- Christine Allen
- Sat, Jun 01 2024
Christine Allen reports from the Aviva Stadium
Spektakulär!
Sweden sink Irish spirits as they cruise to a 3-0 victory over Eileen Gleeson’s girls in green.
Over 22,000 fans attended the Dublin 4 Colosseum on the last day of May to watch the first instalment of Ireland’s Group A Euros 2025 double header against the 6th best team in the world.
The Shamrock Rovers women were on media duty for the fixture, skipper Áine O'Gorman partnering RTE’s George Hamilton in commentary, while Hoops left wing-back, Scarlett Herron, co-piloted with Kathleen McNamee for a WNT Off The Ball broadcast.
On the turf beneath, Rovers striker Stephanie Zambra dissected the upcoming battle for viewers at home.
Both sides entered the contest weakened with a number of their key players MIA.
For Ireland Niamh Fahey, Heather Payne, Ruesha Littlejohn (all three Achilles), Denise O’Sullivan (knee), Chloe Mustaki, Tara O'Hanlon and Jamie Finn all missed out through injury, while Sweden were without Arsenal striker Stina Blackstenius and her Gunners teammates Amanda Ilestedt and Lina Hurtig along with Wolfburgs Rebecca Blomqvist.
Gleeson lined out her starting eleven in a robust 5-4-1 formation, with Gerhardsson opting for a looser 4-3-3.
Ireland cultivated plenty of excitement in the first half, Jessica Ziu playing zoomies on the right flank as the West Ham star hammered Linda Sembrant and Nathalie Björn.
Centre-back Caitlin Hayes hardly put a boot wrong in the full ninety, earning Sky Ireland’s Player of The Match after the closing bell as Katie McCabe too dazzled and feinted high up the park.
Amber Barrett looked dead set on breaking Swedish hearts as the Standard Liège player cruised into the Swedish box and cut the ball across to Birmingham City's Lily Agg who's shot went agonisingly to the left of Chelsea goal minder Zećira Mušović's post.
The Swedish steam engine started to chug after the first fifteen, the Ireland skipper meeting her match in both Filippa Angeldahl and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd as they charged the right flank.
As the Blågult’s bayed for blood, the Swedish analysis team studied the contest at the lip of the press box, conveying concentrated feedback through their earpieces.
Kaneryd would stun the home crowd in the 26th when she netted the opener, the visitors slicing through the defence with a number of slick passes.
As the women in deep blue and yellow celebrated, McCabe, Louise Quinn and Hayes spoke animatedly in an attempt to plug the Scandinavian shield-maidens.
To the home side's credit, Kyra Carusa, Barrett and Ziu turned the screw for the remaining twenty with Barrett linking with the lone centre forward in the Irish charge.
Barrett battered the turf inside the goalmouth in the 32nd when she failed to keep a header on target and skipper McCabe vociferously reprimanded her back line when a quickly taken Swedish throw almost caught the green shirts napping.
Lana Del Ray’s ‘Summertime Sadness’ lamented the scoreline when the half-time whistle blew and the players click clacked down the tunnel to their respective dressing rooms.
On the restart Sweden started sprightly as Ireland struggled to retain possession.
Chelsea’s ex skipper, Magdalena Eriksson marshalled her back line, slapping hands with Sembrant as Sweden shut down the Irish inquest.
In front of a smattering of their travelling fans, Rolfo would rifle a ball in the 62nd past Brosnan to send her side 2 clear of Ireland.
Gleeson gleaned that a switch was needed and called for a triple substitution - the luminous Leanne Kiernan, flamethrower Megan Campbell and the iron willed Aoife Mannion taking to the pitch.
The tactical transition injected life back into the home supporters as the green shirts galvanised the home fans - the London City Lionesses throw no longer a state secret.
Yet despite a number of attractive switches in play, Ireland’s best efforts proved fruitless and Kaneryd sealed the victory for Sweden on the counter, driving at the Irish back line and finishing the 2nd ball on foot of an excellent save from Brosnan.
A play-off place now looks to be Ireland’s best chance of exiting what has been a formidable group, however Gleeson will be determined to carve out a different result on Tuesday night as her players take stock before travelling to Stockholm.
