Meet Ireland’s Women's World Cup Group B opponents
MAIN THREAT: Chelsea's Sam Kerr will be the key player for Australia at next year's World Cup. File pic: PA
13.
Just once. In a madcap friendly at Tallaght, Ireland beat Australia 3-2 in Dublin in September 2021. Goalkeeping errors were rife as the sides were deadlocked 2-2 at the break, before Louise Quinn’s back-post header ended a seven-game losing streak for Ireland.
Have qualified for every World Cup since 1995, reaching three quarter-finals on the spin before getting knocked out by Norway on penalties in the last-16 of the most recent showpiece in 2019. A fourth-placed finish at last year’s Olympics was commendable but losing to Colin Bell’s South Korea in the Asian Cup quarter-finals last January wasn’t in the script.
Tony Gustavsson.
Cut his coaching teeth in his homeland of Sweden, reaching the 2014 Champions League final with Tyresö, before spending five years on the backroom team of World champions USA. He’s been two years with the Matildas and is under major pressure to deliver a first World Cup on home soil.
Swedish and English clubs dominate their squad roster, with Irish-eligible Mary Fowler recently joining Hayley Raso at Manchester City. Their record goalscorer, Sam Kerr of Chelsea, is the one to stop at source for any chance of an upset to be countenanced.
7.
Also once and also a friendly, taking place at the Cyprus Cup in 2014. Ruesha Littlejohn’s strike for Ireland wasn’t enough as a late goal from Sophie Schmidt, still part of their squad with a cap haul over 200, sealed a 2-1 victory.
Like Australia, they’ve been a constant at the World Cup since the mid-1990s, racking up quarter-final and last-16 finishes at the last two tournaments, the former as hosts in 2015. Achieving Olympic gold in Tokyo last year, despite drawing four of their six matches, represented the highpoint after successive bronzes.
Beverly Priestman.
Priestman sandwiched in a spell as Phil Neville’s assistant between her roles with Canada but is expected to eventually be manager of her own country of England given the wonders she’s worked overseas.
The Maple Leaf is represented across all the major leagues around the world – at prominent clubs too. Record caps holder Christine Sinclair will be 40 when the World Cup begins and remains their marquee player, though Chelsea duo Jessie Fleming and Kadeisha Buchanan are coming into her own during their mid-20s.
45.
None – Brisbane on July 31 this will be the first-ever.
Every World Cup in history has featured Nigeria, the highs of a quarter-final in 1999 replicated to a degree by making it out of the group 20 years later. Their tournament track record includes three appearances at the Olympics, the last in 2008, but they have dominated domestically, prevailing in four of the last six Women's African Cup of Nations.
Randy Waldrum.
The 66-year-old American accepted the vacancy in 2020, three years after initially operating as advisor and rejecting the manager’s role. His pedigree stems from the US league circuit. Coincidentally, Waldrum was the last permanent coach at Houston Dash before Irish chief Vera Pauw took over in 2016.
Primarily based in Spain and America, the Super Falcons hail from far and wide, including clubs in Turkey and Russia.
A strong spine is their core strength, at the tip of which lurks Barcelona striker Asisat Oshoala.
Scored in the 2020 Champions League final before winning it 12 months later – two firsts for an African player. Rasheedat Ajibade – known for her blue hair – is another of their standouts as a mainstay at Atlético Madrid.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
