In this International Friendly match played on November 21, 2023, the Republic of Ireland met New Zealand on their home ground and the match concluded in a 1-1 draw. Despite an even outcome, the game play statistics revealed quite a few interesting disparities in the teams' performances and strategies, which ultimately contributed significantly to the final result.

Right off the bat, it's worth noting how the Republic of Ireland capitalised early on their home advantage. In the first half, they quickly registered their presence on the scoreboard with a goal at 00:28:04. However, despite their early lead, they were not able to secure a win. The second half saw New Zealand's resilience and a tangible comeback with a goal scored at 00:58:54, equalling the scoreboard.

In terms of controlling the play and posing offensive threats, it was indeed the Republic of Ireland who took the upper hand. They outperformed the visitors significantly in Corner kicks (8-3), which indicates a greater control over the ball during the match and more opportunities created. But again, they were unable to fully capitalize on these opportunities and convert them into goals which left space for New Zealand's counter-attack.

An important point to be noted is the zero offside situations the Irish team faced. This implies their strategized approach and tactically planned passing game-play, which was successful to a large extent. In contrast, New Zealand was caught offside once, limiting their opportunities to score and attack.

In terms of other disciplinary measures, neither team received any yellow or red cards, showing that the match was played in reasonably good spirits, with disciplined, controlled aggression from both sides.

The substitutions played a vital role in the outcome of the match but unfortunately, the dataset does not provide the substitution data. Therefore, analysis on this factor could not be included.

Overall, the Republic of Ireland showed more offensive prowess and ball control, but their inability to convert opportunities into goals was their downfall. On the other hand, New Zealand displayed resilience and took advantage of their opportunities, keeping themselves in the game till the end despite lower ball possession and control. Both teams will take key insights from this game to improve upon their strategies for their future matches. From a betting perspective, these statistics give a deep insight into each team's offensive and defensive capabilities and can serve as important factors to consider in upcoming games.

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