The girls in green face a daunting task in the early hours of Friday morning, taking on the world number one USA in Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Denver (kick-off 02:00 – live on RTÉ Player).
Ireland, ranked 25 in the world, have played 15 times against the USWNT and lost all 15 matches, only ever scoring one goal. They will have to take on Emma Hayes’ side without their skipper Katie McCabe, NWSL star Denise O’Sullivan and they cannot call on the long throw ins of Megan Campbell with the latter duo both ruled out through injury.
Throw in the temperatures in the 30s and altitude with the game being played a mile above sea level and it might not be pretty reading in the scoreline when the country wakes up on Friday morning.
But all is not lost. Hayes has only brought together essentially a home based squad, including six uncapped players, so their American European stars will not be in Colorado or in Cincinnati for Sunday’s game at the more reasonable time of 8pm on Sunday evening.
extratime.com spoke with Carla Ward ahead of her first friendly in charge of Ireland via video on Sunday when she spoke about the challenge of the altitude and her assistant Amber Whiteley spoke about using the full extent of the squad over the two games in prep for autumn’s UEFA Nations League play-off against Belgium.
Ward said: “We’re talking about not just playing the world number one. We’re playing the world number one that are in season.
“The result is not what we’re going after. It’s more continuing the process and building on what we are doing. We’d be foolish to say we are coming here to win these games of football but we have to look bigger than that, where we’re at and trying to build.
Whiteley said: “It’s really good that we’ve got this opportunity to come together again in this camp, and we’re playing two really good competitive (friendly) fixtures against the US.
“So a really good opportunity for us to learn and develop ahead of October (and the Nations League play-off.”
American born Courtney Brosnan will earn her 50th cap during this camp’ “”It’s a really proud moment for me and for my family,” said Brosnan speaking to RTÉ this week. “To be among the group of players who have reached 50, with some absolute legends of the team, current and past, I think it’s really special to be named amongst them.
Referee: Vimarest Diaz (Dominican Republic)
MATCH STATS
Five members of the Ireland squad were born in the United States – Courtney Brosnan, Chloe Mustaki, Marissa Sheva, Kyra Carusa, Erin Healy
Eleven members of the Ireland squad studied in third level colleges in the United States – Courtney Brosnan, Sophie Whitehouse, Anna Patten, Caitlin Hayes, Hayley Nolan, Megan Campbell, Megan Connolly, Marissa Sheva, Kyra Carusa, Emily Murphy, Erin Healy
PREDICTION
USA 3 – 1 Republic of Ireland
— extratime.com (@extratime.com) 24 June 2025 at 21:57