Good afternoon and welcome to our coverage of the Republic of Ireland's crucial game with Russia in Moscow

McGeady tries to play his way out of trouble but is forced to play it out for a corner, it is played short and Arshavin fires a shot wide of the target.

Kerzhakov takes the kick himself, 35 yards from goal, very central and it is hammered straight into the wall.

Really silly challenge from Andrews as he lunges in on Kerzhakov, lucky to avoid a card there.

Better start to the half from Ireland as they aren't being pressed back quite so much as they were in the opening half. They still haven't created a chance of their own though.

More brilliant defending from Dunne as Shirokov breaks into the box and was about to pull the trigger but Dunne makes a diving block to avert the danger, great challenge.

The cross is throw in from the left wing and inexplicably the offside flag goes up, very stupid to be offside from a set play

Really bad tackle from Anyukov on Kevin Doyle as he broke down the left, he hacks him down late and gets a booking for it.

Really poor pass from Ignashevich right at the start of the half straight to Kenae but he can't control it in a promising position and it runs out of play

Russia kick off in the second-half

There is the half time whistle. Ireland have been under the cosh for near enough the entire half but they have survived and will delighted with the scoreline at the minute.

The corner is a dangerous one and it falls to the back post but Duff is there to hack it clear.

More danger for Ireland as Arshavin very nearly picks out Zhirkov who was bursting in from the left, Duff is back well though to put it out for a corner.

The corner is played short to Keane but he was short of ideas there, he clips it in to the back post but it is easily cleared, poor work from Ireland there.

Stephen Ward does brilliantly there, driving at the back line from deep, winning a corner in the process.

Doyle does well, coming deep to get hold of a clearance and he wins a free-kick, taking the pressure off his side, for now at least.

Relentless from Russia at the moment, Arshavin drives in a low effort from 20 yards, but Given gets everything behind it and holds on well.

Zhirkov with the in-swinging corner this time and it nearly caught Given off guard as it hits the outside of the near post. It comes back out to Zhirkov who delivers again but Dunne is up well to clear.

More pressing forward from Anyukov as he fires in a low cross but O'Dea is there again and he puts it behind for a corner

Better from Ireland as McGeady and Keane both get on the ball on the edge of the Russian box, the defence is very well organised though and there just isn't a ball on, they are closed out and the ball is cleared.

Russia's possession advantage is as high as 64% to Ireland's 36%. This demonstrates their domination of the game so far.

A long ball forward, nodded down by Doyle nearly finds the run of Andrews but it is cleared, Ireland really can't create anything in attack so far.