Megan Campbell set for return as Sweden confirm venue for Ireland visit

Sweden moved their last home qualifier to Malmo but have opted to return to the venue that has become synonymous with the success of this generation.

HETTON-LE-HOLE, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 15: Liverpool player Megan Campbell in action during the FA Women's Continental Tyres League Cup between Sunderland Ladies and Liverpool Women at Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground on December 15, 2021 in Hetton-le-Hole, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Sweden have confirmed that their Women’s World Cup qualifier against Ireland on April 12 will be staged at the 14,500-seater Gamla Ullevi in Gothenburg.

A crowd of 13,429 turned out for the Swedes’ 2-1 win over Nordic rivals, breaking the record for a qualifier at the stadium, and another bumper attendance is expected for the visit of Vera Pauw’s Ireland.

A perfect record of five straight wins in the campaign has put the nation ranked second in Fifa’s standings on the brink of automatic qualification for the 2023 World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.

Peter Gerhardsson’s side will confirm top spot with two games to spare should, as seems inevitable, they see off bottom seeds Georgia – whom Ireland trounced 11-0 – in Tbilisi on April 7.

Sweden moved their last home qualifier, the 3-0 win over Slovakia, to Malmo but have opted to return to the venue that has become synonymous with the success of this generation.

Ireland are locked in a battle with Finland for the runners-up berth, which would earn a playoff, and anything they get from their trip to Gothenburg would be considered bonus territory.

It took an own-goal from Louise Quinn, deflecting in an effort from new Arsenal recruit Stina Blackstenius, to separate the teams at Tallaght in October but Ireland will be up against it when they duel with the best team in Europe.

The Girls in Green will have three games remaining after that to complete their mission; the rescheduled visit to Georgia in June followed by the concluding double-header in September at home against Finland and away to Slovakia.

Pauw signalled her intention to assemble her squad first during next month’s international window.

The Pinatar tournament in Spain, where Scotland, Belgium and Russia have been flagged for involvement, was mentioned by the Dutchwoman as the preference but there’s been no confirmation so far.

Whatever matches Ireland have scheduled, Megan Campbell is in line for a return.

Injuries have plagued the left-back for over two years but she is set for her first cap since Pauw’s first game in charge, in October 2019 against Ukraine, after breaking into the Liverpool team.

One of Campbell’s specialist long throw-ins set up Katie Stengel to head in a late winner against Watford on Sunday, extending the Reds’ lead at the top of the Championship to seven points and keeping them on track for promotion to the Super League.

The defender’s compatriots, captain Niamh Fahey and top scorer Leanne Kiernan, also started for Pool.