France 1 (Malard 40) Ireland 0
Ireland: Brosnan; Mannion (Barrett 89), Patten, Hayes, Connolly (Ziu 61), Mustaki; Murphy, Sheva (Noonan 89), O’Sullivan, McCabe; Carusa (Larkin 70)
France: Picaud; Sombath, Samoura, Lakrar, Bacha (N’Dongala 69); Geyoro, Karchaoui (Gago 89), Jean-Francois; Cascarino (Katoto 69), Malard (Le Moguedec 75), Baltimore (Sangaré 89)
Here is Gavin Cooney’s report from Grenoble:
[ Ireland headed for scenic route as Malard’s stunner sends France to World CupOpens in new window ]
Here is Mary Hannigan’s TV View:
[ No end of heart as brave Ireland fall short against FranceOpens in new window ]
That’s all from me, good night!
Katie McCabe: “It’s obviously disappointing, we can be really proud of ourselves, pushing some of the top nations in the world. It just wasn’t to be. We will be disappointed with the first half, we gave them too much respect. We rectified that in the second half, we had better chances in the second half. On another day, it might have fallen to one of the girls, but wasn’t to be.
“We have to recover in the off-season, and see who we get in the playoffs and push. We have to do it the hard way now, but we’ll be fine. It’s never easy qualifying for the World Cup, but we’ll be ready for it.
Carla Ward: “We’re proud of this group, we’ve got a special group, they work so hard, they live and die by the badge. France are a top side, the fact we’re here disappointed says a lot of where we are right now. You can take so many positives, this campaign we’ve grown.
“If you said to me at the start of the campaign, we’d have a chance in the last game against France, I would have snapped your hand off. I think the two defeats in the first window taught us a lot, I’m ambitious, I want to be better. That hurt. To get two wins against Poland and the other night, I really hope the young kids are watching this because they inspired a lot of people.”
Caitlin Hayes on RTÉ: “We came into it and we heard it was the group of death and we proved we can be killers ourselves. We can walk out with our head held high, but we’ll be disappointed. It’s just one special moment that dug them out of a hole. All our focus turns to October and getting ready for the playoffs, fighting.”
Full-time: France 1 Ireland 0
Great effort by Ireland against high-quality opposition, but just lacking a bit of quality up front, especially against 10 players. They had chances, but it’s to the playoffs they go.
This was the chance that needed to go in from Larkin realistically to give them an opportunity to win in the latter stages:
France qualify for the World Cup automatically.
91 mins: Almost a wonder goal by O’Sullivan as she goes Pele on it, up over one defender, up over the next defender but then can’t get a shot or pass away in the box. France counter, but well defended by Ireland, then O’Sullivan puts in a dangerous cross but it’s blocked from Noonan.
89 mins: Great long pass by Mannion and then Larkin does brillinatly to flick the ball over her head, pirouette and win a free-kick in McCabe’s range. On comes Barrett and Noonan for the last roll of the dice.
Great angle for McCabe from just outside the box, but poor by her standards, low and weak unfortunately.
85 mins: Hayes heads the ball well over from a McCabe free-kick, they haven’t quite run out of time (see Troy Parrott) but you’d think they need one of their two goals in the next few minutes.
80 mins: Massive chance missed for Ireland! Larkin with a free shot from the middle of the box, but a fantastic save by Picaud, stood up but Larkin should score, either side it was a goal.
77 mins: Defensive sub as Malard comes off for Le Moguedec. McCabe gets a yellow card for a customary hard challenge. She then swings wildly at a shot from outside the box, well wide.
74 mins: Red card for France! Well now, and well deserved for Samoura as Sheva played Murphy through and France’s high line failed. She took Murphy out of it. Very cynical play but Ireland will have a player advantage for the rest of it.
69 mins: Another chance! Great delivery from McCabe from a free-kick, goes through everyone and falls to Patten in the six-yard box and her shot is expertly saved by Picaud. Ireland creating plenty in the past few minutes.
Larkin is on for Carusa as they try to manufacture a goal.
67 mins: Big chance for Ireland! Mannion into Murphy on the back post and she heads it down really well. Sheva has a free shot from 12 yards out but her shot is miskicked and also just past Carusa who could have finished it off.
63 mins: Ireland still showing plenty of energy and putting serious pressure on France on the ball. Great one-two between Mannion and O’Sullivan then positive play with a quick throw by Mannion to Carusa, whose shot is out for a corner. Ziu is on for Connolly.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands lead 2-0 against Poland.
59 mins: Half chance for Ireland in a dangerous area as O’Sullivan nearly gets Carusa in, but she just can’t get it under control in the box with pressure from the defenders.
54 mins: Smart play in possession for France, then Karchaoui shifts the ball well to make room for a shot and hits it just over.
51 mins: Good defending by Patten after a ball in behind to Malard, she was ready to round the goalkeeper but Patten got the sliding tackle in.
48 mins: Half-chance for Ireland as O’Sullivan almost gets it through to Carusa, then a spell of possession, some good play on the ball.
Half-time: France 1 Ireland 0
Disappointing to go in behind at half-time but what a goal it was. Score is probably deserved, but Ireland are far from out of it. They will have to offer a lot more going forward though if they are to get the win they need.
44 mins: Chance for Ireland after a sloppy pass back to the goalkeeper, Brosnan sees the opportunity and almost gets to it, the goalkeeper Picaud just about clears it away. It falls to O’Sullivan with an open goal but from maybe 50 metres out, she shoots but it’s well wide. Took it first time, maybe could have taken a touch to settle herself but the instinct is always to shoot first time in that scenario.
40 mins: Goal for France! A stunning bicycle kick after France had upped the pace. Bacha’s cross ricochets around then falls to Malard in the box and she scores a fantastic acrobatic effort. It’s a shame, as Ireland had been limiting France well until that point.
France 1 Ireland 0
35 mins: Ireland’s best opening of the match so far, Mannion with a great through ball to Carusa in behind. Carusa’s cross is too close to the keeper with Murphy lurking, would have likely been a goal if she’d got it through to Murphy.
The Netherlands have taken the lead against Poland, so that would have them topping the group as it stands.
30 mins: A dangerous ball to the edge of the box forces Brosnan to intercept and then has to quickly stop using her hands outside the box, looked calm though.
27 mins: Chance for France after Connolly loses the ball 30 metres out, three on three, Malard gives to Cascarino whose shot is blocked by Hayes, then Baltimore shoots over the bar.
23 mins: Nearly a disaster as Emily Murphy passes back to the goalkeeper but Brosnan is not where she thought it was and it rolls ominously towards the empty goal. Brosnan gets back in time though and crisis averted.
17 mins: Carusa wins a free-kick after a long ball and it’s a bit of territory for Ireland. They use that opportunity to keep possession, Carusa then gets pushed over and looked like it could be a foul. Then they win it back and O’Sullivan and Murphy mix up, with Murphy on the ground but no foul there, no complaints.
13 mins: Bacha, who can hit one, fires one dangerously towards goal from outside the box, and Hayes is there to block again. Some fine defending by Ireland so far, but nothing going on in attack.
10 mins: Another chance for France as Malard shoots in the box on the run, good save by Brosnan. Baltimore is a menace and wins another corner, which is floated in but headed away well by Patten.
7 mins: Not the best start by O’Sullivan by her high standards, lucky to get away without a yellow after another foul, this time for high foot. Bacha plays a quick free into Cascarino but McCabe blocks well. Ireland up against it early on.
4 mins: Mannion is skinned by Baltimore in the first minute on the left wing and puts in a low cross which is cleared by Patten, then O’Sullivan fouls Karchaoui in a dangerous area. Hayes clears it away then Baltimore is twinkle toes again, chaotic start. O’Sullivan loses the ball and Karchaoui advances up the pitch, Cascarino gets crowded out but gets to Geyoro, whose shot is straight at Brosnan.
The teams are coming out on the pitch. Big 90 minutes in Irish football ahead.
La Marsaillaise and Amhrán na bhFiann being belted out by the teams in Grenoble.
Here is how the group looks before tonight’s game:
With five games played in the group, France are on top with 10 points, Ireland are on nine points and the Netherlands are on eight points. Poland are bottom on one point.
Ireland will advance to the playoffs no matter if they draw 1-1 or lose 6-0 in Grenoble, which makes the game a free shot of sorts at the ultimate prize. France, however, despite leading the group, may also have to win to qualify because a draw would leave them open to being passed out by the Netherlands, who play Poland at the same time. Netherlands have a better head-to-head record against France.
The stadium tonight is fittingly called Stade des Alpes, quite the view for the spectators.
The Ireland team is out! Murphy starts over Larkin.
Ireland: Brosnan; Mannion, Patten, Hayes, Connolly, Mustaki; Murphy, Sheva, O’Sullivan, McCabe; Carusa
France: Picaud; Sombath, Samoura, Lakrar, Bacha; Geyoro, Karchaoui, Jean-Francois; Cascarino, Malard, Baltimore
No sign of the team yet, so here’s Gavin Cooney’s preview to the game.
“For the ground beneath Ireland’s feet is steady and firm. Last Friday’s rollicking, rain-drenched victory over the Netherlands means Ireland are guaranteed a favourable playoff route to next year’s World Cup in Brazil. Against France, Ireland have, in Ward’s own words, “nothing to lose and everything to gain”.
“The potential gain is outlandish. Beat France and Ireland will top their League A group and become one of just four European sides to qualify directly for the World Cup. A draw or defeat means Ireland will go to the playoffs, but no outcome will alter the fact that they have secured the most favourable repechage path possible."
[ Ireland can pull off astonishing World Cup qualification if they beat FranceOpens in new window ]
One of the main selection dilemmas for Ward is to choose between Abbie Larkin or Emily Murphy for tonight’s game. Murphy has been impressive in the campaign overall, but Larkin was the most decisive attacking player against the Netherlands. Either way, they are good options to have, especially with Leanne Kiernan missing through suspension. Denise O’Sullivan should return to the side after serving her suspension. The starting line-ups should be available in about half an hour.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Republic of Ireland’s final game of 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifying Group A2 at the Stade des Alpes in Grenoble. The objective is simple for Carla Ward’s side, beat France by any score and they will qualify for the World Cup in Brazil next year. Only the group winners qualify automatically, which becomes a possibility after Ireland’s impressive 3-2 victory over the Netherlands on Friday.
It would be an incredible achievement to do so in a tough group including two teams who were in the top 10 of the Fifa world rankings when qualification began. By comparison, the men’s World Cup had 12 automatic qualifiers. If they fail to win, then the playoffs beckon, where they will have a decent chance of qualifying with a seeded draw for it. But nothing can be taken for granted, and a one-off game to qualify is exactly the sort of opportunity players dream about. It won’t be easy against a strong French side, but this Irish side are capable of upsetting the odds. Kick-off is at 8pm Irish time (9pm local).
