REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 1 RUSSIA 3
The Republic of Ireland women have it all to do to resurrect their World Cup qualification ambitions after falling five points behind play-off rivals Russia last night at Tallaght Stadium.
Ireland's troubles began in the fifth minute when they were caught on the counter-attack from their own corner after . Russia forced two corners in quick succession, the second from which, two minutes later, Elena Morozova found the unmarked Ekaterina Sochneva eight yards out, and she headed past Emma Byrne.
Then, on 12 minutes, the home defence was exposed once again whenSochneva was afforded the time and space to surge down the left. Her cross along the six-yard box was tapped in by the sliding Ekaterina Pantyukhina.
Reducing the defecit
Ireland manager Sue Ronan introduced Stephanie Roche for her Peamount team-mate Dora Gorman midway through the half. The switch contributed to them reducing the deficit as Roche teed up Áine O'Gorman to cross from the right on 35 minutes and Fiona O'Sullivan volleyed the loose ball home .
Russia failed to get rattled by that concession and promptly regained their two-goal cushion eight minutes, albeit from more Irish generosity.
Sochneva's left-wing cross seemed under control until Ireland defender Sophie Perry chose to head the ball straight to Pantyukhina on the edge of the box. The Russian striker capitalised by drilling a low shot beyond Byrne.
Apart from Roche's 30-yard curler which struck the crossbar 15 minutes from time, Ireland struggled to perforate a strong Russian defence protected by two holding midfielders.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Byrne (Arsenal); De Búrca (Galway WFC), Quinn (Eskilstuna Utd), Caldwell (Avaldsnes), Perry (Millwall); Smyth (Amazon Grimstad), Gorman (Peamount Utd); O'Gorman (Peamount Utd), D O'Sullivan (Glasgow City), Russell (Peamount Utd); F O'Sullivan (SC Frieburg). Subs: Roche (Peamount Utd) for Gorman (23 mins), Killeen (Raheny Utd) for O'Gorman (70 mins), Littlejohn (Sandviken) for Russell (88 mins).
