Czechs next as Thompson salvages a draw

Ireland meet the Czech Republic in tomorrow's semi-finals of the European Nations' Cup Qualifier in Helsinki. They finished top of their pool following a 1-1 draw yesterday with Belarus, but they were indebted to Arlene Thompson for saving them from their first defeat in a European qualifier when she equalised with a strike from a short corner in the final seconds of the game.

Ireland's first-half display was as poor as the team has produced since Riet Kuper was appointed coach in February but Thompson's late goal was just reward for an improved performance in the second half, which they dominated.

Belarus, needing only a draw to ensure they beat Wales to a semi-final place, were the better team for much of the first half and took a deserved lead through midfielder Elena Soukhanova in the 21st minute. Maria Rousina dispossessed Jenny Burke, after a poor hit out by Julie Stewart, and threaded the ball through for the waiting Soukhanova to place her shot past Sarah Hilliard.

Hilliard, playing in her first full international, kept an out-of-sorts Ireland in the game with two superb saves from short corner shots by Valentsina Sedliar.

There was no lack of effort in the Irish display but an alarming lack of guile repeatedly prevented them from finding a way through a packed Belarus defence, and in the course of the 70 minutes they failed to get a single shot on goal from play.

Mary Logue and Carol Devine (Ireland's most effective player in the first half) on the right and Rachel Kohler and Karen Humphreys on the left were starved of possession on the wings as much of the game became bogged down in a packed midfield while at the back Stewart, who was replaced at halftime by Daphne Sixsmith, produced an uncharacteristically nervous display.

Belarus, content with their 1-0 lead, showed little attacking ambition in the second half, although Hilliard was called upon again in the 49th minute to brilliantly palm away another Sedliar shot from a short corner.

Burke and Belarus captain Natalia Rousinovitch were `sin-binned' for seven minutes midway through the second half, for an off-the-ball altercation, but while the game was tough and physical it was not a repeat of Monday's battle between Belarus and Wales.

Thompson's goal came from Ireland's eighth short corner of the game (Belarus won five) and now leaves the team just one win away from a place in next summer's European finals. Victory over the Czechs would guarantee them qualification; defeat would leave them needing to beat France or Belarus, the other semi-finalists, in Friday's third-fourth place play-offs.