The Republic of Ireland ended their Euro 2025 qualification campaign with a terrific 3-1 win over world No 2-ranked France that rubber-stamped their status as a seeded team for the autumn's play-offs.
How oft do your thoughts in their fancy take flight? By the banks of the lovely Lee, the Republic of Ireland chiselled out a Euro 2025 qualifier victory they'd have daydreamed about on their pre-match walk through Cork city this morning.
It was a deserved win, and gave them a serious morale-boost as they look towards October, and the chance to seal a tocket to next year's finals in Switzerland. Gleeson made four changes and injected Ireland with more pace. The benefits were obvious from the get-go. Julie-Ann Russell galloped after a lost cause and almost pinched possession off goalkeeper Constance Picaud on the fringes of the area; then her forward partner Leanne Kiernan very nearly took a cute O'Sullivan pass in her stride after evading French defenders.
Ireland were screaming for a handball when Hayes' header came off the outstrecthed arm of Maelle Lakrar, but Spanish referee Olatz Rivera Olmedo waved it away. You feared France would move through the gears, bring on the big guns and take the contest away from Ireland, but Gleeson's charges had a skittish energy about them that fed encouragement.A quick McCabe throw-in allowed Ziu to surge forward and uncork a sweet strike that Picaud parried. Russell pounced on the rebound, but her tame effort was comfortably dealt with by the Fleury stopper.
Selma Bacha screwed a volley inches wide in response but in the 75th minute, a magical moment brought the house down. Russell's endeavour was spectularly rewarded as she got the better of, cut inside and bent a quality left-footed finish into the top corner. Ireland players raced towards the 33-year-old in glee, all of them indulging in a 'bye-bye' celebraition inspired by Russell's one-year-old daughter Rosie.
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