**FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
** **Canada vs. Republic of Ireland
** **July 26 at 8 a.m. ET/5 a.m. PT
** Perth Rectangular Stadium in Perth, Australia
After a scoreless draw with Nigeria in their opening match at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Canada take to the field again on Wednesday, looking for what would be a vital three points. Their opponents on matchday two will be the Republic of Ireland, who are making their first-ever appearance at the Women’s World Cup. In their opening match last week, they took on the co-hosts Australia, losing 1-0 in a hard-fought match. Early in the second half, Marissa Sheva pushed over Hayley Raso in the box while the Australian forward was attacking a cross into the box, and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Matildas captain Steph Catley stepped up and fired the ball into the top left corner of the net for the lone goal of the match, sending the home fans into a frenzy at Stadium Australia. For Ireland, it was a disappointing way to go behind in a match that they gave themselves a real shot to pick up a result in with a strong defensive performance.
Canada can expect the Republic of Ireland to set up in a similar way against them on Wednesday — sitting back in a low block and primarily focusing on being difficult to beat. As Canada knows well, having played (and played against) similar tactics, if the Republic of Ireland puts everything they have into defending, they have the ability to keep a clean sheet and then try to score goals on the counter-attack. In that game against Australia, Vera Pauw’s side was set up in a 3-4-3 formation. While they were defending, the two wingers would drop to become fullbacks, and the midfielders would help out defensively as well, sometimes seeing as many as six or seven players — plus the goalkeeper — form a defensive wall that was difficult to penetrate. That could prove to be effective against a Canada side that has been struggling to create scoring opportunities and take advantage of them when they do come. Ireland are a physical team and like to frustrate their opponents that way at times, so Canada will need to be ready for a battle both physically and mentally. With plenty of experience against the dark arts of Concacaf, they should be ready for a match like that, but when there is so much on the line it is easier said than done to keep a cool head. “Their mindset, we have to match it and hope that our quality shines through, but definitely first and foremost match that passion and hard work,” Canada boss Bev Priestman said on Tuesday. “[They are] a horrible team to play against and that’s what we pride ourselves on, so we one million percent have to match that first. They know that about Canada too, I think it’s probably a two-way street. “Ultimately, we’ve got to stay with the process and what we think it’s going to take to beat this Irish team, and stay clear-headed because I think there’s parts of the Irish team where, if you’re not careful, you can be drawn into that and it can take you down a route that can take you off-task.”
**RELATED READING: MATCH ANALYSIS: Missed chances the story as Canada draw 0-0 with Nigeria in Women’s World Cup opener || Player Ratings: How CanWNT performed vs. Nigeria in their 2023 Women’s World Cup opener
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As with every match at major tournaments, Wednesday’s game has significant implications on qualification for the knockout rounds. The top two teams in each group advance to the Round of 16 at this expanded tournament, and the winner of Wednesday’s match would put themselves in a good position to advance. If Canada win on Wednesday, and Australia beat Nigeria on Thursday, the Aussies would confirm qualification for the knockout stage of the competition. That would leave Canada on four points, and needing just a draw on matchday three against the Matildas to punch their ticket to the next round as well. If the Republic of Ireland wins this match they will move off the bottom of the group into the top two, before the aforementioned Australia vs. Nigeria match kicks off the following day. The result of the other Group B match will have a major say as well as all of the potential routes to qualification for the second round present themselves, but one thing is certain: you don’t want to be in a position where you have to rely on other results going in your favour on the final matchday — and both sides will be looking to keep their fate in their own hands with a massive three points. If England win Group D, as they came into the tournament expected to do, the second-place team in Canada’s group would move on to play the Lionesses — something that every team will want to avoid — so picking up three points in this second match is important for Les Rouges.
The availability of two of Canada’s top players remains to be seen, and could be a last-minute decision. Jessie Fleming missed Canada’s first match with an injury, but Priestman said to the media on Tuesday that she trained fully with the squad, and is expected to be available to play against the Republic of Ireland. Fleming’s attacking creativity and ability to generate scoring opportunities was missed against Nigeria, so anything she can provide, even if it’s off the bench, would be welcomed with open arms. While one Chelsea player returned to the pitch for Canada, another was unavailable, as Kadeisha Buchanan was kept out of training on Tuesday due to illness. Priestman said that Buchanan’s absence was precautionary, and that she hopes she will be available to play on Wednesday. Ashley Lawrence, who was on the receiving end of a crunching, studs-up tackle — that resulted in Nigeria’s Deborah Ajibola Abiodun being shown a red card at the end of last week’s tournament-opener — appears to have miraculously suffered no ill effects. “I actually saw the image of myself after – I couldn’t believe I endured that tackle,” Lawrence said to Claire Hanna of TSN. “I’m feeling good… I’m just really grateful to be able to walk.”
Canada have played the Republic of Ireland just once before, at the 2014 Cyprus Women’s Cup, and won that match 2-1. The two sides were playing in the fifth-place game of that invitational tournament at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia. Ruesha Littlejohn opened the scoring 13 minutes into that game, but Diana Matheson equalized for Canada ten minutes after halftime. Sophie Schmidt was the hero for Canada, scoring a 90th-minute winner — her third goal of the tournament — to give Canada the 2-1 victory and lock up fifth place in the tournament. Five players from that Canada squad are with the team nearly a decade later in Australia and New Zealand — Schmidt, Adriana Leon, Quinn, Christine Sinclair, and Kadeisha Buchanan.
PROJECTED CANADA XI:
Sheridan; Riviere, Gilles, Zadorsky, Lawrence; Quinn, Grosso; Lacasse, Sinclair, Huitema; Viens
ALL-TIME SERIES
Canada wins: 1 || Republic of Ireland wins: 0 || Draws: 0
Last meeting:
March 12, 2014 – Canada 2-1 Republic of Ireland