

2127 The Three Wise Men in studio agree that the first Macedonia penalty shout was stonewall, so we were lucky in that regard.

2125 Hello from Mike McDonagh in Benghasi, Libya.

Howya Mikeo!

2124 One worrying development is that Shay Given is carrying a groin injiry, with David Forde warming-up throughout the first half on the sidelines. Given was given some painkillers from the Ireland medical team in the hope that it will hold off the injury.

2120 A drastic deflection and an awful error from Grncarov has led to two Robbie Keane goals - his 50th and 51st international strikes. These net-busters have Ireland leading 2-0 at the interval. However, O'Shea gave away one penalty, and the referee let another go which should have been a spot-kick. Luckily Trickovski struck the crossbar with the penalty awarded in the 41st minute and Ireland head into the second half in excellent shape for three points.

45+3 min Kilbane loses concentration and gives the ball away to Macedonia. He has to scramble it into touch. Zinedine Skillbane at his best there!

45+2 min Long ball into the Ireland box, Kelly claims it and clears to Hunt. Hunt bashes the ball up field.

45+1 min Three minutes of added time to be played.

45 min A ball almost goes through to Pandev, but Whelan cuts out the danger.

44 min FULL-TIME: SLOVAKIA 1-0 ANDORRA: Slovakia have beaten Andorra 1-0 and go back to the top of group B.

43 min In Singapore, it's 4am, watching the match on TV, but listening to the commentary from the RTE Radio 1 team over the internet - c'mon Ireland!

Another long ball into the Ireland box and Pandev races on to it. O'Shea has totally lost Pandev, and he throws out a leg to attempt to stop the ball, he succeeds only in kicking Pandev in the groin and the striker goes to ground. Penalty Macedonia.

Ivan Trickovski steps up to take the penalty and blasts it high and left. Given dives the wrong way and is beaten, but the ball hits the crossbar and bounces back into play. Ireland clear the danger.

39 min The Red Lions win a free on the edge of the Ireland box. Popov stands up to take it and lashes the effort into the Ireland wall.

37 min FYR MACEDONIA 0-2 REP OF IRELAND (Keane 36)

Boban Grncarov is passed the ball by Nikolce Noveski across the face of goal and Grncarov tries to play the ball to his keeper, but he slices the ball into the path of Keane. Robbie latches on to the loose ball, strides into the box and finishes with class into the bottom left-hand corner.

36 min Robbie Keane is caught offside trying to get on the end of a long ball and Macedonia win a free-kick.

35 min A ball is played into the Ireland area and it's right into the danger area. Given comes out and fists clear, but comes through the back of O'Dea, kneeing him in the back. O'Dea is in some pain after that and needs some treatment.

2105 Pictured below: Robbie Keane scores Ireland's opener.

32 min Popov is played the ball by Pandev across the 18-yard line. Popov tries to dart past Kelly, and does, then lashes an effort at goal. It's a decent effort and flashes low and towards the bottom-right corner - Given gets down well to make the save.

31 min Slovakia 1-0 Andorra with eight minutes to go in Bratislava.

30 min The free-kick is rolled to Keith Andrews and he cracks an effort on goal. Bogatinov fumbles it and the ball rolls clear, bu there is no Ireland players in the box to finish it. Huge chance.

29 min Kilbane tries a long throw which is lost, but Macedonia fail to clear and McGeady wins possession. He has a run at goal and Sumulikoski scythes through him. Free-in for Ireland.

28 min Andrews is involved in a clash of heads and is off the pitch to get attention. Blood is streaming from his head and onto his jersey.

26 min Trickovski smashes the free across the goal and Kilbane rises high to head clear -very important header, as several Red Lions were waiting to get on the end of the delivery.

26 mins Macedonia getting into their stride now and stroking it around. Pandev is pushed over by Kelly and wins a free wide left.

24 min Pandev is played the ball on the left and breaks past O'Shea. The Man United man is caught for pace and Pandev races past. O'Shea pulls him back and then falls over, brining Pandev to the ground. The referee says no penalty, when it looked stonewell. Lucky for Ireland.

23 min A ball is whipped into the Ireland box from wide left and Kilbane must rise high to head clear the danger.

22 min Pandev tries a return pass, but it is useless and finds O'Shea, but he fails to clear well and the ball falls to Ivan Trickovski. He swipes at the ball and it sails over the bar.

21 min The Red Lions play it down the left and find Pandev, he tries to slip a ball through to Despotovski, but the pass is cut out.

19 min Kilbane is drenched in sweat- revealing the heat and humidity out in Skopje.

18 min All Ireland in terms of possession so far. McGeady breaks down the left and crosses to the centre, but it's too close to keeper Bogatinov and he claims it easily.

17 min Cox lays off to Kelly on the right wing, Kelly tries to cross but Noveski clears the danger.

15 min Keane wins the ball in the middle of the park and strides forward, he then plays a ball wide right to Cox, who fires the ball home from outside the penalty area. But, the assistant referee says offside. Totally wrong call, Cox was a mile onside. It should be 2-0.

14 min A cat has just run across the pitch in Skopje. Weird.

13 min Red Lions play a ball over the top and it reaches Pandev, who has been played onside by Kilbane. Pandev fires at goal, trying to nutmeg Given. But the Man City man saves with his right leg, from point-blank range.

11 min The free-kick is played into the box and deflects to Cox, but he is at a very tight angle and his shot on goal is blocked and cleared by the Macedonia keeper Bogatinov.

10 min Andrew tries to feed Cox, but the West Brom man is fouled on the edge of the box and wins a free-kick.

Cox plays a ball to Robbie Keane just outside the penalty area and Keane squares-up and shoots. The effort takes a wild deflection off a Macedonia defender and loops up and over the Red Lions keeper and into the net - Ireland lead.

7 min Pass forward to Pandev, this time O'Shea wins the ball fair and square and get the ball to Hunt, who is clipped on the ankle and wins a free-out.

6 mins Pandev wins a free in the middle of the park as O'Shea forces him to the ground.

5 min There is a dropped ball to resume the game following the laser incident. The announcer has used the tannoy to tell the crowd to stop using lasers.

I live in a DRY County !!!!!!! No Pubs allowed....

Bill saw me a few weeks ago , didn't stop for a chat do....I was

too busy !!!

Didn't realize that John! You poor fella, you must have a good excuse for living there so!

3 min A red laser has been shone into the face of Shay Given in goal and he has mentioned it to the referee asking him to help. The referee has a word with his linesman to ask him to get it resolved.

2 min A long ball forward from the Red Lions, but O'Shea closes it out by stepping up and Pandev is caught offside.

1 min Early shot from Whelan from way out and in goes harmlessly wide left - nowhere close.

2032 Ireland will kick-off in Skopje and they have done so.

2030 I am living Calgary for past 15 years and certainly don't miss the negativity e g Giles let's look at draw...some things never change!

2030 All the best Ireland!

From Gerry Gregg in The Turks and Caicos Islands.

2029 This the first time that Macedonia have played in their new national stadium, they look proud as punch with their new gaff. Let's hope they are overly generous host to Ireland tonight. A glass of wine, cheesboard and three points will do nicely Macedonia.

2027 Today Over Macedonia is the national anthem of the Republic of Macedonia. Have a listen and form your own views on Todor Skalovski and Vlado Maleski's effort:

2026 Amhrán na bhFiann is aired in Skopje, with the Irish boys adorned in their 'famous' white jersey, with green shorts and socks.

2025 German lawyer Florian Meyer leads out the teams in Skopje at the National Arena Filip II Macedonian.

2022 Wating for R.T.E.'s play by play on the computer here in Conway, Arkansas.U.S.A. Dodgy looking team selection, but what else do we have? Not very confident...

Hope the lads prove me wrong .

U.S.A.

That makes two of us John! How's Bill Clinton these days? Do you see him down the local pubs in Arkansas much?

2020 John Giles reckons Ireland have too many injuries for this one and will only manage a draw.

2018 Kick-off less than ten minutes away in Skopje. The Three Wise Men in studio are questioning the credentials of the new keeper, insuating that if he couldn't keep Nuredinovski out of the side he must be even more rubbish!

2008 The full teams for tonight's encounter are:

FYR Macedonia:

Substitutes:

Rep of Ireland:

Substitutes:

2005 TheFeth: What happened to the macedonia keeper?

He was rubbish against us! He let in a soft Aiden McGeady strike and spilled a free-kick which Robbie knocked-in for our second. Obviously Mirsad Jonuz saw sense and dropped Nuredinovski to the bench.

2003 Former Ireland internationalLiam Brady has just strolled by and stolen my copy of the Irish Times!

2000 Half-time approaching in Bratislava at Štadión Pasienky, Bratislava. Slovakia still 0-0 with Andorra and looking very poor. Long way to go though, surely they will take the win?

1958 thisistheone28 Adrian: Ireland have to win tonight if they are to have chance of topping the group, going for 2-1 win....Adrian from Cork

1947 I don't want to raise hopes but Slovakia have been held scoreless by Andorra in the first 30 minutes.

1944 Macedonia have replaced goalkeeper Edin Nuredinoski with Martin Bogatinov following his personal disaster in the Aviva Stadium, while Filip Despotovski comes in for Darko Tasevski.

1942 Four ex-League of Ireland players on that bench.

1938 Subs: David Forde, Paul McShane, Seamus Coleman, Keith Fahey, Shane Long, Andy Keogh, Kevin Foley.

1936 Ireland team: Shay Given, Stephen Kelly, Darren O'Dea, John O'Shea, Kevin Kilbane; Aidan McGeady, Glenn Whelan, Keith Andrews, Stephen Hunt; Robbie Keane, Simon Cox

1912 Right peeps, I'm off for a quick break before the main big one. Back soon. Score updates on the matches currently taking place at the link above.

1905 So, the way Ireland's group B table stands after Russia's defeat of Armenia is that Russia go top on 13 points, while Ireland are second on ten points. Slovakia are third, also on ten points. Ireland and Slovakia's head-to-head record stands at one draw, but Ireland have a better goal difference, so they are second in the table.

But, if Slovakia and Ireland both win tonight, they join Russia on 13 points. Then it goes down to a head-to-head between all three teams. In that case, Slovakia will be top because they drew with Ireland and beat Russia (four points); Russia lost to Slovakia and beat Ireland (three points); Ireland lost to Russia and drew with Slovakia (one point). Bit of a statistics quagmire that one!

1902 For those of you interested in Gaelic games, the Kerry v Limerick Munster SFC semi-final has thrown-in in Limerick. Get coverage of that here.

1857 Aleksandrs Cauna pulls a goal back for Latvia on 62 minutes with a penalty. Latvia 1-2 Israel

1835 Downing crosses from the eight to Ferdinand in the Swiss area. Ferdinand heads down and into the path of the onrushing Downing. The Villa man storms in on the ball with just the keeper to beat, but he fires into the side netting. A wonderful chance to win it at the end is gone and Skomina blows the full-time whistle.

1833 Mehmedi finds possession on the left edge of the England box and has a pop at goal. The effort whistles across goal and just past Hart's far post - that was so close. Three minutes into injury time and it's next goal wins.

1831 Last minutes of normal time in London.

1830 Ferdinand fouls Admir Mehmedi on the edge of the England area and is booked. Shaqiri whips the cross into the box, nobody gets a touch and it goes out for a throw. Ashley Young is named Man of the Match.

1827 The Swiss have all the ball and England can't impose themselves at all. When they finally win the ball the passing just isn't good enough.

1826 Shaqiri takes a corner for the Swiss from the right, Milner gets a head to it and puts it out for another corner. The second effort is claimed by Hart.

1824 Milner breaks down the left and beats Djorou before pulling back to Young, but the Villa man is under pressure from another Swiss defender and can only manage to slice his effort over the bar from four yards out. Time is running out for the England boys now.

1823 England are getting precious little of the ball as the Swiss try to play keep-ball and claim a draw.

1821 A Tal Ben-Haim penalty just before half-time puts Isreal 2-0 up against Latvia.

1820 Stewart Downing comes on for Theo Walcott. England are now led by an all-Aston Villa attack of Bent, Young and Downing.

1819 Giovanni Trapattoni: 'We have the possibility to win this game. We need to believe.'

1816 Just over 15 minutes left for England to find a winner.

1812 Amazing chance for England on 71 minutes. Young beats four Swiss defenders to waltz to the edge of the Swiss area before smashing a shot at goal. Benaglio can only parry Young's effort and it falls to Bent two metres from goal. Bent blasts the shot over the bar, skying the chance into the stands. Sitter.

1809 England have 23 minutes to score a winner in London. If England only draw and Montengro beat Bulgaria in Podgorica, England slip off top spot and into the play-off spot in group G. Republic v England Euro 2012 play-off anybody?

1807 John Giles: 'I am amazed that Long isn't in the Ireland team.'

1806 Darren Bent has a glorious chance to give England the lead on 64 minutes. Bent is through on goal with the keeper to beat, but Benaglio rushes out to smother Bent's shot. Great save.

1804 RTÉ.ie's GAA guru and Sligo Rovers-addict Rory Houston believes Ireland will also concede a goal and that a draw is the best they can hope for.

Eamon Dunphy: 'Having Cox in the team is a decision bordering on crazy.'

1803 Eamon Dunphy: 'The omens are bad because we are missing so many players.'

Optimistic from Eamo there!

1801 Ashley Young came on for Frank Lampard at half-time for England. Lampard didn't appear to be injured so one must imagine that Capello wanted to change things tactically.

1758 Back in London, England are searching for a third goal to take the lead for the first time against Switzerland. You got the feeling they will get it.

Chances galore for Armenia, but no cutting edge. Russia go three points clear at the top of group B. Ireland and Slovakia will try to close that gap this evening.

1756 Yossi Benayoun has put Israel 1-0 up over Latvia after 19 minutes.

1755 Pictured below: Frank Lampard smashes home England's first goal from the penalty spot at Wembley.

1752 Ashley Young equalises for England on 51 minutes. James Milner clips a ball into the Swiss box, where Leighton Baines chests down for Young. The winger glances up and smashes a shot left to right into the bottom right-hand corner. Smashing goal. England 2-2 Switzerland

1748 On 85 minutes, Armenia's Henrik Mkhitaryan get a touch on free-kick from wide left of the Russian goal and the ball flies to the back of the Russian net. But, the referee's assistant correctly rules out the goal for offside.

1740 Well people, what are your thoughts on tonight's Ireland match? Tweet or email me with predictions and I'll try to get to as many as possible.

1735 Yuri Zhirkov is taken down by Sargis Hovsepyan on the left side of the Armenia box - penalty. Pavlyuchenko steps up for spot kick and passes a shot into the right side of the net. Keeper Roman Berezovsky was rooted to the spot. A hat-trick for Pavlyuchenko and the game is wrapped up with that 73rd-minute strike. Russia 3-1 Armenia

1734 Twenty minutes to play in St Petersburg. If Russia hold on they will go three clear at the top of group B.

1731 Lampard has a go at goal from wide left, with a free-kick. It's an awful effort and sails wide right - the Swiss fans jeer the Chelsea man. Shortly after that referee Damir Skomina of Slovenia blows for half-time. Capello and the Three Lions are booed off the Wembley pitch.

1730 In case you missed it earlier. BREAKING NEWS: Robbie Keane has come through a late fitness test and is expected to play some part in tonight's match against FYR Macedonia.

1729 After that crazy five minutes the pace has dropped down in Wembley as England try to work out how they are going to get back into this one.

1724 England pull one back with a Frank Lampard penalty on 37 minutes. Jack Wilshere was brought down in the area by his Arsenal team-mate Johan Djourou and the Chelsea midfielder smashed home the spot-kick low-left, with the effort slipping under keeper Diego Benaglio. England 1-2 Switzerland

1723 Pavlyuchenko gets on the end of a looped cross from the left to blast the ball into the corner of the net and give Russia a 2-1 lead. Russia hadn't really threatened prior to that goal so it will come as a big relief to the home supporters. Armenia 1-2 Russia

1721 Two-nil to Switzerland on 35 minutes. The Swiss win another free on the left. This time it is just outside the box, a metre from the endline.

Barnetta takes it again, the wall splits early and Barnetta curls it between the wall at the near post. Hart is caught with too much space on his near post and tries to scamper across to get to the direct effort on goal. He can't as the ball squeezes past his foot and in. England 0-2 Switzerland

1717 Switzerland take the lead in Wembley on 32 minutes. Tranquillo Barnetta takes a free-kick from left of goal, ten metres outside the penalty area. Barnetta puts serious pace on it and the ball goes right across the penalty area. Hart stays rooted to the spot, waiting for a Swiss head to get a touch, nobody does, and Ferdinand misses an attempted headed clearance, leaving the ball to float into the far-right corner. England 0-1 Switzerland

1716 Ashley Cole has come off with an injury. He is replaced by Leighton Baines.

1713 BREAKING NEWS: Robbie Keane has come through a late fitness test and is expected to play some part in tonight's match against FYR Macedonia.

1712 Rio Ferdinand gets on the end of a Frank Lampard cross from the right and makes good contact. The ball skims the crossbar and over. Best chance yet for England.

1709 Parker lobs a cross to the far-right post, where James Milner is waiting. The Man City man gets a head to it, but the effort is poor and whimpers wide.

1705 England can't really get going at all so far. Poor passing, lack of incision, no coherence. As I write that Joe Hart is tested by Shaqiri, as the Swiss player curls an effort on goal from wide right of goal; Hart had to dive to his right to palm away a powerful shot. Bit dodge so far from Fabio Capello's charges.

1701 First chance for England, Walcott gets free on the right and breaks towards goal. He gets caught in two minds as he tries to go past a defender and leaves the ball behind him. Great position, poor execution from the Arsenal winger.

1658 Both teams trying to find their feet in London. No chances yet.

1651 One minute of injury-time in Russia. Armenia get a free-kick just outside the box, it is curled over the wall, but takes a deflection as it does and goes out for a corner. That's the last action of the half as Lannoy blows-up for half-time.

1649 Dry in sunny in London for England's clash with Switzerland. A big chance for Bent to impress up front for England. The Aston Villa striker leads the attack by himself, his tenth appearance for the Three Lions.

1646 Coming up to half-time in St Petersburg and there have been no more scoring chance for either side. Low-key is the best description of the game so far.

1640 England kick-off against Switzerland at 4.45pm in Wembley. The England team is as follows: Hart; G Johnson, Cole,

Ferdinand, Terry; Parker, Walcott, Lampard, Wilshere, Milner; Bent.

1633 Action in the first of today's matches is under way, with Armenia v Russia having kicked-off at 4pm. This game, of course, is part of Ireland's group B.

Just before the half-hour mark there was high drama in Petrovski Stadion, St Petersburg, as Marco Pizzelli gave the away team the lead when he found himself one-on-one with the keeper and bundled home a shot on goal.

That joy was short lived as Russia broke downfield from the restart, where a right-wing cross found Roman Pavlyuchenko unmarked on the left-hand side of the penalty area. The Tottenham striker lashed an effort on goal, which was saved by Roman Berezovsky. However, referee Stéphane Lannoy of France ruled the ball had crossed the line before the save was made and awarded the equaliser. Russia 1-1 Armenia

1450 'Having a Macedonia': the turn-of-phrase coined by the Republic of Ireland soccer team to indicate having a nightmare of a match/training session/or just about anything that goes badly.

The expression was born from the Republic's 3-2 defeat in Skopje in April 1997, a 1998 World Cup qualifying match. Ireland were 2-1 down at half-time and a Jason McAteer kung-fu kick on Mitko Stojkovski saw the winger red-carded to compound Ireland's misery. Ireland finished second in their group and lost to Belgium in the play-offs.

It was a disaster all around and subsequently led to the worst player in training having to wear a tee-shirt saying 'I had a Macedonia'.

It got little better when Ireland conceded a late equaliser to the same opposition in October 1999. A win in that game, combined with Yugoslavia failing to win their match away to Croatia, would have seen Ireland win their group and qualify for Euro 2000. As it was, Ireland drew, Yugoslavia drew, and the Yugoslavs won the group. Ireland lost in the play-offs to Turkey - on away goals.

In Dublin, Ireland won the home legs of those ties 3-0 ( October 1996) and 1-0 (June 1999). This Euro 2012 qualifying campaign has been true to form, Ireland won 2-1 in the home match against Macedonia in March of this year. Can they buck history, start a new chapter, and earn three points in Skopje? By 10.30pm we will know the answer.

1430 Hello and welcome on this massive day for the Republic of Ireland in their bid to qualify for the 2012 European Championship.

Giovanni Trapattoni's men are in Macedonia for a crunch qualifying game. We'll guide you through every minute of the action here. Kick-off is 8:30pm.