Ireland have already beaten Greece once in this window, prevailing 4-0 on Friday.
Yet the individual who played a big part in Carla Ward’s side’s second-half improvement last week, Katie McCabe, is unavailable tonight through suspension.
Ireland laboured in the first half last week with the Arsenal star initially consigned to the bench, and so Carla Ward’s side will hope to prove tonight that they can cope without their inspirational captain.
The other game in this group has already finished, with Slovenia beating Turkey 1-0 and consolidating top spot on 12 points.
Consequently, the hosts need to win tonight to retain any realistic hope of claiming the automatic promotion spot.
8 Apr
7:13PM
Confirmation of the Ireland team below.
We’ve been informed that Heather Payne misses out on a place in the matchday squad due to an “admin error”.
Ireland's Denise O'Sullivan and Greece's Eleni Saich. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
8 Apr
8:53PM
64 mins: This game has had another quiet spell.
It feels like a damage limitation exercise from a Greece perspective, with Ireland playing most of the football and still looking the likeliest to score.
8 Apr
8:56PM
66 mins: Another Greece change.
Ntarzanou is replaced by Gouni.
5,879 is announced as tonight’s official attendance.
It was just a deserved victory for Ireland overall, despite the Greece goal causing a slightly nervy finish.
That said, it was a far-from-vintage display from the hosts.
Lacking the ingenuity of Katie McCabe and the nous of Kyra Carusa up front, they were less impressive compared to Friday’s 4-0 hammering in Crete.
Greece were limited in their ambition and were the main reason for a somewhat subdued spectacle, as they scored with one of their rare forays into the Irish final third.
There will be tougher challenges ahead for Carla Ward’s side, and Ireland know they will need to improve in future, particularly if they are to have genuine aspirations of promotion to League A.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
17 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
As it happened: Ireland v Greece, Nations League
Ireland 2-1 Greece
Hello and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.
Ireland have already beaten Greece once in this window, prevailing 4-0 on Friday.
Yet the individual who played a big part in Carla Ward’s side’s second-half improvement last week, Katie McCabe, is unavailable tonight through suspension.
Ireland laboured in the first half last week with the Arsenal star initially consigned to the bench, and so Carla Ward’s side will hope to prove tonight that they can cope without their inspirational captain.
The other game in this group has already finished, with Slovenia beating Turkey 1-0 and consolidating top spot on 12 points.
Consequently, the hosts need to win tonight to retain any realistic hope of claiming the automatic promotion spot.
Confirmation of the Ireland team below.
We’ve been informed that Heather Payne misses out on a place in the matchday squad due to an “admin error”.
Who do you think will win tonight?
Poll Results:
We’re underway…
3 mins: O’Sullivan wins a free kick after a purposeful forward run.
That’s livened the crowd up after a low-key start.
6 mins: O’Sullivan goes down in the area as Greece defend a Mannion cross.
But the penalty claims are half-hearted.
PENALTY TO IRELAND!
Moraitou commits a reckless challenge on Kiernan on the edge of the area.
The referee points to the spot.
IRELAND 1-0 GREECE (BARRETT 9)
Barrett buries the ball into the corner of the net to give Ireland the lead.
That’s the striker’s ninth goal at international level.
13 mins: Nasi parries away a hanging Campbell corner.
It’s been all Ireland so far.
Here’s a look at that penalty…
20 mins: Not much has happened in recent minutes.
Ireland have been very comfortable, with Greece offering minimal attacking threat.
23 mins: Quinn finds herself in a promising position but blazes over.
Just before that, Greece had a rare sight at goal.
But Ntarzanou’s hopeful shot from a distance sailed wide.
26 mins: Ireland counter, but Campbell’s attempted cross goes straight into the goalkeeper’s arms.
The full-back screams in frustration after showing poor execution.
Ireland have generally been quite wasteful in attacking positions despite the boost of taking an early lead.
29 mins: A Campbell corner leads to some head tennis in the area.
Eventually, Mannion flicks it narrowly wide from close range.
35 mins: O’Sullivan makes another strong driving run through midfield to set up an Ireland attack.
The ball eventually falls to Toland on the edge of the area, but the midfielder drills her shot well wide.
As I type, Barrett latches on to a long ball, but her chipped effort from a tight angle goes narrowly over.
Amber Barrett’s attempt from distance is easily caught by Nasi.
Believe it or not, that’s just the second shot on target in the match after the goal.
Greece have had a total of two attempts on goal while Ireland have had seven.
There will be three minutes of first-half stoppage time…
45 mins: Campbell’s attempted long ball goes over Kiernan’s head and straight out of play.
That sums up what has been a fairly low-quality first half.
HALF-TIME: IRELAND 1-0 GREECE
So at half-time, Ireland lead Greece 1-0.
Having had a chance to look at a few replays, it seems Ireland got lucky with the penalty decision.
It was a foul on Kiernan, but the challenge appeared to take place outside the area.
While relieved to be ahead, Carla Ward won’t be too thrilled with her side’s first-half performance.
Though they have rarely looked like conceding, the hosts have invariably been wasteful in the final third.
It’s similar to the first half last week from an Irish perspective, though the Greeks were more impressive in Crete.
They may not have Katie McCabe to call upon, but Ward might need some inspiration from the bench to enliven what has been a subdued display so far.
The second half is underway.
Emily Murphy is on for Ireland, with Kiernan off.
For Greece, Kakabouki and Kongouli are on, while Spiridonidou and Moraitou are off.
IRELAND 2-0 GREECE (PATTEN 50)
Ireland double their advantage.
Patten rises highest to a Campbell corner and heads home from close range.
53 mins: Nearly a Greece own goal.
A Campbell long throw causes chaos, as Saich heads backwards as she attempts to clear, and it goes narrowly wide.
Here’s a look at the second Ireland goal…
64 mins: This game has had another quiet spell.
It feels like a damage limitation exercise from a Greece perspective, with Ireland playing most of the football and still looking the likeliest to score.
66 mins: Another Greece change.
Ntarzanou is replaced by Gouni.
5,879 is announced as tonight’s official attendance.
IRELAND 2-1 GREECE (SARRI 72)
Out of nothing, Greece are back in this game.
A cross is only half cleared.
It falls to Sarri on the edge of the area, who creates space and finds the corner of the net.
Moments later, Papatheodorou nearly equalises with an audacious long-range effort that flies inches wide.
Amid all the drama, Ireland have made a change.
Saoirse Noonan is on for her first appearance since playing Zambia pre-World Cup nearly two years ago.
She has replaced Amber Barrett, who worked hard and took her penalty well but didn’t get too much service otherwise.
71 mins: It’s amazing what a goal can do.
Greece are suddenly playing with belief.
Papatheodorou beats Stapleton for pace down the right but her shot is straight at Brosnan.
82 mins: Noonan heads Campbell’s corner just wide.
Ireland then make a double change — Larkin and Littlejohn are on, Quinn and Toland go off.
84 mins: Greece now make a change.
Palama is off, and Chatzinikolaou comes on.
Here’s a look at the Greece goal…
89 mins: Another Ireland change — Sheva is replaced by Hayes.
Just before that, Murphy’s lofted cross narrowly missed the head of Larkin.
There will be three minutes of stoppage time.
Mannion has been named the player of the match.
There weren’t many obvious contenders.
FULL-TIME: IRELAND 2-1 GREECE
So that’s that.
It was just a deserved victory for Ireland overall, despite the Greece goal causing a slightly nervy finish.
That said, it was a far-from-vintage display from the hosts.
Lacking the ingenuity of Katie McCabe and the nous of Kyra Carusa up front, they were less impressive compared to Friday’s 4-0 hammering in Crete.
Greece were limited in their ambition and were the main reason for a somewhat subdued spectacle, as they scored with one of their rare forays into the Irish final third.
There will be tougher challenges ahead for Carla Ward’s side, and Ireland know they will need to improve in future, particularly if they are to have genuine aspirations of promotion to League A.
Right, that’s all from me.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
We’ll have more reaction shortly.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Carla Ward Liveblog minute-by-miinute Soccer Greece Ireland Republic