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12.04.2022 at 17:30 Gamla Ullevi Gothenburg (SWE)
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Attendance: |
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Referee: Iuliana Demetrescu ROU |
World Cup Qualifier-match |
Fridolina Rolfo for Sembrant 56 mins,
Filippa Angeldal for Bennison 56 mins,
Nathalie Bjorn for Glas 76 mins
Olivia Schough for Hurtig 76 mins |
Leanne Kiernan -> Heather Payne (74)
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Bennison 12 mins
Eriksson 43 mins |
None. |
The term 'OUTBELIEVE' was trending on social media as the Republic of Ireland secured a deserved 1-1 draw away to Sweden in their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Qualifying campaign.
13th Apr 2022
The task of taking on Group A leaders Sweden, who are ranked No 2 in the world, was never going to be easy. But Vera Pauw had a game plan that her team executed and that made this an altogether different contest.
The Gamla Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg feel short of a record ceowd with 12,123 spectators turning up to watch the home team ultimately qualify for the World Cup, as they required just a point to go through.
Ireland made it difficult for them to achieve that though. In fact, it was the Girls in Green who held the lead at the interval following Katie McCabe's deflected strike minutes before the half-time whistle sounded.
Up to that point, Ireland held their shape well, worked hard for each other, pressed their opponents at the right time and defended bravely as Sweden tried to find openings that just were not there.
Goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan registered a superb performance - pulling off a wonder save in the second half - and Ireland did have some luck on their side as Sweden could not find a finishing touch.
With 11 minutes remaining, Sweden got their goal when Kosovare Asllani kept her cool to fire in from close range following excellent play by Olivia Schough. The home crowd erupted as that was the goal that they needed to secure World Cup qualification.
The point collected moves Ireland onto 10 points with three games still to play - Georgia away, Finland home and Slovakia away. The Play-Offs are very much in sight.
Sweden: Hedvig Lindahl; Linda Sembrant (Fridolina Rolfo 56), Amanda Ilestedt, Magdalena Eriksson; Hanna Glas (Nathalie Bjorn 76), Hanna Bennison (Filippa Angeldal 56), Caroline Seger, Jonna Andersson; Lina Hurtig (Olivia Schough 76), Kosovare Asllani, Stina Blackstenius.
Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Megan Connolly: Jamie Finn, Ruesha Littlejohn, Denise O’Sullivan, Chloe Mutaki; Lucy Quinn, Katie McCabe; Heather Payne (Leanne Kiernan 74).
Referee: Iuliana Demetrescu (România).
The Republic of Ireland earned a vital World Cup qualifying point away to Sweden after the hosts grabbed a late equaliser to draw 1-1.
Katie McCabe's deflected strike put the visitors in front just before the break in the Group A encounter in Gothenburg.
However, the Swedish pressure told as Kosovare Asllani levelled on 79 minutes.
The draw sees the Republic drop to third in Group A, but with a game in hand on Finland.
For the world number-two-ranked Sweden, the point secures their qualification for next year's finals.
The hosts put the Republic under unrelenting pressure in the first half, while McCabe posed a threat as the visitors always seemed dangerous on the counter-attack.
Vera Pauw's Republic side won their last qualifier 11-0 over Georgia in November, but their free-scoring hosts eclipsed that victory with a 15-0 win in Georgia last week.
Lina Hurtig, unopposed in the six-yard box, failed to make the correct contact to keep her header down and, as the pressure intensified, the girls in green had the woodwork to thank on 32 minutes.
Real Madrid striker Asllani angled her run superbly, but her shot struck the crossbar.
McCabe's snapshot from the edge of the box forced Hedvig Lindahl into action and, moments later, Megan Connolly received the ball on the right touchline.
With a training ground set-piece, she flung in a cross which the hosts failed to deal with and Denise O'Sullivan retrieved possession, laid the ball back for McCabe and the Arsenal attacker's fearsome 44th-minute strike flew into the net via a wicked deflection.
In the second half, the Swedes were denied by the crossbar again as Irish keeper Courtney Brosnan tipped Filippa Angeldal's strike onto the frame of the goal, before Stina Blackstenius missed the chance to bring the sides level with a free header on 72 minutes.
However, the pressure eventually told 11 minutes from time as substitute Olivia Schough picked out Asllani and she cushioned the ball down with her chest before firing it into the bottom corner.
Brosnan then made a terrific save to deny Fridolina Rolfo as the visitors hung on for a precious point.
They face minnows Georgia in their next qualifier in June, before a crunch clash with Finland in September which could well decide who finishes second and claims the play-off spot. |
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