Canada boss Bev Priestman is braced for a partisan crowd and a "horrible" Republic of Ireland team ahead of their World Cup showdown in Perth on Wednesday.
The reigning Olympic champions are under pressure to get a win on the board after their opening-game stalemate against Nigeria.
Ireland, beaten by Australia in their first match, must avoid defeat if they're to keep alive their hopes of making the knockout stages.
It sets things up nicely at the Perth Rectangular Stadium where Irish fans are expected to comfortably outnumber the Canadians.
"I think from my perspective we have to match [their physicality] and hope that our quality shines through," said Priestman, who confirmed key midfielder Jessie Fleming is on track to return after missing the Nigeria game with a calf injury.
"First and foremost [we have to] match that passion and hard work. [Ireland are a] horrible team to play against and that's what we pride ourselves on, so we one million per cent have to match that first.
"And they know that about Canada too. It's probably a two-way street. Ultimately we have to stay with the process and what we think it will take to beat this Irish team. And stay clear-headed because there are 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."
Katie McCabe may be viewed as one of those "parts". The captain attracted plenty of attention in the Australian media after a typically combative showing at the Accor Stadium, her battle with Hayley Raso an absorbing tussle that rumbled on all night.
The Aussies committed more fouls [12 to 9] over the 90 minutes, while the sole booking went to Denise O'Sullivan for dissent, but the post-match glares were largely directed at McCabe, with one media outlet labelling her "public enemy No 1".
"Katie McCabe can be an aggressive player but she's a top player in a top league in England," Priestman added.
"We respect that. Katie is a top player. We’re not scouting Katie because she’s aggressive; it’s because she can put a cross in. We’ve respect for Ireland and there’s a reason why they’ve got those results."
Ireland were greeted by over 300 supporters when they landed at Perth Airport on Sunday. The diaspora in the city have been activated by the presence of the squad and the ground looks guaranteed to be decked in a lot more green than red.
Priestman admitted it will feel like playing the host nation.
"We've already sensed that there is a strong following and I think even the fact that Australia-Ireland had to get moved to a new stadium," she said.
"It speaks volumes about the passion of the country and how proud the Irish are of their team. It sets us up well to play our third game against the home nation [Australia], it might feel a little bit like that, but at the end of the day to play in front of a big, passionate crowd is where everybody wants to be.
"They are in this arena to test themselves, so for us we have some internal processes for playing in front of a crowd, communication, that is all a challenge. But no, in that sense, I think we will just play our game."
With the number of Irish in Perth, Bev Priestman expects Wednesday's game to be good preparation for Canada's final match against hosts Australia #coygig #wwc2023 pic.twitter.com/QoMjZ2hmrV
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) July 25, 2023
Having pored over the Ireland-Australia game, Priestman is imploring her team to move the ball as quickly as possible. Everybody knows how Pauw is going to approach this game; it'll be another low 5-4-1 block designed to frustrate the life out of their higher-ranked opponents.
Ironically, the very Irish weather here could facilitate the Canadian efforts to crack the underdogs open. It's been raining all day with more forecast, and Priestman anticipates a greasy surface that she says must be utilised.
"Against Ireland it's about moving the ball to break down that solid block," she said.
"It’s trying to keep the tempo of the game rather than be tempted lured into that slow rhythm. That can happen when you’re in possession but then waiting for someone to give it back. Ball speed will be a critical component of breaking them down.
"Whenever they’ve played we’ve seen that from them, that shape, that resilience, doing whatever it takes not to concede mindset. They’re a team full of heart, spirit and passion. So when you compare that to Canada and what we’re known for, it’s going to make for a great game."
Watch Republic of Ireland v Canada in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player on Wednesday at 1pm, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to live commentary on 2fm
