Victory over Sweden is key to Ireland’s hopes

The Republic face Sweden in Dublin on Friday evening and then travel to Austria four days later with the three teams locked together on 11 points behind runaway Group C leaders Germany.

Victory over the Swedes seems a must if Ireland are to stand a chance of making the play-offs, and a further point in Vienna would do their hopes little harm.

However, having seen two points slip from their grasp when the Austrians snatched an injury-time equaliser in Dublin in March, Brady is gunning for the two wins which would significantly boost their hopes of making it to Brazil next summer.

Asked if the two games would effectively decide who finishes second in the group, the 21-year-old Tigers midfielder said: “That’s it, that’s what we are going in to do.

“We are not going in looking to scrape a draw, we are going in for wins in both games. The lads are all ready for it and we are more capable of getting the two wins.”

Giovanni Trapattoni’s critics have repeatedly bemoaned his conservatism over the five years of his reign to date.

But asked if he and his team-mates will have to take risks to keep their dream alive, Brady replied: “Take risks? All the lads will want to go out and win the game – I don’t think they are going to be reserved over these two games.

“We need to go and score goals and win the two matches, so I don’t think there will be any holding back over the next couple of weeks.”

That said, there is little doubt that Ireland would face an uphill task if they lost to the Swedes, but Brady for one is simply not allowing himself to contemplate that particular scenario.

He said: “It would be a long stretch. But the lads will never give up and hopefully we will get the win on Friday night.

“It would be a good start for us if we got that.”

If Trapattoni’s men are to get the result they crave on Friday, they will have to find a way of containing enigmatic Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Much of the talk before the corresponding game in Stockholm in March was of the Paris St Germain star’s ability to win a game single-handedly.

In the event, he caused few genuine problems as the Republic secured a creditable 0-0 draw.

Brady said: “They are a good side, they have got some great players. He’s a world-class player, so I don’t think you can rely on him not turning up or it not being his day because we have all seen what he’s done before.”