Sheva goal helps Republic of Ireland beat Poland
Republic of Ireland took a huge step towards securing third place in Group A2 of their World Cup qualifying campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Poland at the Aviva Stadium. Carla Ward's side, who hung on to beat the Poles 3-2 in Gdansk on Tuesday, were pushed hard again in Dublin, but managed to grind out their second win in the group. Marissa Sheva scored a tap-in four minutes before half-time, which proved to be the winner in front of a crowd of more than 18,000 at the Aviva.
The Irish now hold a five-point lead over Poland with two games to go as they look to finish third and secure, in theory, a kinder play-off draw for next year's tournament in Brazil. Poland's first opportunity arrived on 13 minutes as the lively Nadia Kreyzman raced past Aoife Mannion down the left and cut the ball back to Ewa Pajor, whose first-time effort rippled the side-netting. That warning from Poland seemed to spark Ward's side into life and they went close a minute later at the other end.
Denise O'Sullivan's deflected cross fell kindly for Emily Murphy who, sliding in, rattled the crossbar and Sheva blazed wide on the rebound. A looping Mannion header was then cleared off the line by Oliwia Wos before the home side went in front on 41 minutes. Kyra Carusa bustled her way down the left and her low cross was touched into Sheva's path by goalkeeper Kinga Szemik with the midfielder sliding in at the back post to score her fifth international goal.
Szemik then pushed away a long-range effort from Megan Connolly on 48 minutes as Republic of Ireland looked for a second. The closest they came in the second half was from Denise O'Sullivan, who flicked the ball over a defender and volleyed an effort off the woodwork. A scuffed effort from Pajor on 87 minutes after a defensive mix-up was the closest Poland came as the Irish held on for a crucial win.
Sheva produced another solid display for the Irish, topped off with a goal Ward said at the start of this international window that the aim was to get six points to put them in the driving seat to claim third place, and she will be thrilled that they achieved that objective. They competed well in games against France and Netherlands without coming away with any points, but showed quality and grit in equal measures across both games in this window to take two wins against a dangerous Poland side. It was always going to be difficult for Republic of Ireland to replicate in Dublin their fast start in Gdansk, where they raced into a 2-0 lead.