Nations League playoff, 2nd leg: Belgium (2) v Republic of Ireland (4), Den Dreef Stadium, Leuven, 7.30pm Irish time – Live on RTÉ 2
Republic of Ireland head coach Carla Ward is expecting a very different Belgium to show up in the second leg of the Nations League playoff in Leuven on Tuesday evening compared with the one that lost 4-2 in Dublin on Friday. She’s hoping, though, to get more of the same from her side after their most impressive display since her appointment in January.
Ward wouldn’t say no either to a repeat performance from Katie McCabe on the occasion of her 100th cap, the Irish captain having been the driving force behind Friday’s win, scoring twice and forcing Belgian goalkeeper Nicky Evrard into the concession of an own goal.
When Marissa Sheva made it 4-1 with 25 minutes to go at the Aviva Stadium, Belgium’s hopes of retaining their place in the top flight of the Nations League were looking decidedly slim, but Marie Detruyer’s late goal kept them afloat.
Still, Belgian coach Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir was less than impressed by her side’s display. “I didn’t recognise my team,” she said, “we lacked fighting spirit. I’m disappointed, we just weren’t up to the task. Changing our formation to 4-3-3 allowed us to play better in the second half, but the best team won.”
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Ward acknowledged that this was not the Belgium that she has been analysing since the playoff draw was made in June.
“It’s going to be a completely different game of football. I think they’ll be front-footed, they’ll be more aggressive, they’ll have more intensity. They lacked that on Friday, but they have it – I’ve seen that at the Euros and pre-Euros. They’ve got so much quality, we are talking about a top side. Yes, we had a good night on Friday, but this is another game and a new day.”
She’ll be conscious, too, that Belgium are no strangers to turning things around dramatically in a short space of time once they set foot on home soil. Back in April, they were beaten 5-0 in Bristol by European champions England in the Nations League. Four days later Belgium led them 3-0 after half an hour in Leuven, holding out for a 3-2 win. There is, then, a Jekyll-and-Hyde quality to this side.
So, Ward has a tricky enough task in deciding how to approach this game. Cautiously in defence of their two-goal advantage, but risking ceding too much possession? Or taking the game to Belgium again in search of the goal that could kill off the tie? Decisions, decisions.
She also has to decide whether to stick with the starting 11 that performed so admirably on Friday or tweak her line-up. Centre back Anna Patten, an ever-present under Ward until Friday, is available again after suspension, but should any of the back three of Caitlin Hayes, Jessie Stapleton and Chloe Mustaki make way, they’d be entitled to feel hard done by. Mustaki was especially impressive in her support of McCabe on the left.
“I think everybody would agree that the back line was outstanding on Friday, so it’s a good headache to have,” said Ward of the options, the coach not ruling out the possibility of playing Patten in midfield, where she used her before in their Aston Villa days.
Despite their lack of recent game-time, Denise O’Sullivan and Ruesha Littlejohn lasted 75 and 60 minutes, respectively, on Friday, and Ward would, no doubt, prefer to start with them again – recovery permitting.
Belgium are boosted by the return from suspension of Littlejohn’s Crystal Palace team-mate Justine Vanhaevermaet, as well as pacy Hoffenheim forward Jill Janssens. Should the tie finish level on aggregate, extra-time will be played – and if that doesn’t separate the sides, there will be – avert your eyes – a penalty shoot-out.
“We have to go out with a similar mentality to the one we showed on Friday,” said Ward. “This is a game of football we want to win, simple as that. We know it’s going to be tight, we know it’ll be competitive. We’ll make a few tweaks and changes from Friday night, we anticipate they might as well. More than anything, we have to be at it.”
Ward has long stressed the importance of gaining promotion to the A division of the Nations League, not just because it could offer a smoother path to World Cup qualification, but also because Ireland would be mixing with the elite – a level of opposition she insists they need if they are to kick on.
McCabe has long since been mixing with the elite at club level, the highlight of her Arsenal career coming last May when they beat Barcelona in the Champions League final. Joining Emma Byrne, O’Sullivan, Louise Quinn, Áine O’Gorman, Niamh Fahey, Ciara Grant and Diane Caldwell in Ireland’s centurions’ club would, she said, be up there with that Champions League triumph and playing in the World Cup on her list of proudest moments.
It’s 10 and a bit years since Sue Ronan gave the then 19-year-old Raheny United player her senior Irish debut against Hungary. O’Sullivan and Littlejohn played in that game too, and the trio now have more than 300 caps between them. Some service. Seeing off Belgium in Leuven would add another feather to their caps.
IRELAND (possible): Moloney: Mannion, Hayes, Stapleton, Mustaki, McCabe; O’Sullivan, Patten, Littlejohn, Sheva; Carusa.
