Early goals the difference as European champions England edge Ireland
England’s Lauren James scores their sides first goal. Pic Credit: Ryan Byrne, Inpho.
It began with Ireland’s first corner of the campaign but wasn’t long before they were cornered by their English conquerors.
That was the pattern which ensued as the European champions surged two goals ahead within 18 minutes before their toying with their neighbours removed any real tension from what was supposed to be a female version of an old rivalry.
This was more akin to the men’s last meeting with the Auld Enemy when a 3-0 drubbing at an empty Wembley Stadium during the 2020 Covid-19 period was compounded by revelations of Stephen Kenny’s ill-judged prematch rallying call.
Eileen Gleeson avoided such crassness of resorting to historical ideology but it didn't change the outcome as class told.
Maybe that's indicative of a contest between the teams ranked second and 25th in the world but the hordes that attended the first-ever qualifier at the national stadium might have been entitled to some smidgeon of goalmouth action.
What they rather got were flashes of penalty-box skirmishes once their lethal weapon, Megan Campbell, was introduced on the hour.
Throws and free-kicks, not open play, represented Ireland’s route to redemption.
Hannah Hampton was the most notable of England’s newcomers, for she displaced BBC Personality of the Year Mary Earps in goal, yet the Chelsea stopper held firm as the deliveries were slung in from arms and feet.
Her sole lapse was allowing Katie McCabe to charge down a kick from her hands with five minutes left. She avoided blushes by scampering back to foil the Ireland captain's lofter from an acute angle.
By the juncture of Campbell’s arrival, Ireland were behind and England were comfortable. Sarina Wiegman didn’t leave her seat because there was little to alter in the much-changed side she selected.
Conversely, Gleeson was a livewire on the sideline, vainly seeking an avenue to threaten a goal, never mind score one.
That appears to be Ireland’s mission for the remainder of this campaign just two games in.
Sweden are next up in back-to-back qualifiers on May 31 and June 4; the Olympic silver medallists also chasing their first win.
At least they banked a point from England on Friday before losing to France last night, ensuring the onus is on Ireland to avoid relegation.
Lauren James punished slack marking to get England going on 12 minutes before Alex Greenwood converted a penalty six minutes later.
When fussy referee Lina Lehtovaara penalised another handball on 28 minutes, a massacre seemed inevitable but the inside of the post denied Greenwood her brace.
Ireland had begun life at the top table on Friday with a narrow defeat to France - well narrow in scoreline.
The fact they didn’t force a corner, nor Pauline Peyraud-Magnin was called upon to make a save in Metz reflected the lopsided nature of the fare and Ireland had to display more ambition in their first home game to stand any chance of splitting the superpowers in the pool.
Extracting a corner within two minutes scratched that blank from France without it leading to danger – Hampton rising high to catch McCabe’s delivery.
It was the Ireland skipper’s defensive duties which were more pertinent in what was to unravel.
She left the pre-match pleasantries to assistant coach Emma Byrne, well familiar with the likes of Chloe Kelly from their Arsenal days, and avoided eye contact with fellow Gunner Leah Williamson as the coin was being tossed.
In a reshuffle arising from two changes, McCabe was rerouted to left wing-back and got caught out for the opener.
James had already signalled her artistry by teeing up Alessia Russo for a header directed straight at Courtney Brosnan before she punished McCabe’s error.
Keira Walsh picked out Lucy Bronze, driving in unattended from the right wing, and her header ricocheted off Anna Patten straight into the path of James who swept her left-footer home from eight yards.
Another right-wing cross had McCabe scrambling and although she connected this time, her header was wayward.
Jess Park ignored Ruesha Littlejohn’s screaming at her by rifling the loose ball and it struck the outstretched arm of the Glaswegian.
A few seconds followed before the whistle sounded and Greenwood sent Brosnan the wrong way.
If that seemed harsh, the second penalty was definitely so.
Louise Quinn, in trying to clear Lauren Hemp’s cross, deflected the ball off her arm. Not even an appeal from an England player but justice was delivered by the miss.
Megan Connolly replaced Littlejohn at the break but it was the introduction of the other Megan that ignited a response.
First, Brosnan had to thwart a close-range volley from sub Fran Kirby before Caitlin Hayes got on the end of three chances.
Louise Quinn’s cutback was a yard too far for her to connect before two headers, the second from a corner which Hampton repelled.
Who knows if halving the deficit could’ve led to something. That might have been asking too much, all things considered.
C Brosnan; A Mannion, A Patten, Louise Quinn, C Hayes, K McCabe; R Littlejohn (M Connolly 46), D O’Sullivan; H Payne (M Campbell 61), Lucy Quinn (L Kiernan 60); K Carusa (E Murphy 67).
H Hampton; L Bronze, L Williamson, A Greenwood, J Carter; K Walsh; L James (C Kelly 86), J Park (F Kirby 56), E Toone (G Stanway 75), L Hemp (B Mead 56); A Russo (R Daly 86).
Lina Lehtovaara (FIN).
32,742.
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