FIRST TO GDAŃSK, as Ireland and Poland face off in a decisive 2027 World Cup qualifying double-header [KO 5pm Irish time, RTÉ 2].
Round one is in the historic port city on the Baltic coast, before a Saturday afternoon showdown at Aviva Stadium.
Having opened with a pair of 2-1 defeats to heavyweights France and Netherlands, Carla Ward’s side are targetting points against their closest rivals to spark the World Cup dream.
Just the group winners qualify automatically for next summer’s bonanza in Brazil, with all other League A sides guaranteed a play-off spot. The target is third-place, which secures a more favourable route on paper: a play-off semi-final against League C opposition, whereas finishing bottom would bring higher-ranked League B teams into play, and also result in Nations League relegation.
Ireland and Poland are both ultimately vying for the same prize, with relatively even encounters expected. Ranked 24th in the world – three places superior – Nina Patalon’s side currently hold the upper hand after their 2-2 draw with the Dutch.
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Spearheaded by Barcelona goal machine Ewa Pajor, the Poles are a rising force in women’s football, having featured at their first major tournament in Euro 2025 last summer.
But Ireland will be confident they can get off the mark over the coming days, and turn performances into points. They won 2-1 the last time these sides met at the 2022 Pinatar Cup, with Lucy and Louise Quinn on target.
Injury has been a common theme through the build-up, with Jessie Stapleton, the returning Lily Agg and uncapped Aoibhe Brennan forced to withdraw from the initial squad, as Jamie Finn and League of Ireland duo Aoibheann Clancy and Maria Reynolds replaced them.
Katie McCabe’s heavily strapped hand caused further concern, but assistant coach Gary Cronin allayed fears thereafter. “It’s not affecting our preparations. Katie McCabe is preparing the very same way as Katie McCabe prepares for all international football games.”
Bandages have significantly lessened and Ward yesterday confirmed a fit and available squad, bar Ruesha Littlejohn who is ruled out due to an Achilles flare-up.
Katie McCabe and Denise O'Sullivan (file photo). Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Team selection isn’t majorly affected: neither Littlejohn nor Stapleton featured in the last window. A similar starting XI is expected here, with just one change enforced from France to Netherlands with Denise O’Sullivan sidelined with a knee setback. The Liverpool midfield maestro is fit and firing once more, and in line to win her 130th cap at Gdańsk Stadium, where Ireland lost 4-0 to Spain at Euro 2012.
The main question is around shape. Ward has deployed a 5-3-2 formation in recent months, but there have been calls from some quarters to revert to a back four for these games. It is likely that she will continue with a three/five, given she kept that approach while toppling Belgium in the Nations League play-off, but there will be opportunity to be more front-footed with increased possession here.
“We’ve gone with additional players in the middle because of the fact that we might need different things for different moments,” Ward said as she announced her squad, indicating some tweaks, at least.
With Courtney Brosnan the undisputed number one, Anna Patten, Caitlin Hayes and Chloe Mustaki have been favoured as the centre-half trio. One would drop out should Ireland change tack, with Mustaki the most likely having missed recent club action. McCabe and Aoife Mannion should continue out wide either way, with O’Sullivan returning to lead the midfield charge.
While Lucy Quinn struggled as O’Sullivan’s replacement against Netherlands, Megan Connolly was the six in both games with the reinvigorated Marissa Sheva ahead of her. A back four could call for another defensive pivot, with Tyler Toland among the options, but Ward suggested she wanted a “different profile in midfield”. Jess Ziu could bring that, but a start might be too much too soon amidst a lack of club minutes as she returns from a second ACL injury.
Emily Murphy well and truly announced herself on the international stage with two Player of the Match performances last month, and she’ll hope to continue on an upward trajectory alongside Kyra Carusa. Should the shape allow for an extra body up top, in-form Abbie Larkin is the most obvious choice to attack wide areas, where Poland have struggled.
Herein could lie opportunity for goals. Ireland’s final third issues have been well-documented, with McCabe scoring their only goals of the campaign thus far from left-back. Attacking focal point Carusa is yet to break her duck in League A, while there has been a heavy reliance on set-pieces. The lack of a single consistent goalscorer is evident.
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Poland have just that in Ewa Pajor, who has scored 70 times in 107 goals for her country — that’s without getting into her eye-watering club exploits. Stopping her will be paramount.
But as Ward warned yesterday: “I think it would be naive to focus on one (player). Of course, you have to look at Pajor. Rightly so. She’s competing at the highest level, scoring goals, both in Champions League and La Liga. She’s a top, top player. But they’ve got a lot of top players.
“I watched them at the Euros, I was really impressed with them. They’re aggressive, really aggressive in transition. They covered the most distance, the most high-speed running at the Euros. That tells you an awful lot about what they’re about.
“We love to fight. We love the energy. They’re similar. So we’re going to have to absolutely match that.”
Next stop Gdańsk, as Ireland look to ignite their World Cup dream.
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Ireland out to ignite World Cup dream in pivotal Poland double-header
FIRST TO GDAŃSK, as Ireland and Poland face off in a decisive 2027 World Cup qualifying double-header [KO 5pm Irish time, RTÉ 2].
Round one is in the historic port city on the Baltic coast, before a Saturday afternoon showdown at Aviva Stadium.
Having opened with a pair of 2-1 defeats to heavyweights France and Netherlands, Carla Ward’s side are targetting points against their closest rivals to spark the World Cup dream.
Just the group winners qualify automatically for next summer’s bonanza in Brazil, with all other League A sides guaranteed a play-off spot. The target is third-place, which secures a more favourable route on paper: a play-off semi-final against League C opposition, whereas finishing bottom would bring higher-ranked League B teams into play, and also result in Nations League relegation.
Ireland and Poland are both ultimately vying for the same prize, with relatively even encounters expected. Ranked 24th in the world – three places superior – Nina Patalon’s side currently hold the upper hand after their 2-2 draw with the Dutch.
Spearheaded by Barcelona goal machine Ewa Pajor, the Poles are a rising force in women’s football, having featured at their first major tournament in Euro 2025 last summer.
But Ireland will be confident they can get off the mark over the coming days, and turn performances into points. They won 2-1 the last time these sides met at the 2022 Pinatar Cup, with Lucy and Louise Quinn on target.
Injury has been a common theme through the build-up, with Jessie Stapleton, the returning Lily Agg and uncapped Aoibhe Brennan forced to withdraw from the initial squad, as Jamie Finn and League of Ireland duo Aoibheann Clancy and Maria Reynolds replaced them.
Katie McCabe’s heavily strapped hand caused further concern, but assistant coach Gary Cronin allayed fears thereafter. “It’s not affecting our preparations. Katie McCabe is preparing the very same way as Katie McCabe prepares for all international football games.”
Bandages have significantly lessened and Ward yesterday confirmed a fit and available squad, bar Ruesha Littlejohn who is ruled out due to an Achilles flare-up.
Team selection isn’t majorly affected: neither Littlejohn nor Stapleton featured in the last window. A similar starting XI is expected here, with just one change enforced from France to Netherlands with Denise O’Sullivan sidelined with a knee setback. The Liverpool midfield maestro is fit and firing once more, and in line to win her 130th cap at Gdańsk Stadium, where Ireland lost 4-0 to Spain at Euro 2012.
The main question is around shape. Ward has deployed a 5-3-2 formation in recent months, but there have been calls from some quarters to revert to a back four for these games. It is likely that she will continue with a three/five, given she kept that approach while toppling Belgium in the Nations League play-off, but there will be opportunity to be more front-footed with increased possession here.
“We’ve gone with additional players in the middle because of the fact that we might need different things for different moments,” Ward said as she announced her squad, indicating some tweaks, at least.
With Courtney Brosnan the undisputed number one, Anna Patten, Caitlin Hayes and Chloe Mustaki have been favoured as the centre-half trio. One would drop out should Ireland change tack, with Mustaki the most likely having missed recent club action. McCabe and Aoife Mannion should continue out wide either way, with O’Sullivan returning to lead the midfield charge.
While Lucy Quinn struggled as O’Sullivan’s replacement against Netherlands, Megan Connolly was the six in both games with the reinvigorated Marissa Sheva ahead of her. A back four could call for another defensive pivot, with Tyler Toland among the options, but Ward suggested she wanted a “different profile in midfield”. Jess Ziu could bring that, but a start might be too much too soon amidst a lack of club minutes as she returns from a second ACL injury.
Emily Murphy well and truly announced herself on the international stage with two Player of the Match performances last month, and she’ll hope to continue on an upward trajectory alongside Kyra Carusa. Should the shape allow for an extra body up top, in-form Abbie Larkin is the most obvious choice to attack wide areas, where Poland have struggled.
Herein could lie opportunity for goals. Ireland’s final third issues have been well-documented, with McCabe scoring their only goals of the campaign thus far from left-back. Attacking focal point Carusa is yet to break her duck in League A, while there has been a heavy reliance on set-pieces. The lack of a single consistent goalscorer is evident.
Poland have just that in Ewa Pajor, who has scored 70 times in 107 goals for her country — that’s without getting into her eye-watering club exploits. Stopping her will be paramount.
But as Ward warned yesterday: “I think it would be naive to focus on one (player). Of course, you have to look at Pajor. Rightly so. She’s competing at the highest level, scoring goals, both in Champions League and La Liga. She’s a top, top player. But they’ve got a lot of top players.
“I watched them at the Euros, I was really impressed with them. They’re aggressive, really aggressive in transition. They covered the most distance, the most high-speed running at the Euros. That tells you an awful lot about what they’re about.
“We love to fight. We love the energy. They’re similar. So we’re going to have to absolutely match that.”
Next stop Gdańsk, as Ireland look to ignite their World Cup dream.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
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