Progressive Irish undone by familiar defensive failing
OF ALL Ireland’s recent displays against the classiest sides Europe has to offer, this ranks as their most impressive, even if marked by a third successive defeat to a superior outfit.
The result in the King Baudouin Stadium yesterday was, then, a familiar one for a side surely now growing weary of that most detested species, the moral victory.
“It’s such a shame,” acknowledged manager Vera Pauw, who handed out debuts to two more players in Brussels.
“We’re getting closer and closer, and even the players who were newly introduced were so concentrated on what we were doing. And, again, we played better than the last time.
“We should have scored three goals and they haven’t had one chance. We are ranked 32 in the world and they are 17 in world, they are going to the Euros and we are not.
Surprised
“The coaches of Denmark and Belgium have told me that we surprised them this week. We had players thrown in tonight who didn’t look out of place.”
Like her male colleagues, the rare currencies of goals and positive results are undermining the attractive shift in playing style but, to add context, her side have been occupying much more rarefied air of late against vastly superior opposition compared to the men.
“We need to get that little edge, if we start to score, we can get there. That is the most difficult part, and the rest will develop if we just get that composure,” Pauw added.
“We have more options and the newer players are causing a bit of a headache, which is good for a coach.”
There is at least an encouraging sense that a growing cohort of Pauw’s squad are gaining more confidence in the game-plan demanded of them – and, also, in their ability to produce it.
Daft concessions still dog them, however, and another one put paid to their chances of creating an upset, as they yet again undid much of their good work with an utterly unavoidable goal.
There is a good chance Pauw’s side may draw one of Germany, Denmark or Belgium in the World Cup qualifiers later this month.
And she knows that her side will have to secure at least one win against them if they are to maintain any hope of reaching that elusive major tournament.
The current evidence suggests their slowly emerging self-belief might give them a better opportunity than ever before to do so; however, it also informs us that they remain crippled by some basic handicaps.
Mercifully, these should be easier to solve, even if they remain annoyingly persistent.
Stark
As with Thursday’s defeat, it was a cross from the right wing which did for them in the 14th minute and it characterised a stark and persistent problem in a side for whom it also seems defensive corners remain, puzzlingly, heart-stopping moments.
This remains a deep deficiency; efficiency on the ball has offered much more promising progress and yet again they seemed to improve the longer the evening went on.
Given there were five changes from Thursday’s 1-0 defeat to Denmark in
Tallaght, and multiple switches during the game, the continuity demonstrated in terms of shape was an impressive tribute to the team’s commitment to a novel approach.
As against Denmark, they would not have been flattered had a freekick – this time from Ruesha Littlejohn – earned them a creditable draw.
And a last-salvo reversion to a direct approach also produced a couple of late, late opportunities for Riana Jarrett to equalise.
The knowledge of delivering a better account than their previous 90 minutes must instead sustain them until they again assemble.
BELGIUM – Odeurs; De loose (Wijnants 65), Tysiak, De Neve (Onzia 20), Cayman; Missipo, Vanhaevermaet, Biesmans; Delacauw (Vanmechelen 65), De Caigny; Wullaert.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND – Brosnan; O’Riordan, Caldwell, Walsh (Quinn 83); Murphy (O’Gorman h-t), McCabe; Connolly (Nolan 75), Littlejohn (Jarrett 83); O’Sullivan; Payne (Whelan 67), Carusa (Molloy 67).
REF – L van der Helm (Netherlands).