As the Republic of Ireland and their supporters trudged out of the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina last Thursday, little could anyone have imagined that the Boys in Green would be sitting top of their UEFA Nations League group just seven days later.
But for 70 odd minutes at Aviva Stadium last night, that was exactly the position they found themselves in.
Troy Parrott had dazzled in the first half against Austria. His audacious solo goal and a penalty had propelled Ireland to the summit of Group B3 on head-to-head results as they looked set to build on the 3-0 win they managed over Israel in Debrecen, Hungary three days earlier.
Unfortunately, for Heimir Hallgrimsson and his team that was as good as it got. Austrian substitutions paid off and goals from Alexander Prass and Michael Gregoritsch within five second-half minutes of each other made for parity and the 2-2 draw dropped the Irish side from top of the group to third, level on points with second-placed Kosovo.
No wonder, Hallgrimsson was left with "mixed emotions" in the aftermath. Crucial moments rather than irrepressible opposition momentum cost his side dearly, even if a point provided something to take into the remaining half of the group campaign.
"Obviously, you're disappointed losing a two-goal advantage. But on the other hand, you're really happy how we played the first half. I think coming into Aviva, feeling the support from the fans, gave everyone a boost before the game," the Republic of Ireland boss reasoned as the dust settled in the press conference room afterwards.
"We were better than them in the first half, they were better than us in the second half. It is a tough opponent - physical, hard working, high pressing. We knew it would cost energy.
"And coming into this fixture with all that's been going on before this game, we knew that we would need to do substitutions.
"So mixed emotions, but I think the guys showed a good performance and even until the end of the game, we were pushing to score that goal, which did not happen."
Hallgrimsson declared himself "happy" with the goals Ireland were able to fashion. Like every other soul that witnessed it, Parrott's first will live long in the memory for his head coach.
The Real Betis man seems to have grasped the mantle of national team talisman with gusto in the last calendar year.
That status was distilled in a moment of pure magic as he nutmegged one defender, bamboozled another and then, with ice in his veins, slotted home one of the finest goals the Aviva Stadium will ever see.
"There's not many players that can do what he did," Hallgrimsson said.
"And you probably will look at this goal again and again for many years to come, and that's why we love this game.
"It can create moments like this. It was just a shame that it's not a goal that gave us a win. But I think you will be watching it anyway for years to come."
Significantly, this was the second game in a row where Hallgrimsson had started with a different supporting cast around Parrott.
Days earlier in the unique circumstances of Debrecen, his long-time Ireland underage strike partner Adam Idah and the emerging Jack Moylan had joined him on the scoresheet.
They had replaced Chiedozie Ogbene and Finn Azaz in the line-up following the Pristina setback, taking up the two link roles between the midfield and Parrott.
Although Azaz would return to the starting XI at the Aviva, it was in deeper midfield role for the Southampton man with the new emerging front triangle spearheaded by Parrott kept together again.
Last night, Moylan and Idah, who play on opposite sides of the English Championship's traditional Welsh divide - Swansea and Cardiff City respectively - impressed their manager in the different ways they interpreted their support roles.
"We always knew the quality of Troy. Now Jack Moylan has been emerging as a better player and thanks to the FAI to give us this summer camp where he played his first games and just punched in from game one," Hallgrimsson told RTÉ Sport.
"Them two we kind of know. Adam (is) playing this position now for two games in a row and doing that, in my opinion, brilliantly.
"You have to give him a lot of credit. Obviously, (he's) not been playing this position, it's different, it's more defensive than he is used to.
"I think he is showing maturity in that one, and (it's) a big ask to ask a striker to play kind of a winger role when we are defending and then a number 10 when we have possession.
"It's a tough, tough shift. The combination of these three has worked at least for the last two games. It's just nice to see we are scoring goals. We are a real threat going forward, so long may that continue."
Idah and Moylan were withdrawn in the 62nd and 86th minutes, while Parrott made way in between Austria's two goals which were scored in minutes 72 and 77.
Whether Hallgrimsson would have kept Parrott on for longer was a moot point in hindsight.
"He had a knock and I think he had a few knocks. Plus he was getting tired and we need him in three days," he said.
"I've always said about Troy, I know he has a special gift going forward, scoring goals, but I always say that what I see in him, what I don't see in many other attackers is defensive discipline and hard work for the defensive structure as well.
"Set plays, really good defensive set plays, attacking set plays. So yeah, I hope he just continues to improve. But it's magical for Irish football to have him in the green shirt."
While the attacking triumvirate pleased Hallgrimsson, the defensive shortcomings at the other end in the second half left him with something to ruminate over as his side prepare to journey to Backa Topola, Serbia for the second controversial meeting with Israel on Sunday.
However, on a night to rue a win-turned-draw, he appeared mollified by the general reception he and his side received from the 45,784 in the stadium after a challenging week on and off the pitch.
"I'm happy with the players, how we played this game. I never want to concede two goals, I never ever want to concede two goals," he said.
"How they happened we're not happy with, but everything else, and especially the fans (we are).
"We kind of didn't know what to expect, but just it was so appreciated. They are coming here, filling the stadium and showing their support and love to the guys.
"We are really happy with that."
