Robbie Keane steals the show on his farewell match against Oman

Sports Thursday 01/September/2016 12:25 PM
By: Times News Service
Robbie Keane steals the show on his farewell match against Oman

Muscat: Robbie Keane scored Ireland's second goal in his final international match which ended in a 4-0 victory over Oman.

The ex-Spurs player announced his retirement on Wednesday after an 18-year career in which he scored 68 goals for his country to put him 15th on the list of all-time international marksmen.

The 36-year-old Los Angeles Galaxy striker retired from international football following Ireland's friendly against Oman on Aug. 31.

"It has been a wonderful journey for me to have played with the Irish team for over 18 years since I made my senior international debut back in 1998," Keane said.

"As a young boy growing up in Dublin playing football on the street I could never have imaged the path my life would take. It has exceeded my wildest expectations.

Keane made his international debut in the Czech Republic in 1998 at the age of 18. It took him just over six years to overtake Niall Quinn as his country's record goalscorer.

Keane, who has played for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Coventry City, Inter Milan, Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Celtic, West Ham United and Aston Villa, memorably scored a last-minute equaliser against Germany in the 2002 World Cup finals.

"He is undoubtedly one of Ireland's finest every players and I do not see his international goal record being beaten

for a very long time, if ever," Ireland manager Martin O'Neill said.

"It will take us some time to get over his absence."