THE MUSIC BLARED from the dressing room, and beers were claimed from the fridge as Ireland toasted a crucial Nations League playoff success.
Carla Ward’s side beat Belgium 5-4 on aggregate, thanks to Abbie Larkin’s last-minute winner to secure League A status and guarantee a seeded playoff for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers.
“That’s what it means to be Irish, I think, that second-half performance,” said Ward, after a 2-1 defeat followed Friday’s 4-2 win.
“In the last 20 minutes, I felt something was coming. We were piling on the pressure; we probably created the better chances in the second half. When that goal went in, I probably ended up down the line somewhere! Delighted, delighted for everyone.
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“I don’t think anyone really gave us a chance coming into these two games, let’s be really honest.”
On the decisive 90th-minute goal, she continued: “Abbie just said to me, ‘I’ve never chipped a ball in my life’, and she’s come up with that one tonight.
“Delighted for her, delighted for the team, delighted for Katie (McCabe) on her 100 caps, and she’s just told everyone it’s a free bar, so I’m going to have to deal with that now!”
Ward claimed a few bottles of Stella Artois from the fridge in the press room, after reflecting on a first half which saw Tessa Wullaert’s seven-minute salvo level the tie at 4-4.
What was the half-time message? “No time for frustration, no time to be pissed off, we have to stay calm and we have to adapt.
“We didn’t discuss the goals. It was very calm, very positive, because they were frustrated, they were really frustrated, but no time to feel sorry for ourselves, we had to regroup, remind them that we’re good enough to go and win this game.”
The English coach hailed her substitutes, particularly Anna Patten, returning from suspension, who helped make the difference.
Newly-crowned centurion McCabe also offered her thoughts on a landmark night in Leuven.
“Over the two legs, we gifted them goals, and we need to understand how to tighten up in those areas. We knew they would come at us, but we were disappointed to concede those goals. They were dynamic in wide areas, and we made some adjustments at half-time, so I got front-footed.
“Larko has been in and around us for a while. She is in great form with (Crystal) Palace, and she has matured. It gives me goosebumps thinking about that winner, big, big moments. We will need players like her looking for the World Cup (qualification).”
The Arsenal Champions League winner labelled her caps milestone as “very proud and sacred”.
“A long time coming,” she added. “Lost 1-0 on the 50th cap here and glad to win on my 100th.
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“We will enjoy the celebrations in the dressing room and with the staff.”
“I’d love to buy them all a beer tonight,” Ward added on the Irish support, with 330 fans loud and proud amidst a crowd of 7,038 at Der Dreef Stadium.
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'That's what it means to be Irish, that second-half performance'
THE MUSIC BLARED from the dressing room, and beers were claimed from the fridge as Ireland toasted a crucial Nations League playoff success.
Carla Ward’s side beat Belgium 5-4 on aggregate, thanks to Abbie Larkin’s last-minute winner to secure League A status and guarantee a seeded playoff for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers.
“That’s what it means to be Irish, I think, that second-half performance,” said Ward, after a 2-1 defeat followed Friday’s 4-2 win.
“In the last 20 minutes, I felt something was coming. We were piling on the pressure; we probably created the better chances in the second half. When that goal went in, I probably ended up down the line somewhere! Delighted, delighted for everyone.
“I don’t think anyone really gave us a chance coming into these two games, let’s be really honest.”
On the decisive 90th-minute goal, she continued: “Abbie just said to me, ‘I’ve never chipped a ball in my life’, and she’s come up with that one tonight.
“Delighted for her, delighted for the team, delighted for Katie (McCabe) on her 100 caps, and she’s just told everyone it’s a free bar, so I’m going to have to deal with that now!”
Ward claimed a few bottles of Stella Artois from the fridge in the press room, after reflecting on a first half which saw Tessa Wullaert’s seven-minute salvo level the tie at 4-4.
What was the half-time message? “No time for frustration, no time to be pissed off, we have to stay calm and we have to adapt.
“We didn’t discuss the goals. It was very calm, very positive, because they were frustrated, they were really frustrated, but no time to feel sorry for ourselves, we had to regroup, remind them that we’re good enough to go and win this game.”
The English coach hailed her substitutes, particularly Anna Patten, returning from suspension, who helped make the difference.
Newly-crowned centurion McCabe also offered her thoughts on a landmark night in Leuven.
“Over the two legs, we gifted them goals, and we need to understand how to tighten up in those areas. We knew they would come at us, but we were disappointed to concede those goals. They were dynamic in wide areas, and we made some adjustments at half-time, so I got front-footed.
“Larko has been in and around us for a while. She is in great form with (Crystal) Palace, and she has matured. It gives me goosebumps thinking about that winner, big, big moments. We will need players like her looking for the World Cup (qualification).”
The Arsenal Champions League winner labelled her caps milestone as “very proud and sacred”.
“A long time coming,” she added. “Lost 1-0 on the 50th cap here and glad to win on my 100th.
“We will enjoy the celebrations in the dressing room and with the staff.”
“I’d love to buy them all a beer tonight,” Ward added on the Irish support, with 330 fans loud and proud amidst a crowd of 7,038 at Der Dreef Stadium.
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