Ireland 3-2 Zambia
Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.
This evening may be a friendly one, but it’s bound to be more fascinating than these types of matches usually are.
The start of the World Cup is less than a month away, so Ireland’s preparations are really ramping up now.
There are undoubtedly places on the plane still up for grabs and tonight may be the final chance for certain individuals to stake their claim.
This won’t exactly be a casual occasion for Ireland’s opponents, Zambia, either. They too have qualified for the World Cup and are in a group alongside Spain, Costa Rica and Japan.
Ireland will be favourites to win though — Pauw’s side are currently 22nd in the Fifa rankings, compared to their opponents, who are 77th.
However, the result, of course, will be of secondary importance to the performance in the eyes of individual players whose inclusion in this summer’s travelling party is far from assured.
Confirmation of tonight’s teams…
STARTING XI | Ireland v Zambia
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) June 22, 2023
Saoirse Noonan, Abbie Larkin and Leanne Kiernan make up our front three 👊
Louise Quinn will lead us out 🫡#COYGIG | #WeAreOne | #OUTBELIEVE pic.twitter.com/tYMRHshB1I
#WomenInternationalFriendly
— FAZ (@FAZFootball) June 22, 2023
Zambia XI Vs Republic of Ireland #irezam pic.twitter.com/hbBQKYRI2D
Our reporter, Emma Duffy, is at the ground.
Here’s what she has to say on tonight’s Ireland team.
As expected, Pauw rings the changes. Captain Katie McCabe has been omitted from the matchday 23 as her load is managed, with Louise Quinn skippering the side.
The returning Leanne Kiernan, Abbie Larkin and Saoirse Noonan start in attack, while centurion Niamh Fahey features for the first time in 2023.
Izzy Atkinson, Claire O’Riordan and Ruesha Littlejohn are handed big chances, while Courtney Brosnan, Megan Connolly and Heather Payne continue as regulars.
Sophie Whitehouse, Lily Agg, Kyra Carusa, Tara O’Hanlon and Megan Campbell are also absent from the matchday squad.
Quinn, Fahey and O’Riordan should form the back three, with Payne and Atkinson likely to be the wing-backs.
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Atkinson crosses for Kiernan, but she can’t direct her volley on target.
Decent start by Ireland.
Connolly’s free-kick from the right causes chaos in the box.
Eventually, it falls to O’Riordan, whose snap shot sails a few inches over the bar.
Ireland have been fairly dominant so far, but Zambia did have one half-chance.
Banda’s shot could only find the side-netting from a tight angle with Quinn in close proximity.
Another promising attack for Zambia.
However, O’Riordan is well-positioned to intercept the cross and knock it out for a corner.
Another decent half-chance for Zambia.
Quinn does well to cut out a ball towards Banda, before Mapepa’s shot hits the side netting.
The visitors are looking stronger than their 77 Fifa ranking suggests.
IRELAND 0-1 ZAMBIA (BROSNAN OWN GOAL 17)
Ireland are behind and it’s hardly against the run of play.
It’s a slightly freakish goal though
Banda’s cross deflects off O’Riordan, hits the post and then ricochets in off the back of Brosnan.
The goalkeeper, recently crowned Ireland’s Player of the Year, was unlucky there.
Ireland need to regain their composure here.
After a bright start from the hosts, Zambia have been the better team in the last 10 minutes.
Ireland are looking a little toothless at the moment, unfortunately.
Kiernan did have a brief sight at goal following a well-worked move a few minutes ago, but her goalbound shot was blocked.
There’s a brief stoppage with an injury to Banda, as she receives treatment.
Ireland’s players are deep in conversation as they consider ways to unlock a well-drilled Zambian outfit.
Here’s a look at the opening goal…
Ireland 0-1 Zambia: Against the run of play the visitors take the lead at Tallaght Stadium as Barbra Banda's shot pinballs across the box before crossing the line.
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 22, 2023
📺Watch: https://t.co/VyLFd6HQiN
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It falls to Katongo on the edge of the box, but her relatively tame shot is easily saved by Brosnan.
Down the other end, Kiernan has the ball in the net after with an assured finish after a lofted through ball, but she is correctly ruled offside.
Kiernan’s cross finds Larkin, who can’t find the target with a header.
Moments later, Kiernan bursts through on goal after Zambia sloppily concede in a dangerous area, but the goalkeeper is out swiftly to smother the shot.
From the ensuing corner, Quinn’s header finds the roof of the net.
Much better from Ireland.
Atkinson puts in a dangerous cross, but goalkeeper Nali did well to claim it.
Larkin took a bit of a knock as she went for the ball, but should be okay to continue.
Fahey has just been booked for a late challenge on Banda.
The Zambia star has been in the wars this half — there have been at least three occasions where she’s gone down injured.
Fahey is penalised for another late challenge, again on Banda.
The defender needs to be careful given she’s already on a booking.
HALF-TIME: IRELAND 0-1 ZAMBIA
So half-time and plenty to ponder for Pauw and her players at the break.
Ireland have threatened sporadically and had a couple of decent spells, but Zambia edged that first half and so probably just about deserve their slender advantage.
Barbra Banda, who has been embroiled in a “gender eligibility” debate in the last 12 months, has starred for the visitors.
It’s been a little scrappy and stop-start, making it hard for individual Irish players to impress, but of the fringe squad members, Atkinson has looked bright.
The second half is underway…
It looks like there have been five Irish changes at the break.
Grant, McLaughlin, Barrett, Mustaki and Scott are on.
Littlejohn, Noonan, Atkinson, Fahey and Kiernan are off.
PENALTY TO IRELAND!
Larkins goalbound shot is blocked by the trailing arm of Katongo.
The referee awards a penalty and gives the Zambia player a yellow card.
IRELAND 1-1 ZAMBIA (BARRETT 49)
Barrett coolly dispatches the penalty into the left corner of the net.
That’s the Donegal native’s sixth goal at international level.
Nervy moment for Zambia.
Nali initially can’t hold Payne’s cross before gathering it at the second attempt with Barrett in close proximity.
Here’s a look at Ireland’s equaliser…
Ireland 1-1 Zambia: It's the perfect start to the second half for Ireland who level from the penalty spot through Amber Barrett.
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 22, 2023
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Not too much has happened since the goal.
Zambia have probably had slightly more of the play with creating any clear-cut chances.
A well-timed challenge from Quinn stops Banda from running through on goal.
The game is becoming a bit more open now, with Larkin and Barrett subsequently looking threatening on the counter-attack.
IRELAND 2-1 ZAMBIA (O’RIORDAN 63)
Ireland go ahead through a simple set piece.
Connolly produces a perfectly flighted free kick and an unmarked O’Riordan heads home.
Zambia make a triple substitution.
Banda, Lushomo and Mapepa go off.
Phiri, Lubanji and Chileshe are on.
IRELAND 3-1 ZAMBIA (BARRETT 71)
Ireland get a third and it stems from another dangerous free kick lofted in by Connolly.
It’s parried away but it falls to Barrett, who lofts it over the goalkeeper and into the net.
If there was any doubt in the first place, this performance has surely secured Barrett’s place on the plane.
There are claims for a Zambia penalty.
Banda’s goalbound shot does hit off the arm of O’Riordan, but it’s not given and perhaps adjudged accidental.
Down the other end, Nali gets down well to deny Barrett a hat-trick.
IRELAND 3-2 ZAMBIA (KUNDANANJI 79)
Kundananji beats O’Riordan and Payne for pace and produces a fine finish to give Zambia hope.
It’s set to be a nervy final 10 minutes for Ireland.
Here’s a look at the third Irish goal…
Ireland 3-1 Zambia: Amber Barrett claims her second of the night with a wonderfully taken finish. #RTEsoccer
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 22, 2023
📺Watch: https://t.co/VyLFd6HQiN
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Good ball from Mustaki to find Barrett down the left.
The striker’s finish from a difficult angle is well off-target, however.
RTÉ have named Amber Barrett as the Player of the Match.
It’s hard to argue with that choice.
Meanwhile, there’s a worry for Ireland as O’Riordan is down receiving treatment.
There will be four minutes of stoppage time.
As I type, Grant gives it away in a dangerous area but Lubanji’s subsequent audacious shot is well off target.
Here’s a look at Zambia’s second goal.
Ireland 3-2 Zambia: Racheal Kundananji pulls one back for the visitors will a well taken goal. #RTEsoccer
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 22, 2023
📺Watch: https://t.co/VyLFd6HQiN
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FULL-TIME: IRELAND 3-2 ZAMBIA
Well, that’s that.
A good result and some decent displays in the Irish team.
It was an entertaining game.
Zambia were slightly the better team in the first half and parts of the second, but Ireland delivered an improved display after the break and were more clinical in front of the goal than the visitors.
Amber Barrett was the clear star of the show and if there was any doubt before, she now looks a virtual certainty to travel to the World Cup.
There were also decent displays from fringe players like Larkin and O’Riordan, though it’s hard to argue that anyone with the exception of Barrett has nailed down their place who wasn’t a certainty before tonight.
All in all though, plenty of positives and another win to boost confidence ahead of a huge couple of weeks.
“It’s been a long time coming, but Jesus it feels so bloody good,” player of the match Barrett tells RTÉ after her goal in the night.
She also points out a couple of players going down with cramp as this is essentially pre-season for the players.
Right, that’s all from me for now.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
We’ll have more reaction up on the site shortly.
