FYROM poised after brave effort in Dublin

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will take courage from their 2-1 loss to Republic of Ireland on 26 March as the sides meet again in UEFA EURO 2012 Group B.

• First-half goals from Aiden McGeady and Robbie Keane had put the hosts firmly in control but an excellent 45th-minute strike from FYROM's Ivan Trickovski ensured an uncomfortable second half for Giovanni Trapattoni's side.

• Ireland are one of three teams tied on ten points at the top of Group B along with Slovakia and Russia.

• These sides are meeting for the sixth time, with FYROM's record in their previous encounters reading W1 D1 L3; at home it is W1 D1 L0.

• The sides were first paired in 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying, with their initial meeting at Dublin's Lansdowne Road on 9 October 1996 ending in a 3-0 win for the home side, Tony Cascarino scoring twice. FYROM won the return fixture 3-2 in Skopje.

• Their more recent contests came in UEFA EURO 2000 qualifying. Niall Quinn's goal gave Ireland a 1-0 victory in Dublin and Quinn opened the scoring again in the return fixture in Skopje only for Goran Stavrevski to make it 1-1 at the death.

• This will be FYROM's first competitive game since the renovation works were completed at the National Arena Filip II Macedonian.