UEFA Women’s Nations League: League B
Republic of Ireland v Slovenia (Tuesday, 6pm, Páirc Uí Chaoimh)
The happy hunting ground of Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh awaits as The Republic of Ireland seek another pivotal Nations League win.
A 3-1 win over France in 2024 was the proof in the pudding that The Girls in Green are deserving of a place at the top table.
As Slovenia head to the Rebel City a win is all that will take them back to League A company, and a big one at that.
On paper it’s far from as appetising as that clash with Les Bleues, but the Slovenians will hold no fear, in full knowledge the Irish need a win by a margin of five goals to displace them at the top of the group and secure automatic qualification.
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Pressure off one might say, but then Ireland have already secured second spot and a two-leg play-off in any case. They can and will have a go, with the confidence of Champions League winner Katie McCabe to draw from.
And the Arsenal star admitted her national side will need to be “at their absolute best”.
Almost 19,000 people attended that France fixture in the famous GAA stadium, and having secured a win on Turkish soil on Friday, the Irish will hope a bumper crowd can inspire them toward the improbable.
After all, a 4-0 defeat on Slovenian soil was a brutal indicator that there’s a new kid on the block.
Manchester United defender Aoife Mannion is being monitored (Adam Davy/PA)
The travelling side have conceded just one goal in their five games, winning all five and growing in confidence all the while, as goalkeeper Zara Mersnik – playing her club football in Spain – suggested:
“Initially, all we wanted was to stay in League B, but our appetites have grown in the meantime.”
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The history books are thin in so far as this rivalry goes, with this fixture representing just a fourth ever meeting. Prior to that 4-0 defeat, Ireland had won to nil in 2013 and 2014.
New head coach Carla Ward presides over a team 26th in the rankings, with the failure to qualify for the European Championships under Eileen Gleeson seeing a slight slide from a record high ranking of 22 in 2023.
The last time Ireland scored more than five goals was in Tblisi last October. Georgia are ranked 119th, versus Slovenia in 38th, highlighting further the task in store in so far as top spot is concerned.
Aoife Mannion is among the injury concerns, though Ward is embracing what looks set to be a mighty occasion:
“All of our players and staff talk so positively about the welcome they received in Cork and the atmosphere created in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, so we’re hoping to experience that again in front of a packed stadium.”