Ireland and Wales played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Euro qualifier play-off in Cardiff last night.
In the first half, both sides were eager to gain an early advantage. Galway United’s Julie-Ann Russell, who has been instrumental in Ireland’s success this campaign, had an early attempt but sent the ball over the bar.
Wales finally gained the upper hand around 20 minutes in when Jess Fishlock crossed the ball into Lily Woodham, who scored past Irish goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan. Ironically, Woodham and Fishlock were also responsible for the two goals scored when Wales last met Ireland in February. This was the first encounter between the two nations since that friendly at Tallaght Stadium.
The Girls in Green have gained valuable experience after their promotion to League A, where they faced England, France, and Sweden this summer. With both teams evenly matched, it was anyone’s guess who would emerge victorious before the game.
Fifteen minutes after Wales' opener, Ireland got their chance to equalise. A long ball from Ruesha Littlejohn hit the crossbar and deflected off Welsh goalkeeper Olivia Clark into the net. It was a monumental moment for Littlejohn, who had just returned to action at both club and international level following an injury.
In the second half, Ireland adopted a more defensive approach. Welsh players Carrie Jones and Ffion Morgan posed the biggest threats to the Irish defence.
The tie is finely poised ahead of the return leg next Tuesday, December 3.
Speaking after the match, Ireland manager Eileen Gleeson shared her thoughts with RTÉ Sport:
“Of course, we wanted to get back to the Aviva in the game, and I think that’s what we’ve done,” she said.
On the competitive nature of the match, Gleeson added: “I thought from the start it would be an evenly matched battle, and I think that’s what we saw. I thought we opened well and were probably a little more dominant than they were—maybe for 15 minutes—and then it kind of ebbed and flowed. But yeah, we’re happy enough to come away and take it home.”
Securing a spot in the Euros next summer would mark the Republic of Ireland’s debut in the tournament. The return leg is sure to be a historic fixture for the Girls in Green.
