USA 2
Republic of Ireland 0
VERA PAUW AND her Ireland team of 2023 are all about changing narratives, flipping scripts and making a bit of history on the way. While the country’s record against the United States was run to 14 meetings and 14 defeats here on Saturday afternoon, there was a fittingly different feel about it.
Pauw had agreed to two rapid-fire friendlies against the world No.1 side because she wants her side to face tests and learn lessons. The most clear one in Austin was: take your bloody chances.
Emily Fox’s first-half drive and a late penalty from Lindsey Horan decided the first of back-to-back contests between the sides but in the fist half-hour, the visitors created enough openings to flip a historically bad script.
There will be plenty of regrets. But positives can be carried forward to the renewal in St. Louis on Tuesday too: Sinead Farrelly was impressive on her unlikely debut, Courtney Brosnan made a string of impressive saves and the Ireland of 2023 proved a much tougher nut than any previous incarnations to face the US.
As families queued up outside Q2 Stadium on Saturday brunch time, inside staff were preparing for the sellout. Scoreboards were being tested and the scoreline of ‘USA 1 IRL 1’ flashed over the screens on the halfway line. Below them the lower half of the north stand was decked out in red and white cards for fans spelling out the word “POSSIBLE”.
Pauw has proven a whole lot of impossibilities untrue in her time in charge of Ireland but holding the US to draw would arguably have been her greatest trick. Ireland’s record against the hosts is utterly abysmal: played 13, lost 13, 48 conceded, just one scored.
The result ultimately was a secondary concern for Pauw. With the World Cup approaching, it was the test she craved. The trip Stateside also allowed her to play what may be her wildcard for this summer’s tournament.
Farrelly has been out of the game for eight years after being the whistleblower who kicked off the NWSL abuse investigations which ultimately drew in Pauw too. Yet here she was in green at 33. Farrelly slotted in to a midfield alongside Denise O’Sullivan, captaining the side on her 100th cap. Regular skipper Katie McCabe was shuttled out to left wing back but was effective from the get go. So too was Farrelly, who Pauw had promised could bring calm and control to the team.
Ireland were bright and busy, Louise Quinn twice threatening the American goal from early McCabe corners. On 24 minutes Carusa and O’Sullivan peppered Alyssa Naeher’s goal but were denied by desperate blocks. They’d soon regret the missed chances.
An Ireland defence that was looking to go a full 12 months without conceding took a leaf out of the men’s team and leaked a frustrating one from outside the box. The threat came initially, again, from Sophia Smith but Ireland had chances to clear. Instead the ball broke to Rose Lavelle who found Fox. The right back was given too much time and space and arrowed a low drive past Brosnan.
It was fractured from there with an ugly knee injury to US striker Mallory Swanson breaking the flow of the contest. In seven minutes of added time, Carusa had the ball in the net after a delicious header from Payne’s delivery but the striker was offside.
The second half saw the US try to build on their lead and run up the type of scoreline that has marked previous Irish visits here. But Pauw’s side are built of sterner stuff. Brosnan tipped a deflected Lavelle effort on to the post on 69 minutes and Ireland tried to find momentum for a late fightback, McCabe carrying her side forward soon after before being cynically dragged down by Julie Ertz.
Instead the US found the late goal. Diane Caldwell grappled Horan to the ground in the box and Carly Shaw McLaren pointed to the spot. Brosnan got a strong hand on Horan’s penalty but not strong enough.
Pauw and her players faced a mad post-match dash for their flight to St. Louis. For a change they’ll happy to be in a hurry to face the Americans again. That surely counts as progress.
USA (4-3-3): Naeher; Fox, Sauerbrunn, Girma, Dunn (Sonnett 66); Sullivan (Ertz 66), Lavelle (Sanchez 80), Horan; Smith, Morgan (Hatch 66), Swanson (Rodman 45)
Ireland (3-5-2): Brosnan; Mannion (O’Gorman 60), Quinn, Caldwell; Payne, Farrelly (Littlejohn 60), O’Sullivan, Connolly, McCabe, Sheva (O’Hanlon 86), Carusa.
Referee: Carly Shaw McLaren (CAN)
Attendance: 20,593