The Republic of Ireland missed out on a chance to claim a spot at Euro 2020 as they were beaten 2-0 by Switzerland.
Mick McCarthy’s side knew a win would guarantee a place and next summer’s tournament but could not find the goals they needed.
Haris Seferovic scored early in the first half while a despairing clearance by Shane Duffy could not prevent a second from going in late on.
Ireland finished with 10 men with a red card being show to Seamus Coleman with 14 minutes to go.
Referee Szymon Marciniak carried out a pitch inspection at around 6.50pm local time, with standing water on isolated areas of the playing surface at the Stade de Geneva following an unrelenting downpour which started during the early hours.
However with the rain having finally stopped as Mr Marciniak and his assistants carried out their inspection, he gave the go-ahead.
McCarthy rewarded teenager Aaron Connolly for his debut day cameo in Tbilisi with a first start for his country in one of three changes to the side which drew 0-0 with Georgia on Saturday.
The 19-year-old Brighton striker was included along with left-back Enda Stevens on his return from suspension and midfielder Alan Browne in place of Callum Robinson, Matt Doherty and Conor Hourihane.
Switzerland made the better start on a tricky pitch, and Ireland keeper Darren Randolph was called into action with just seven minutes gone when he dived to beat away Granit Xhaka’s shot from distance.
The visitors found themselves on the back foot for long periods, and they were made to pay with 16 minutes gone when a clearance fell to striker Haris Seferovic and he took a touch before shooting across Randolph and into the far corner.
Petkovic was forced to make a change with just 28 minutes gone when frontman Admir Mehmedi limped off to be replaced by Edimilson Fernandes.
Xhaka and Seamus Coleman both picked up yellow cards after an angry exchange, and Browne soon followed them into the referee’s notebook for a foul on Stephan Lichtsteiner.
Defender Fabian Schar, who scored in last month’s 1-1 draw in Dublin, curled a left-foot shot inches wide eight minutes before the break.
Swiss keeper Yann Sommer had to be in the right place at the right time four minutes later to collect Shane Duffy’s header from a Glenn Whelan corner and ensure his side went in with their lead intact.
McCarthy opted for change at the break, replacing striker James Collins with midfielder Callum O’Dowda with the newcomer playing on the right side of attack in a 4-3-3.
Randolph came to the rescue with 52 minutes gone when Seferovic got his head to Ricardo Rodriguez’s inswinging free-kick and directed towards goal, where the Middlesbrough keeper made a fine reaction save.
Ireland had ambitious penalty appeals waved away after Connolly had gone down under Schar’s challenge inside the box and defender John Egan whistled a shot wide from distance with the visitors mounting something of a charge.
But Schar was denied by the upright after heading Rodriguez’s 62nd-minute corner beyond Randolph’s dive.
The Republic’s night took a turn for the worse with 14 minutes remaining when skipper Seamus Coleman was adjudged to have blocked Embolo’s shot with his arm, prompting Marciniak to point to the spot and issue a second yellow card to the Everton full-back.
However, Randolph spared them further punishment when he dived to his left to turn Rodriguez’s spot-kick on to the post and keep his side’s fading hopes alive.
Edimilson Fernandes sealed the result in the 93rd minute when he was able to slot home despite a despairing clearance attempt by Shane Duffy.
