Ireland v Sweden: A Tale of Two Halves

Ireland's hopes of reaching the 2023 Women's World Cup were dashed on Tuesday night as they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Sweden in the second leg of their play-off, losing 2-1 on aggregate.
It was a cruel end for Vera Pauw's side, who had put in a spirited performance in the first half but were unable to maintain their intensity after the break.
Sweden took the lead in the 12th minute through Stina Blackstenius, who headed home a cross from Kosovare Asllani.
Ireland responded well to the setback and had a number of chances to level the scores before half-time, with Katie McCabe and Heather Payne both going close.
However, Sweden regained control of the game in the second half and were unlucky not to extend their lead on several occasions.
Ireland threw everything at Sweden in the closing stages, but they were unable to find a way through a resolute Swedish defence.
The defeat was a disappointing end to Ireland's World Cup campaign, but there were plenty of positives to take from the performance.
Pauw's side showed great character to come back from a goal down in the first leg and they can be proud of their efforts over the two games.
The future is bright for Irish women's football and there is no doubt that they will be back challenging for a place at the World Cup in 2027.
Lessons to be Learned

There are a number of lessons that Ireland can learn from their defeat to Sweden.

First and foremost, they need to be more clinical in front of goal. Ireland had a number of chances to score in both legs of the play-off, but they were unable to take them.
Secondly, they need to be more consistent over the course of the game. Ireland were excellent in the first half of the second leg, but they were unable to maintain their intensity after the break.
Finally, they need to be more resilient. Ireland conceded a goal early in both legs of the play-off and they were unable to come back from those setbacks.

Moving Forward

Despite the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup, there is no doubt that the future is bright for Irish women's football.
Pauw has assembled a talented squad with a good mix of youth and experience.
If they can learn from their mistakes and continue to develop, there is no reason why they cannot qualify for the World Cup in 2027.