Soccer

England praise ‘game-changing’ Katie McCabe ahead of Euro 2025 qualifier against Ireland

Three Lioness’s captain Leah Williamson says match at Aviva will be great occasion for women’s football

England players training at the Aviva Stadium ahead of their Euro 2025 qualifier against Ireland. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Mary Hannigan
Mon Apr 8 2024 - 20:37

England captain Leah Williamson suggested a simple enough way of rendering her Arsenal team-mate Katie McCabe ineffective in Dublin on Tuesday evening. “Well, if she doesn’t have the ball then she can’t do anything . . . that’s a good start, right,” she chuckled. As did her manager Sarina Wiegman who was sitting alongside her at their press conference at the Aviva Stadium on Monday.

Williamson, who will make her first appearance for England since being downed by an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April 2023, one that ruled her out of the World Cup, has been a club-mate of McCabe for almost a decade. And she’s a big fan of her comrade.

“Katie is a big personality. She’s always been somebody who is very proud of where she comes from and has been authentic in that with the fans, so I think a lot of people connect to her in that way. She knows her strengths, and they can be game-changing. They’ve raised the profile of her game and Arsenal’s, so she’s been an important player for us over the last couple of years.”

Wiegman was dishing out the plaudits too, to the Irish team as a whole, like she was reading off Hervé Renard’s script from last week. “Very compact, very physical, very well-organised and disciplined, their defence will be difficult to break down. Dangerous on the counterattack too. They look like a very strong team together.

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“We never underestimate anyone, especially Ireland,” Wiegman continued, although her assertion that the 1-0 defeat in Metz last Friday was “really good” for Eileen Gleeson’s team hinted at a belief that Ireland can’t expect a whole lot from this group. Pesky, yes, but unlikely to challenge England, France and Sweden for top spot. Which is a fair enough assessment.

“They have had quite a journey, making the World Cup, winning their Nations League group and now being in League A,” she said. Williamson was equally complimentary. “I am expecting Ireland to be really disciplined in the way that they defend. I think it’s going to be a test for us to move the ball, move them. They have got key players up top, but also a strong defensive line. I know all those girls really well, so it’s going to be a good one.

“I think it’s going to be a great occasion. I’m so happy that the game is at this stadium, this many people coming to watch women’s football is a huge credit to what Ireland have done over the last couple of years as well. We are going to enjoy that.”

[ Ireland need to identify way to trouble England after limited showing in France ]

Like Ireland against France, Sweden had only one shot on target against England on Friday, but unlike Ireland, they made it pay, Fridolina Rolfö equalising in the 64th minute after Alessia Russo had given the home side the lead. It was a scrappy England performance in front of an underwhelmed crowd of 63,000, leaving them in serious need of a win in Dublin if they are to hold off the challenge of France and Sweden in the group.

“I don’t really want to talk about a must-win,” said Wiegman, “but we really want to win this game”. A must-win, then, for the visitors. And history, if that counts for anything, is on their side. In their seven previous meetings with Ireland, in competitive and friendly games, they’ve won all seven, scored 29 and conceded just the one.

Ireland will need the mother of all efforts to reverse the course of that history.

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan is a sports writer with The Irish Times

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