Saint-Denis: Wes Hoolahan almost upstaged Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Monday at the European Championship, scoring a goal that the flamboyant Sweden striker would have been proud of.
Known as "Wessi" among fans of English club Norwich - a play on Lionel Messi's name because of Hoolahan's trickery with the ball - the 34-year-old Ireland midfielder had fans dreaming of redemption at the Stade de France when he scored early in the second half.
"It's up there with the best goals I've scored," Hoolahan said after the 1-1 draw.
Hoolahan is certainly not at the level of Messi, but his man of the match award was earned.
Pulling Sweden's big defenders out of position with his clever passing, his assured touch in midfield also helped slow the tempo against an athletic team playing a direct style.
"He's unbelievable on the ball and creates things that others can't," said Ireland winger Jon Walters, who played against Hoolahan in the Premier League for Stoke last season. "Not many people can get it off Wes when he's running at you. He's not the quickest, but he can drop the shoulder and be two yards past you because of his body movement."
The scorer of 39 league goals in 258 games for Norwich, Hoolahan clearly has an eye for the net and he showed that with an excellent strike, collecting Seamus Coleman's cross from the right and hitting a half-volley on the turn into the bottom corner from left of the penalty spot.
"It's a fantastic cross from Seamus," Hoolahan said after scoring the third international goal of his career. "To score for Ireland in the Euros is a great achievement."
Hoolahan has never been short on confidence, but it has sometimes worked against him.
Playing against Preston in England's second division five years ago, he tried a "Panenka" style penalty - a looping shot down the middle of the goal from a short run up aimed at catching the goalkeeper off guard - but failed to score.
Norwich fans, however, indulged him in a way Giovanni Trapattoni would not when the revered Italian coach took charge of Ireland from 2008-13.
Hoolahan, who has made only 31 international appearances, stayed home during Euro 2012, when Ireland lacked craft and lost all three matches.
But when Martin O'Neill replaced Trapattoni three years ago, he got a chance to show what he can do - and Monday's goal repaid that faith.
"Wes almost off balance hits the ball in with his wrong foot, if there's such a thing," said O'Neill, who jumped off his feet and twirled when the ball hit the net. "It was in the minute it left his boot."
It was good enough to win any match - except that Ireland does not have any luck at Stade de France.
In November 2009, France striker Thierry Henry handled the ball before crossing to center back William Gallas for a disputed extra-time goal that denied the Irish a spot at the 2010 World Cup.
Nothing quite that dramatic this time, but Sweden's goal again came from the left as Ibrahimovic whipped in a quick cross that Ciaran Clark headed into his own net.
Unfortunately for Hoolahan and Ireland, upstaging Ibrahimovic was too good to last.
