Netherlands — managed by England’s back to back Euros winning manager Sarina Wiegman — were expected to ease to their 12th successive win in this 2019 World Cup qualifier.
The final whistle was instead met with a chorus of boos and groans, as captain Sherida Spitse and Lieke Martens went straight to Russian referee Anastasia Pustovoitova to protest a late decision.
Wiegman soon joined, the Dutch left stunned at the sold-out 12,000-seater De Goffert Stadion.
In truth, most of the women’s football world was.
“Football experts may say Ireland hardly have a chance. That’s fine, but we don’t believe in that,” Ireland boss Bell — now China U20 women’s manager — said in the build-up.
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A seismic challenge was made bigger by the absence of experienced players like Megan Campbell, Áine O’Gorman, Stephanie Roche, Ruesha Littlejohn and Claire Walsh through injury.
When the sides met three years earlier, Netherlands coasted to a 3-0 win in an international friendly. Oranje Leeuwinnen were a star-studded side with Spitse, Martens and then-Arsenal duo Vivianne Miedema and Daniëlle van de Donk among their biggest names. They hadn’t lost a qualifier for over three years.
It was a turbulent time for Ireland, meanwhile, seven months on from Liberty Hall and their fight for fairness with the FAI. The team was a mixture of amateur players and others attempting to break through among the elite. 22-year-old captain Katie McCabe was trying to save her Arsenal career, on loan at Glasgow City at the time. Denise O’Sullivan was finding her feet at North Carolina Courage after a difficult spell at Houston Dash.
Many others operated in the League of Ireland, including Barrett (21, Peamount United) and Leanne Kiernan (18, Shelbourne) who make up the five survivors alongside a fresh-faced 16-year-old Tyler Toland, who was playing for Sion Swifts.
The expectation was that the Dutch would continue their Euros celebrations as they toured the country. Light work for the heavy favourites. The streets were filled with orange beforehand, the stadium packed.
Back home, the game didn’t register outside of the hardcore women’s football base. It was broadcast on eir sport, and their Facebook live platform — a far cry from the consistent free-to-air TV coverage on RTÉ these days.
The match stats tell the story: Netherlands 32 attempts, 12 on target. Ireland three attempts, one on target.
“The Irish women put up a solid defensive blockade, sticking 10 players behind the ball,” read the Dutch FA’s match report. “The tactic proved effective, as the visitors gave little away in the face of a sustained orange offensive.”
Toland cleared the ball off the line twice in the first half alone, while Miedema hit the post in the 38th minute.
Tyler Toland before clearing off the line. Orange Pictures / Rob Koppers/INPHO
Orange Pictures / Rob Koppers/INPHO / Rob Koppers/INPHO
Frustrations grew in the second period, as Irish goalkeeper Marie Hourihan launched several of her kickouts over the sidelines while struggling with a knock.
The boos heightened, and reached a crescendo in the 87th minute when claims for a Diane Caldwell handball in the box fell on deaf ears.
Protestations followed long after the final whistle, with Miedema leading the outcry.
“Ireland didn’t come here to play football. All they did was defend and hit long balls out of defence. This was a game we should have won.”
“Everyone left everything on the pitch,” she beamed. “I think there was hamstrings left on the pitch, a few stud marks, ball marks on legs, just everything.”
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And almost nine years on, Barrett remembers it with as much joy.
Having ploughed the loneliest furrow up top, the Donegal striker went on to score the goal that sent Ireland to their first World Cup. While nothing could ever compare to Hampden Park, Barrett has fond memories of Nijmegen.
“Ah, there were so many good aspects of that game,” the Strasbourg player recalled last month.
“It was probably one of the most defensively disciplined games we’ve ever had to have. I know the preparation that we had that week was second to none. They had just won the Euros, and it was probably one of the hardest World Cup qualifying groups we had at the time.
“The stadium was packed to the rafters. The atmosphere . . . the more we slowed the game down, the more boos came. It was an absolute workout for everybody, from the girls that started to the girls that came on.
“It was just pure chaos, to be honest. We had some, unbelievable performances, and it’s one of those games that you’ll never forget. That’s definitely a game I’ll never forget either.”
A view of the teams. Orange Pictures / Rob Koppers/INPHO
Orange Pictures / Rob Koppers/INPHO / Rob Koppers/INPHO
Netherlands won the return tie 2-0 at Tallaght Stadium the following April. A then-record crowd of 4,047 watched on as Spitse and Lineth Beerensteyn scored first-half goals to shut down any hopes of another huge upset.
Six players from the current Ireland squad featured on that occasion – McCabe, O’Sullivan, Connolly and Kiernan, with Barrett and Littlejohn off the bench – while future Donegal Gaelic football and Adelaide Crows AFLW star Amy Boyle Carr made a surprise debut, winning her first and only cap.
Ireland’s qualification bid fell short as Norway topped the group and Netherlands contested the play-offs.
Indeed, the Dutch went all the way to the final, where they were beaten 2-0 by USA.
Ireland debuted at the next World Cup in 2023.
That famous Dutch draw was a result that kick-started everything. A different era, but a major turning point.
LIVE – Netherlands v Republic of Ireland, Saturday, 7.45pm Irish time, RTÉ 2
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'The more we slowed the game down, the more boos came': Remembering Ireland's famous Dutch draw
AFTER OPENING WITH a narrow defeat to France, Ireland face Netherlands in their second 2027 World Cup qualifier tomorrow.
It’s their first trip to these shores since a famous 0-0 draw in 2017.
Carla Ward says there’s no talk of that historic result in camp, with full focus on the “new era”, but it’s worth turning back time to remember a landmark night in Nijmegen.
******
RIHANNA’S WE FOUND Love blared in the dressing room as the Irish celebrations ramped up.
28 November 2017. Colin Bell’s side had held Netherlands, who were crowned European champions that summer, to a scoreless draw on their home patch.
“It was just pure chaos, to be honest,” as Amber Barrett, one of five players from the current squad who featured, recently told The 42.
“One of those games that you’ll never forget.”
Netherlands — managed by England’s back to back Euros winning manager Sarina Wiegman — were expected to ease to their 12th successive win in this 2019 World Cup qualifier.
The final whistle was instead met with a chorus of boos and groans, as captain Sherida Spitse and Lieke Martens went straight to Russian referee Anastasia Pustovoitova to protest a late decision.
Wiegman soon joined, the Dutch left stunned at the sold-out 12,000-seater De Goffert Stadion.
In truth, most of the women’s football world was.
“Football experts may say Ireland hardly have a chance. That’s fine, but we don’t believe in that,” Ireland boss Bell — now China U20 women’s manager — said in the build-up.
A seismic challenge was made bigger by the absence of experienced players like Megan Campbell, Áine O’Gorman, Stephanie Roche, Ruesha Littlejohn and Claire Walsh through injury.
When the sides met three years earlier, Netherlands coasted to a 3-0 win in an international friendly. Oranje Leeuwinnen were a star-studded side with Spitse, Martens and then-Arsenal duo Vivianne Miedema and Daniëlle van de Donk among their biggest names. They hadn’t lost a qualifier for over three years.
It was a turbulent time for Ireland, meanwhile, seven months on from Liberty Hall and their fight for fairness with the FAI. The team was a mixture of amateur players and others attempting to break through among the elite. 22-year-old captain Katie McCabe was trying to save her Arsenal career, on loan at Glasgow City at the time. Denise O’Sullivan was finding her feet at North Carolina Courage after a difficult spell at Houston Dash.
Many others operated in the League of Ireland, including Barrett (21, Peamount United) and Leanne Kiernan (18, Shelbourne) who make up the five survivors alongside a fresh-faced 16-year-old Tyler Toland, who was playing for Sion Swifts.
The expectation was that the Dutch would continue their Euros celebrations as they toured the country. Light work for the heavy favourites. The streets were filled with orange beforehand, the stadium packed.
Back home, the game didn’t register outside of the hardcore women’s football base. It was broadcast on eir sport, and their Facebook live platform — a far cry from the consistent free-to-air TV coverage on RTÉ these days.
The match stats tell the story: Netherlands 32 attempts, 12 on target. Ireland three attempts, one on target.
“The Irish women put up a solid defensive blockade, sticking 10 players behind the ball,” read the Dutch FA’s match report. “The tactic proved effective, as the visitors gave little away in the face of a sustained orange offensive.”
Toland cleared the ball off the line twice in the first half alone, while Miedema hit the post in the 38th minute.
Frustrations grew in the second period, as Irish goalkeeper Marie Hourihan launched several of her kickouts over the sidelines while struggling with a knock.
The boos heightened, and reached a crescendo in the 87th minute when claims for a Diane Caldwell handball in the box fell on deaf ears.
Protestations followed long after the final whistle, with Miedema leading the outcry.
The morning after the night before, Louise Quinn basked in the afterglow of a “bodies on the line” performance with The 42.
“Everyone left everything on the pitch,” she beamed. “I think there was hamstrings left on the pitch, a few stud marks, ball marks on legs, just everything.”
And almost nine years on, Barrett remembers it with as much joy.
Having ploughed the loneliest furrow up top, the Donegal striker went on to score the goal that sent Ireland to their first World Cup. While nothing could ever compare to Hampden Park, Barrett has fond memories of Nijmegen.
“Ah, there were so many good aspects of that game,” the Strasbourg player recalled last month.
“It was probably one of the most defensively disciplined games we’ve ever had to have. I know the preparation that we had that week was second to none. They had just won the Euros, and it was probably one of the hardest World Cup qualifying groups we had at the time.
“The stadium was packed to the rafters. The atmosphere . . . the more we slowed the game down, the more boos came. It was an absolute workout for everybody, from the girls that started to the girls that came on.
“It was just pure chaos, to be honest. We had some, unbelievable performances, and it’s one of those games that you’ll never forget. That’s definitely a game I’ll never forget either.”
Netherlands won the return tie 2-0 at Tallaght Stadium the following April. A then-record crowd of 4,047 watched on as Spitse and Lineth Beerensteyn scored first-half goals to shut down any hopes of another huge upset.
Six players from the current Ireland squad featured on that occasion – McCabe, O’Sullivan, Connolly and Kiernan, with Barrett and Littlejohn off the bench – while future Donegal Gaelic football and Adelaide Crows AFLW star Amy Boyle Carr made a surprise debut, winning her first and only cap.
Ireland’s qualification bid fell short as Norway topped the group and Netherlands contested the play-offs.
Indeed, the Dutch went all the way to the final, where they were beaten 2-0 by USA.
Ireland debuted at the next World Cup in 2023.
That famous Dutch draw was a result that kick-started everything. A different era, but a major turning point.
LIVE – Netherlands v Republic of Ireland, Saturday, 7.45pm Irish time, RTÉ 2
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