IRELAND'S FINAL World Cup qualifying game will take place tonight against Slovakia. The stakes are extremely high for Vera Pauw's side.
Ireland have already made it out of Group A as the second placed team in the group and have now entered the complicated playoff system.
England beat Austria 2-0 on Saturday which means that Ireland may not have to play in the first playoff round.
If Ireland beat Slovakia tonight, they will go into the second-round playoff straight away and avoid the first.
A defeat tonight may mean that Ireland could possibly play six games to get to their first major tournament.
The two of three Round Two play-off winners with the highest ranking (based on results in the qualifying group stage and Round Two play-offs) will qualify directly for the World Cup.
The remaining Round Two play-off winner will compete in the first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off tournament, or inter-confederation play-offs, in New Zealand next February.
Here are details for tonight's mammoth game for the Girls in Green
MATCH DAY 👊
Our final game in Group A!
🇸🇰🇮🇪
🏆 | @FIFAWWC Qualifier
⏰ | KO 17:00 (Irish Time)
📍 | NTC Senec
📺 | LIVE on RTÉ2#SVKIRL | #COYGIG | #WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/jQ7agulP4b— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) September 6, 2022
WHERE IS IT BEING PLAYED
The game will be played in Slovakia in the NTC Senec training centre
WHEN IS IT?
The game will take place on Tuesday, September 6.
WHAT TIME IS KICK OFF?
Kick-off is at 5pm. (Irish time)
WHAT CHANNEL IS IT ON?
The game will be shown live on RTE 2,
TEAM NEWS
Team news will come out an hour before kick-off.
WHAT HAS VERA PAUW SAID
"It will be an extremely difficult game because Slovakia are a very good team. They have drawn against Finland and their other games were very close. And we also remember that we couldn’t get the win against them either, earlier in the campaign in Tallaght Stadium. “Qualification is still in our own hands and that is fantastic. We know what we have to do and we will have every box ticked with our preparation. The players and staff have worked incredibly hard to reach this point, something that we all dreamed about when the draw was originally made, and we will be ready for Tuesday’s game"
FORM SO FAR
Ireland has 14 points in their seven games. They drew 1-1 with Slovakia already in the group.
Ireland's Goalscorers
7 – Katie McCabe5 – Denise O’Sullivan2 – Megan Connolly, Louise Quinn1 – Lily Agg, Amber Barrett, Diane Caldwell, Kyra Carusa, Niamh Fahey, Abbie Larkin, Saoirse Noonan, Lucy Quinn, Maiko Bebia OG
Solid from our No.1️⃣ 💪@court_brosnan18 🧤#SVKIRL | #COYGIG | #WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/VRgpT0hnfs
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) September 4, 2022
IRELAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (Reading), Megan Walsh (Brighton & Hove Albion), Eve Badana (DLR Waves)
Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham City), Claire O’Riordan (Celtic), Diane Caldwell (Reading), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Jessie Stapleton (Shelbourne), Hayley Nolan (London City Lionesses), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City), Megan Campbell (Liverpool), Áine O’Gorman (Peamount United)
Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Ciara Grant (Hearts), Lily Agg (London City Lionesses), Ellen Molloy (Wexford Youths), Jess Ziu (West Ham United), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Isibeal Atkinson (West Ham United), Aoibheann Clancy (Wexford Youths)
Forwards: Heather Payne (Florida State University), Amber Barrett (FFC Turbine Potsdam), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Abbie Larkin (Shelbourne), Saoirse Noonan (Durham WFC)
