Buoyed by his excellent form for Liverpool in recent weeks, Caoimhin Kelleher enjoyed another good outing at the weekend.
The 25-year-old started for the Republic of Ireland against Belgium at the Aviva Stadium, where he’ll hope to be back for the Europa League final on 22 May, and he ended his 12th cap with a clean sheet against the nation ranked fourth in the world.
There was one particularly eye-catching moment during the first half in Dublin when the Reds goalkeeper took possession with Lois Openda bearing down on him.
Kelleher had ample time to pass to an unmarked defender or clear his lines if he wished, but instead he took a touch in his penalty area and, as the €50m (£43m) RB Leipzig striker caught up to him, simply dragged the ball away from the Belgian, who was left to complete a wild goose chase towards the byline.
We’ve often seen Alisson Becker exhibit some fancy footwork at Anfield, and his deputy at Liverpool showed that he also oozes confidence with the ball at his feet.
You can view Kelleher toying with Openda below, via @IrelandFootball on X:
The guards are to be rang 😂🚔 pic.twitter.com/XY4QAadU2O
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) March 25, 2024