Ireland 1-2 Belgium
Ireland’s Women’s World Cup dream is over after a 2-1 defeat to host nation Belgium following a gutsy display in the Belfius Hockey Arena.
A first-half goal from Charlotte Beggs had the Girls in Green ahead at half-time as Belgium looked somewhat stunned by the challenge presented by the Irish side.
Beggs finished at the back post following Roisin Upton’s shot from a short corner and it was 1-0 Ireland with two minutes of the first quarter left to play.
As the second half got underway, Belgium showed renewed purpose and pinned the Irish into their own third of the pitch for that third period – but the goal they wanted never came as top class goalkeeping from Liz Murphy and some backs-to-the-wall defending by the likes of Michelle Carey, Upton and Kate Mullan.
When the equaliser finally came early in the fourth quarter it was from a predictable source as Charlotte Englebert notched her 36th international goal with a fine finish into the bottom corner.
A draw was enough for Belgium to qualify through to the knockouts in second place – but they didn’t drop their pace even after Englebert’s equaliser.
Their persistence paid off in the final minute when Ambre Ballenghein was able to tap home into an empty goal – Ireland having pulled keeper Murphy out of goals as they went in search of a winner of their own – and that was that, a 2-1 win for the home side.
Ireland must now regroup before Saturday’s consolation phase kicks off…
Full report to follow…