England is the dream draw for Ireland in next year’s Women’s World Cup draw, according to Carla Ward.
Another meeting with the Auld Enemy like the last Euro campaign is possible in Tuesday’s draw after Ireland edged Belgium 5-4 on aggregate in the shootout to be among the top-16 nations for the draw.
Ireland became the first team in the Nations League playoff history to succeed as the underdog. For their achievement, they take Belgium’s third seed into Tuesday’s draw.
Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat in Leuven – a victory over two legs – marked Ward’s tenth game in charge and the Isle of Wight-born coach was soon turning her attention to the draw.
Those qualifiers will be contested on a home and away basis between February and June, with only the group winners securing tickets directly for the Brazil-hosted finals in 2027.
Ireland are now guaranteed a place in the playoffs for those regardless of results in that series.
“I would love England at Wembley,” beamed Ward afterwards, talking up a test against the back-to-back Euro winners.
“But they’d probably play us at Pride Park or somewhere, wouldn’t they?
Republic of Ireland head coach Carla Ward celebrates after the UEFA Women’s Nations League A/B promotion/relegation play-off. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
“I’m delighted because it’s been a long summer. We watched Belgium at the Euros and knew quite quickly what we wanted to do.
“We knew how we wanted to play but it’s been such a long period to get back into camp.” Although Ireland began well in Leuven, two concessions within six minutes approaching half-time wiped out their buffer created by Friday’s 4-2 first leg win.
That left the teams on level pegging at half-time but the visitors were the assertive outfit in the second half, sealing their dominance on the chance count by substitute Abbie Larkin nabbing the last-minute winners.
“We knew Belgium would come out front-footed and aggressive,” Ward surmised.
“We had to weather that storm and there were a couple of moments we didn’t deal with.
“We said it half the time very clearly, what we wanted to try and do, and stay calm.
“I thought in the second half we were excellent.” She added: “Belgium have some unbelievable footballers and I don’t think anyone really gave us a chance coming into these two games, let’s be really honest.
“Our team showed that they can play.
“I just said to the technical staff then, 10 months ago when I came in, somebody said to me, ‘they’re just not used to playing with a ball’, and I think a lot of the press and the public probably said, well, ‘you know, they can’t play football’.
“I like to play with the ball, and I said, and these last two games have shown that we can play with the ball, if we get the structure right off the ball.
“I think we found a structure that suits this team, probably this nation, in terms of the way that their whole heart is, and the way they want to be off the ball that suits the way I see the game with the ball.”
Ireland will have an away friendly in November before the competitive action resumes in February.
France, Germany, Spain, Sweden;
Netherlands, England, Italy, Norway;
Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Iceland/Northern Ireland*;
Slovenia, Serbia, Ukraine, Poland.
