Stephanie Roche backs Ireland to embrace underdog status in playoff

Stephanie Roche still can’t her head around why there was no automatic home draw for Ireland for next month’s World Cup playoff

ON THE VOLLEY: Just Eat ambassador and Irish international footballer Stephanie Roche pictured at the launch of Just Eats Hits the Spot Challenge in Dublin City University. Just Eat are a proud partner of the UEFA Champions League, and the food delivery app are bringing their Hit the Spot challenge to four of Ireland’s universities (DCU, UCD, UL and Ollscoil na Gaillimhe) this autumn where they will be giving students the chance to win UEFA Champions League tickets, Just Eat voucher and plenty of other prizes. For further information and dates of the Just Eat Hits the Spot Challenge College Roadshow, visit please visit just-eat.ie/info/terms-and-conditions.

Stephanie Roche still can’t get her head around why there was no automatic home draw for Ireland for next month’s World Cup playoff. Then again, it may be that the heightened level of difficulty that comes with a road trip may actually work in their favour.

Vera Pauw’s squad was one of three to be granted passage directly through to the second round of the playoffs based on results in the pool stages but the vagaries of an unseeded draw ultimately presented a difficult path in last Friday’s draw.