Ireland`s Robbie Keane on the bench after family tragedy

Dublin: Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane was left out of the starting side but given a place among the substitutes for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland at Dublin`s Lansdowne Road on Saturday after suffering a double family tragedy this week.

Keane`s cousin Alan Harris died on Wednesday after being overcome by toxic fumes while working in a sewer and the Ireland captain was still reeling from that horrific news when he discovered on Friday that Alan`s brother Stephen had also died after the same incident.

The 34-year-old trained with the Ireland squad on Friday, but did not attend the Republic`s pre-match press conference and manager Martin O`Neill revealed the LA Galaxy forward, who is his country`s record goalscorer, had been deeply affected by the news.

"Obviously he feels for the family and he is quite down at the moment," O`Neill told reporters on Friday.

Ireland would leapfrog the Scots, who currently sit in third place in Group D, with a victory in Dublin, but defeat would represent a massive blow to their hopes of qualification.