REPUBLIC OF IRELAND head coach Carla Ward has welcomed “a good headache” with Kyra Carusa and Ruesha Littlejohn returning to fitness for tomorrow’s crunch World Cup qualifier against Poland at Aviva Stadium [KO 3pm, live on RTE 2].
Carusa was due to start Tuesday’s first meeting in Gdansk, which Ireland won, but an overnight illness ruled her out. An Achilles flare-up meant Littlejohn was out of Ward’s plans on the eve of the game, but both are available for selection this time around.
“Kyra has been sensational when she puts on that Ireland shirt,” Ward told her pre-match press conference.
“She has been ever present since I’ve arrived, a really important player both on and off the pitch. (She can add) a huge amount. Something a bit different.”
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Abbie Larkin started up top alongside three-time Player of the Match Emily Murphy in Carusa’s absence on Tuesday. “It’s a good headache to have,” Ward added. “It really is. And it’s a good headache that I’ve got 24 (players) available to choose from as well.
“Abbie did really well. We know what Abbie Larkin can do. We’re blessed with options all over the park so it’s a really good position to be in as a head coach.
“Every game is different. This will be a completely different game. They will adapt. And we will have to adapt to what they might do. We will look at what we might face and pick a team that can go win the game.”
Littlejohn is unlikely to start, with Denise O’Sullivan, Megan Connolly and Marissa Sheva forming the midfield axis, but her availability is a boost. “I say it all the time, she is a top pro, trains really well, she was excellent yesterday.”
Ireland won 3-2 in Gdansk after goals from Katie McCabe, Murphy and Sheva in a rollercoaster encounter against their closest rivals.
After narrow 2-1 defeats to France and Netherlands, the victory win moved Ward’s side up to third place in Group A2, which offers a more favorable route – on paper – to the 2027 World Cup.
Just the group winners qualify automatically, and with play-off spots guaranteed for everyone else, fourth would face higher-ranked opponents sooner as well as being condemned to Nations League relegation.
Polish boss Nina Patalon said she hopes “everyone is incredibly pissed off,” and Ward is braced for a backlash as Ireland grace Lansdowne Road for the sixth time.
“We’re gonna expect a reaction, of course. We know Poland have got a lot of quality, they’ve shown that against really good sides, getting a point against the Netherlands. If anyone thinks it’s going to be a similar game, I think they’ll be mistaken.
“We’ll go into this game knowing how they might react, but also prepared that we’ve got enough quality, if we’re on it, to go and take three points.”
Katie McCabe at today's press conference. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Stopping Poland’s Barcelona goal machine Ewa Pajor will be key to that. Ireland achieved as much until her sublime consolation goal in Gdansk, and McCabe underlined her fellow Champions League star’s threat.
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“Pajor showed how much she’s a world-class striker. We kept her quiet for 77 minutes but she pops up with a goal like that, it just shows her quality. By no means can we switch off at any point for 90 minutes, 95 minutes plus. We need to be aware of her at all times because of the threat she poses. She’s quick, she’s direct, she can run and she can score goals. She’s been pretty important for Poland.”
The Irish captain also welcomed the “very different” surface at Aviva Stadium after Tuesday’s poor pitch. “I haven’t seen a pitch like that in quite a long time, to be honest. I think even up until the warm-up, the groundsman was still digging up holes and putting fresh grass in and stuff like that.
“But look, they were the conditions that were in front of us. It was for them as well, so we can’t use any excuses or anything like that. It’s going to be very different here tomorrow.”
18,000 tickets have been sold or distributed for the rematch.
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'It's a good headache to have' - Carusa and Littlejohn available for Poland rematch
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND head coach Carla Ward has welcomed “a good headache” with Kyra Carusa and Ruesha Littlejohn returning to fitness for tomorrow’s crunch World Cup qualifier against Poland at Aviva Stadium [KO 3pm, live on RTE 2].
Carusa was due to start Tuesday’s first meeting in Gdansk, which Ireland won, but an overnight illness ruled her out. An Achilles flare-up meant Littlejohn was out of Ward’s plans on the eve of the game, but both are available for selection this time around.
“Kyra has been sensational when she puts on that Ireland shirt,” Ward told her pre-match press conference.
“She has been ever present since I’ve arrived, a really important player both on and off the pitch. (She can add) a huge amount. Something a bit different.”
Abbie Larkin started up top alongside three-time Player of the Match Emily Murphy in Carusa’s absence on Tuesday. “It’s a good headache to have,” Ward added. “It really is. And it’s a good headache that I’ve got 24 (players) available to choose from as well.
“Abbie did really well. We know what Abbie Larkin can do. We’re blessed with options all over the park so it’s a really good position to be in as a head coach.
“Every game is different. This will be a completely different game. They will adapt. And we will have to adapt to what they might do. We will look at what we might face and pick a team that can go win the game.”
Littlejohn is unlikely to start, with Denise O’Sullivan, Megan Connolly and Marissa Sheva forming the midfield axis, but her availability is a boost. “I say it all the time, she is a top pro, trains really well, she was excellent yesterday.”
Ireland won 3-2 in Gdansk after goals from Katie McCabe, Murphy and Sheva in a rollercoaster encounter against their closest rivals.
After narrow 2-1 defeats to France and Netherlands, the victory win moved Ward’s side up to third place in Group A2, which offers a more favorable route – on paper – to the 2027 World Cup.
Just the group winners qualify automatically, and with play-off spots guaranteed for everyone else, fourth would face higher-ranked opponents sooner as well as being condemned to Nations League relegation.
Polish boss Nina Patalon said she hopes “everyone is incredibly pissed off,” and Ward is braced for a backlash as Ireland grace Lansdowne Road for the sixth time.
“We’re gonna expect a reaction, of course. We know Poland have got a lot of quality, they’ve shown that against really good sides, getting a point against the Netherlands. If anyone thinks it’s going to be a similar game, I think they’ll be mistaken.
“We’ll go into this game knowing how they might react, but also prepared that we’ve got enough quality, if we’re on it, to go and take three points.”
Stopping Poland’s Barcelona goal machine Ewa Pajor will be key to that. Ireland achieved as much until her sublime consolation goal in Gdansk, and McCabe underlined her fellow Champions League star’s threat.
“Pajor showed how much she’s a world-class striker. We kept her quiet for 77 minutes but she pops up with a goal like that, it just shows her quality. By no means can we switch off at any point for 90 minutes, 95 minutes plus. We need to be aware of her at all times because of the threat she poses. She’s quick, she’s direct, she can run and she can score goals. She’s been pretty important for Poland.”
The Irish captain also welcomed the “very different” surface at Aviva Stadium after Tuesday’s poor pitch. “I haven’t seen a pitch like that in quite a long time, to be honest. I think even up until the warm-up, the groundsman was still digging up holes and putting fresh grass in and stuff like that.
“But look, they were the conditions that were in front of us. It was for them as well, so we can’t use any excuses or anything like that. It’s going to be very different here tomorrow.”
18,000 tickets have been sold or distributed for the rematch.
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