Nations League: Republic of Ireland 2 (Barrett 9, Patten 50) Greece 1 (Sarri 72)
Anna Patten’s headed goal provided relief for the Republic of Ireland, and nothing more, in this Nations League mismatch.
The Aston Villa centre-back finished Megan Campbell’s excellent corner in the 50th minute to give the scoreboard some degree of respectability.
On the sideline, the Irish coaches Carla Ward and Alan Mahon grabbed hold of each other. Relief also flooded the on-field celebrations and among the 5,879 crowd.
Patten’s goal proved crucial when Everton midfielder Veatriki Sarri held off Tyler Toland to score from distance and ensure a nervy last 18 minutes.
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Ioanna Papatheodorou’s snap shot could have salvaged an unlikely draw for the visitors.
Relief is the only emotion Ireland can grab hold of. The result papered over plenty of cracks in a disjointed performance. Relief that such a dominant performance did not end in disaster. Relief that Ward’s Ireland are two victories, with six goals scored, since the 4-0 drubbing they suffered last February in Slovenia.
And relief, that the team can tough it out when Katie McCabe is suspended.
Just about.
Greece came to Tallaght with a simple plan. Containment. Nothing more. Their back five was protected by two holding midfielders with the front three refusing to disconnect and put pressure on Jessie Stapleton.
This turned the 20-year-old Sunderland defender into a quasi-quarterback as Ward’s tactical approach was equally simple. Only problem, currently, is how alien possession football is to the Irish players.
They dominated from pillar to post but every second pass tended to go backwards – habits are hard to break – unless Denise O’Sullivan flicked it forward or swivelled her hips to expose the limited opposition.
There was no lack of effort – Marissa Sheva’s lung-busting runs in particular – yet Ireland’s technical failings, and confidence issues, meant that they struggled to pick apart the 61st ranked country in the world.
O’Sullivan constantly sought to inspire her team-mates, by switching the play or releasing Campbell down the left. Lucy Quinn and Leanne Kiernan got on a heap of ball but neither player is a natural winger and their deliveries rarely cleared the first Greek defender.
Amber Barrett’s 11th international goal momentarily broke the monotony. It came from a clumsy foul by Athanasia Moraitou on Kiernan after the Liverpool attacker went past Maria Palama only to be bundled over outside the box. She landed inside and that convinced German referee Franziska Wildfeuer to point to the spot.
Barrett buried the penalty beyond Zoi Nasi.
The next 34 minutes of the first-half were unremarkable besides off target shots by Barrett, Lucy Quinn and Tyler Toland.
The second half was about Campbell as much as anyone else. With McCabe gone back to Arsenal, after her inspirational 45 minute cameo in Crete last Friday, the 31-year-old full-back became the set piece expert. She also panicked Greece with her torpedoed throw-ins.
Patten also had a good game, timing her run for the second goal to perfection. Ward knew what she was doing when signing her as Villa manager.
Slovenia gave Ireland a chance to close the gap in Group Two when, earlier in the evening, they only beat Turkey 1-0. That result demanded urgency from Ward’s side if they are to make up a seven goal differential and beat the Slovenians in Cork on June 3rd.
The importance of promotion to Nations League A cannot be overstated as it would give Ireland a seeded path to reach the 2027 World Cup in Brazil as one of a potential 13 European qualifiers.
Next up is a trip to Turkey on May 30th. In the meantime, Ward and Mahon will need to breathe life into a squad that appears to be still struggling with their failure to reach this summer’s Euros in Switzerland.
Ireland: Brosnan; Mannion, Stapleton, Patten, Campbell; Toland (Littlejohn 82); O’Sullivan, Sheva (Hayes 89); Kiernan (Murphy 46), Barrett (Noonan 73), Quinn (Larkin 82).
Greece: Nasi; Paterna, Markou, Palama (Chatzinikolaou 84); Ntarzanou (Gkouni 66), Saich, Moraitou (Kakambouki 46), Sarri, Mitkou; Spyridonidou (Kongouli 46), Papatheodorou.
Referee: Franziska Wildfeuer (Germany).
