Ireland are hoping to make it two wins from two after a positive start to their Nations League campaign against Turkey on Friday.
It was a scrappy victory against the Turks, and Carla Ward will be hoping for a better display today but won’t mind too much so long as the outcome is the same.
It won’t be easy against a Slovenia side who won 2-1 away in Greece in their opening fixture, but the hosts won’t be at their strongest, with a couple of players out injured.
And given that they’re 14 places above them in the Fifa rankings, the Girls in Green will be favourites to progress today.
Kick-off is at 5pm.
25 Feb
4:48PM
Confirmation of the starting XIs below, with the caveat that RTÉ are reporting doubts over whether Megan Campbell will start.
Slovenia are unchanged from the Greece win, while the Ireland team sees one change, with Amber Barrett coming in for Marissa Sheva.
Slovenia: Zala Meršnik; Izabela Križaj, Lana Golob, Dominika Conc, Kaja Eržen; Lara Prašnikar, Sara Makovec, Kaja Korošec, Zara Kramžar; Maja Sternad, Špela Kolbl
25 Feb
4:51PM
There has indeed been a late change to the Ireland starting XI.
Megan Connoly has come into the team in place of Megan Campbell, who has presumably picked up an injury in the warm-up.
Ireland have had a couple of promising attacking moments that they have not been able to make the most of — a Barrett scuffed shot and a Lucy Quinn effort from distance have been among the half chances.
Slovenia are happy to sit back but continue to pose a threat on the counter.
25 Feb
5:23PM
22 minutes: The official stats show Ireland have had 64% of the ball so far.
The hosts, however, have been diligent defensively and won’t be easy to break down.
25 Feb
5:27PM
Here’s a look at the closest Ireland have come to equalising…
So half-time and it’s pretty dispiriting stuff from an Irish perspective.
Carla Ward’s side have been badly exposed at times by their ruthless Slovenian opponents.
Before today, Ireland had won all of their previous seven Nations League fixtures, but they will need a minor miracle to keep that run going, having been outplayed in the first half.
25 Feb
6:02PM
Ireland last played Slovenia competitively in the 2015 World Cup qualifiers, winning 3-0 away and 2-0 at home.
Their opponents have clearly improved since then, though they did win a 2015 friendly 2-0 against the Irish team.
It is as poor as Ireland have been in recent memory though.
Slovenia are perhaps better than Carla Ward’s side might have anticipated, though they are not a top-tier nation and like Ireland, failed to qualify for the Euros, losing 5-1 on aggregate in a playoff against Austria.
25 Feb
6:03PM
The second half has begun…
25 Feb
6:04PM
Ireland have made two changes at the break.
Sheva is on in place of Littlejohn, with Toland also on for Payne.
The Ireland team gather after conceding a second goal. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
25 Feb
6:08PM
48 minutes: Another nervy moment for Ireland.
Brosnan’s weak clearance goes straight to Kramžar, but her audacious effort from outside of the area is easily saved.
25 Feb
6:12PM
53 minutes: Ireland have started the second half on the front foot.
The visitors have had 69% of the ball, but have rarely tested Slovenia goalkeeper Meršnik.
25 Feb
6:13PM
55 mns: Sustained pressure now from Ireland.
Carusa does well to win the ball in the area but can’t quite pick out Barrett with the cross.
25 Feb
6:16PM
57 mins: A McCabe ball finds Patten but she can’t get a shot away with defenders nearby.
Moments later, O’Sullivan has two attempts — a deflected shot off-target and a low effort from a Connolly cross that forces a decent save from the ‘keeper.
Ireland's Denise O'Sullivan. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
25 Feb
6:21PM
61 mins: It’s just not clicking for Ireland despite all the possession.
McCabe and Quinn have both misplaced passes in promising positions in recent minutes.
They look like a team getting used to new management.
Slovenia, meanwhile, make a change.
One of the goalscorers, Kramžar, is replaced by Kajzba.
25 Feb
6:23PM
Patten gets booked for cynically taking out Sternad.
Ireland could do without a sending-off to compound their woe, so the Aston Villa star will need to be especially careful for the remainder of the game.
Slovenia's Zara Kramžar and Ireland's Katie McCabe. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
25 Feb
6:35PM
75 mins: Ireland have had five attempts on target so far to Slovenia’s seven.
That suggests the contest has been closer than it has turned out to be in reality, though some impressive finishing by the hosts has contributed to their commanding lead.
25 Feb
6:38PM
79 mins: Carusa wins a free kick on the edge of the area.
O’Sullivan lays the ensuing set piece off to McCabe, who fires it straight into the Slovenian wall.
Moments later, Larkin does well to carve out an opening, but her finish on the edge of the area is straight at Meršnik.
25 Feb
6:39PM
81 mins: The two-goal hero Prašnikar departs the action.
According to RTÉ, it’s Ireland’s worst competitive defeat since a loss away to France in September 2012.
It was a poor performance from the visitors in every respect against a side they would expect to beat as they are 14 places above them in the Fifa rankings and fell well short of qualifying for the Euros.
Defensively, Ireland were far too open and easy to score against and as a consequence, the contest was effectively over by half-time.
In attack, they were similarly inefficient, rarely testing the goalkeeper despite dominating the ball with 67% possession.
It’s a disappointing result, and new manager Carla Ward will have plenty to ponder with significant changes needed in order to improve in future.
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As it happened: Slovenia v Ireland, Nations League
Slovenia 4-0 Ireland
Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.
Ireland are hoping to make it two wins from two after a positive start to their Nations League campaign against Turkey on Friday.
It was a scrappy victory against the Turks, and Carla Ward will be hoping for a better display today but won’t mind too much so long as the outcome is the same.
It won’t be easy against a Slovenia side who won 2-1 away in Greece in their opening fixture, but the hosts won’t be at their strongest, with a couple of players out injured.
And given that they’re 14 places above them in the Fifa rankings, the Girls in Green will be favourites to progress today.
Kick-off is at 5pm.
Confirmation of the starting XIs below, with the caveat that RTÉ are reporting doubts over whether Megan Campbell will start.
Slovenia are unchanged from the Greece win, while the Ireland team sees one change, with Amber Barrett coming in for Marissa Sheva.
Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Aoife Mannion, Anna Patten, Megan Campbell, Katie McCabe; Ruesha Littlejohn; Heather Payne, Denise O’Sullivan, Lucy Quinn; Amber Barrett, Kyra Carusa
Slovenia: Zala Meršnik; Izabela Križaj, Lana Golob, Dominika Conc, Kaja Eržen; Lara Prašnikar, Sara Makovec, Kaja Korošec, Zara Kramžar; Maja Sternad, Špela Kolbl
There has indeed been a late change to the Ireland starting XI.
Megan Connoly has come into the team in place of Megan Campbell, who has presumably picked up an injury in the warm-up.
We’re underway…
SLOVENIA 1-0 IRELAND (PRASNIKAR 3)
A poor start by Ireland as they get hit on the counter-attack.
Kramžar plays a lofted ball, which sends Prašnikar through on goal.
Brosnan can only help the attacker’s subsequent powerful strike into the net.
9 mins: Ireland come close to equalising.
Carusa is tackled but it falls to O’Sullivan on the edge of the area.
The goalkeeper Meršnik tips away the midfielder’s powerful strike for a corner.
Here’s a look at the opening goal…
Ireland have had a couple of promising attacking moments that they have not been able to make the most of — a Barrett scuffed shot and a Lucy Quinn effort from distance have been among the half chances.
Slovenia are happy to sit back but continue to pose a threat on the counter.
22 minutes: The official stats show Ireland have had 64% of the ball so far.
The hosts, however, have been diligent defensively and won’t be easy to break down.
Here’s a look at the closest Ireland have come to equalising…
SLOVENIA 2-0 IRELAND (PRASNIKAR 28)
Slovenia double their advantage.
Korošec’s corner is met by Prašnikar, who volleys it home expertly.
That’s the 26-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt striker’s 45th goal at international level — she has been hugely impressive so far.
SLOVENIA 3-0 IRELAND (KRAMZAE 34)
Disaster for Ireland!
Sternad is found with a cross completely unmarked.
She then fires it low across the box and the 19-year-old Kramžar is on hand to tap home from close range for her second goal of the campaign.
This is what the second Slovenia goal looked like…
Carla Ward went with a very attacking lineup and the gamble has not paid off so far.
Ireland have been exposed and torn apart by their clinical opponents on multiple occasions in this first half.
Here’s how the third Slovenia goal unfolded…
Brosnan comes to Ireland’s rescue.
She prevents the influential Sternad from making it four, blocking the attacker’s goalbound shot after she is sent through on goal.
Ireland continue to look very open and vulnerable to counter-attacks.
HALF-TIME: SLOVENIA 3-0 IRELAND
So half-time and it’s pretty dispiriting stuff from an Irish perspective.
Carla Ward’s side have been badly exposed at times by their ruthless Slovenian opponents.
Before today, Ireland had won all of their previous seven Nations League fixtures, but they will need a minor miracle to keep that run going, having been outplayed in the first half.
Ireland last played Slovenia competitively in the 2015 World Cup qualifiers, winning 3-0 away and 2-0 at home.
Their opponents have clearly improved since then, though they did win a 2015 friendly 2-0 against the Irish team.
It is as poor as Ireland have been in recent memory though.
Slovenia are perhaps better than Carla Ward’s side might have anticipated, though they are not a top-tier nation and like Ireland, failed to qualify for the Euros, losing 5-1 on aggregate in a playoff against Austria.
The second half has begun…
Ireland have made two changes at the break.
Sheva is on in place of Littlejohn, with Toland also on for Payne.
48 minutes: Another nervy moment for Ireland.
Brosnan’s weak clearance goes straight to Kramžar, but her audacious effort from outside of the area is easily saved.
53 minutes: Ireland have started the second half on the front foot.
The visitors have had 69% of the ball, but have rarely tested Slovenia goalkeeper Meršnik.
55 mns: Sustained pressure now from Ireland.
Carusa does well to win the ball in the area but can’t quite pick out Barrett with the cross.
57 mins: A McCabe ball finds Patten but she can’t get a shot away with defenders nearby.
Moments later, O’Sullivan has two attempts — a deflected shot off-target and a low effort from a Connolly cross that forces a decent save from the ‘keeper.
61 mins: It’s just not clicking for Ireland despite all the possession.
McCabe and Quinn have both misplaced passes in promising positions in recent minutes.
They look like a team getting used to new management.
Slovenia, meanwhile, make a change.
One of the goalscorers, Kramžar, is replaced by Kajzba.
Patten gets booked for cynically taking out Sternad.
Ireland could do without a sending-off to compound their woe, so the Aston Villa star will need to be especially careful for the remainder of the game.
66 mins: McCabe’s dangerous free kick evades everyone and goes narrowly wide.
Carusa was penalised anyway, having been adjudged to have fouled Meršnik as the ball was delivered.
Ireland proceed to make another change, with the ineffectual Barrett replaced by 19-year-old Crystal Palace attacker Abbie Larkin.
70 mins: Connolly’s corner goes straight into the hands of Meršnik.
Ireland have been disappointing at both ends of the pitch today.
72 mins: The ball falls to McCabe on the edge of the area.
The Arsenal star’s shot is parried away for a corner by Meršnik.
The hosts have also made another change, with Janež replacing Križaj, who was the only Slovenia player on a booking.
75 mins: Ireland have had five attempts on target so far to Slovenia’s seven.
That suggests the contest has been closer than it has turned out to be in reality, though some impressive finishing by the hosts has contributed to their commanding lead.
79 mins: Carusa wins a free kick on the edge of the area.
O’Sullivan lays the ensuing set piece off to McCabe, who fires it straight into the Slovenian wall.
Moments later, Larkin does well to carve out an opening, but her finish on the edge of the area is straight at Meršnik.
81 mins: The two-goal hero Prašnikar departs the action.
She is replaced by Zver.
SLOVENIA 4-0 IRELAND (KAJZBA 83)
Kolbl takes the ball away from McCabe.
She slips it to the substitute Kajzba, who finds the corner of the net with another excellent finish,
It’s been one of those days where nothing has gone right for Ireland.
Even in a second half that they have largely dominated, it is the Slovenians who extend their advantage.
86 mins: Ireland’s 11th corner, delivered by McCabe, goes straight into the goalkeeper’s arms.
Slovenia, by contrast, have only had two corners, but have been far less wasteful in attacking areas.
Here’s the fourth Slovenia goal…
There will be four minutes of stoppage time.
The Irish team will be happy to hear the final whistle at this stage.
FULL-TIME: SLOVENIA 4-0 IRELAND
So that’s that.
According to RTÉ, it’s Ireland’s worst competitive defeat since a loss away to France in September 2012.
It was a poor performance from the visitors in every respect against a side they would expect to beat as they are 14 places above them in the Fifa rankings and fell well short of qualifying for the Euros.
Defensively, Ireland were far too open and easy to score against and as a consequence, the contest was effectively over by half-time.
In attack, they were similarly inefficient, rarely testing the goalkeeper despite dominating the ball with 67% possession.
It’s a disappointing result, and new manager Carla Ward will have plenty to ponder with significant changes needed in order to improve in future.
Right, that’s all from me for now.
You can read our match report here and we’ll have more reaction to follow.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
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