Hello everyone and welcome to live coverage of Ireland’s final fixture at this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Despite two decent displays against higher-ranked opposition in co-hosts Australia and Canada, Vera Pauw’s side cannot progress from Group B — but they finish with a chance to put smiles on faces Down Under and back at home when they take on group toppers Nigeria (11am).
For Ireland, today is about putting the right foot forward for the future. For Nigeria, it’s all about progression in the immediate term.
Gavan Casey with you here, and I’ll be taking you through this morning’s game as it happens.
Let’s go!
Vera Pauw has named close to her strongest possible XI. Heather Payne seems to have warmed up okay despite obvious concerns over her hamstring. Pauw was checking on her quite a bit as she performed a few drills.
Payne replaces Áine O’Gorman at right-back, while Lily Agg will sit back in midfield as Lucy Quinn drops to the bench.
Barcelona striker Asisat Oshoala has returned to full fitness and starts for Nigeria. She’s the sole change to Randy Waldrum’s XI, replacing Ifeoma Onumonu up top.
Ireland: Brosnan; Payne, Fahey, Louise Quinn, Connolly, McCabe (captain); Agg, O’Sullivan, Littlejohn, Farrelly; Carusa.
Nigeria: Nnadozie; Alozie, Ohale, Demehin, Plumptre; Ucheibe, Ayinde; Ajibade, Payne, Kanu; Oshoala.
The skipper looks like she’s going to enjoy this one…
Kick-off in Brisbane is in just over five minutes!
1′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Nigeria, in black, kick us off in Brisbane. They line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, spearheaded by star woman Oshoala.
Ireland, in white, look like they’re set out in a 5-4-1 with Denise O’Sullivan deployed in a pretty advanced role.
5′ ROI 0-0 NGA: No threat from either side as of yet. Nigeria have swung in a couple of searching crosses and Ireland are bombing their wing-backs forward which is promising. Feeling each other out early.
6′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: CHANCE FOR IRELAND!
Ooooft. Lovely work in the final third results in Sinead Farrelly laying the ball across the box to the onrushing Katie McCabe, but the captain’s strike is pulled narrowly wide of Chiamaka Nnadozie’s left-hand post.
Ireland with the first sighter.
9′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Ireland asking the more pressing questions at the moment. McCabe feeds Farrelly on an overlap down the left and Ireland win a corner. It’s fisted to relative safety by Nnadozie, and McCabe is unable to sort her feet out at the edge of the area.
Positive start by Ireland, this.
13′ - Australia have taken the lead against Canada in the other game in the group. They’re top of the group as things stand, with Nigeria second and Canada third.
14′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: CHANCE FOR NIGERIA!
Hohoho, that was close! A poor pass by Louise Quinn is cut out and, in the blink of an eye, Oshoala is bearing down on Courtney Brosnan’s goal.
The Barca striker lashes across goal from the right-hand side of the box but gets it fractionally wrong and it flies wide.
Quinn and Ireland exhale.
Sounds like there’s tremendous noise for Ireland in the ground. The 42 supremo Emma Duffy is on site at Suncorp and will have a full report and reaction after this liveblog, so keep an eye!
21′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Nigeria have settled into proceedings but Ireland have just had a couple of sniffs: a free-kick from Connolly on the left is fumbled and regathered by Nnadozie before Agg can pounce; and then Denise O’Sullivan makes a lovely burst through midfield and feeds Kyra Carusa but the striker — unwisely, I would say — opts to pull the ball back across the box rather than test the Nigeria keeper.
26′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Another glimpse at goal for Ireland as Heather Payne’s deep cross just about alludes Farrelly at the back post.
Ireland the better team, here, through 25 minutes.
31′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Ireland are controlling this game, really. Nigeria — for whom a draw is enough to progress — are sitting back and seeking to limit Ireland’s chances, of which there haven’t been many, in fairness.
35′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Denise O’Sullivan has been excellent.
36′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Another half-chance for Ireland as McCabe swings one in from a central area and Louise Quinn loops a header up and across goal. Carusa then heads it goalwards — but it was difficult for her to generate power on it and it lands in Nnadozie’s bread basket.
These two have been the outstanding players on the pitch so far, for either side.
40′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Payne — but this time Nigeria’s Toni Payne — fashions a shooting opportunity from outside the box but she makes a hames of it. That was Nigeria’s first look at Brosnan’s goal in quite some time.
Australia now lead Canada 2-0.
No stoppage time added on at the end of the first half. Very good performance by Ireland, who have looked the more likely to break the deadlock in a tight but enjoyable game in Brisbane.
Katie McCabe had the best chance early, while Kyra Carusa has had a couple of looks as well. Denise O’Sullivan balling. Positive signs for the second half as Ireland’s World Cup campaign winds to a close in Brisbane.
46′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Back underway in Brisbane.
52′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: OH WHAT A SAVE BY COURTNEY BROSNAN!
Toni Payne’s superb cross is headed downwards by Uchenna Kanu and miraculously, Brosnan gets down and saves it up onto the crossbar!
That’s one of the saves of the tournament by Ireland’s ‘keeper. Kanu couldn’t have done much more with the header.
Nigeria go close again shortly afterwards as one of their players — I didn’t quite catch who, apologies — drags a shot narrowly wide of Brosnan’s right-hand post.
Warning signs from the seven-time African champions.
58′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Frenetic second half so far, sloppy from both sides. Ireland miles off the quality of their first-half display.
That Brosnan save…
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Courtney Brosnan makes a stunning save to keep the Republic of Ireland level #wwc2023 #coygig
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) July 31, 2023
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65′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: A lower-quality half overall. Denise O’Sullivan had a sight on goal a few minutes ago but it was well blocked.
Mary Fowler, whose grandad hails from Ballymun, has sealed the deal for Australia: they lead Canada 3-0. Nigeria are ostensibly through, now, even if they lose to Ireland.
Katie McCabe, meanwhile, is having a word with Vera Pauw, perhaps suggesting the Ireland boss switches things up a bit. The Girls in Green White haven’t really gotten to grips with this second half yet.
69′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: McCabe in the book for her umpteenth foul. She looks frustrated.
From the resulting free-kick, Nigeria work a nice rehearsed move but Brosnan smothers the danger. She’s been Ireland’s best player in the second half, making that incredible save and snuffing out danger on a couple of other occasions.
71′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Nigeria look much the more likely, here. Putting the Irish goal under pressure.
Unfortunately for Ireland, it’s a similar story to the first two group games: strong first-half showing, and not much to say for themselves after the break.
75′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Corner for Ireland. Incredible reception for Katie McCabe as she strolls over to take it. A
little bit too much whip on it, though, and it lands not in the net but on top of it. Kyra Carusa was penalised in any case for obstructing Nigeria keeper Nnadozie.
The attendance tonight is 24,884, the majority of which is wearing green.
79′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Still no changes for Ireland, who look tired. Vera Pauw obviously sees value in a 0-0 draw. Katie McCabe approaches Pauw again. It’s clear she feels her side have gone a bit flat.
84′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Searching cross by McCabe from deep. Brave encounter in the air between Carusa and Nnadozie. The Nigeria keeper cleans out the Ireland striker, but both are down hurt so the game is stopped.
Pauw eventually makes her changes. Lily Agg and Heather Payne off, Marissa Sheva and Abbie Larkin on.
89′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Decent period of possession for Ireland but no penetration. Nigeria have 11 women behind the ball and it seems their priority is to simply preserve their unbeaten record at this point. They’re all but through anyway — and Olympic champions Canada, 3-0 down to Australia, will be joining Ireland in the airport.
94′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Diane Caldwell makes her first World Cup appearance, replacing Niamh Fahey.
97′ – ROI 0-0 NGA: Rasheedat Ajibade works Brosnan but her effort is tame. The Nigerian fans are making noise, now, as they begin to embrace qualification to the next round.
A first World Cup point for Ireland and a decent display overall.
The campaign comes to an end with a stalemate against Nigeria, who progress behind Australia from Group B.
The Irish players look a little deflated — but surely not about today. Their World Cup overall will be a case of what might have been but, equally, what can be in future.
That’s all from me — but keep an eye on The 42 for a full report and loads of reaction from Brisbane!
Cheers, all.
