Vera Pauw rued the game-changing concession of a Canada equaliser on the brink of half-time as a 2-1 defeat ended any hopes of the Republic of Ireland advancing to the Women's World Cup knockout stages.
Coupled with the opening defeat to co-hosts Australia in Sydney last Thursday, today's subsequent loss to Olympic champions Canada leaves the Girls in Green without a point and mathematically eliminated despite a final group game to come against Nigeria on Monday.
Ireland had performed well in the first half, taking the lead through captain Katie McCabe's fourth-minute goal straight from a corner, and continuously pressurising Canada.
However, an own goal by Megan Connolly deep into the first-half stoppage time, which saw the ball skim off her foot on the increasingly wet surface and into the back of the net, meant that Ireland were unable to go into the break with what would have been a valuable lead.
Canada scored what proved to be the winner through Adriana Leon eight minutes into the second half.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport at full-time, manager Pauw admitted that losing the lead just before the break was the turning point.
"We've experienced that before and we've spoken so much about it but at the end of the first half, you have to keep everything, the organisation, tight and it was one moment where there was no cover," she said.
"Canada cut in and there was no cover so they could have a free cross."
Up to that point, Pauw felt her side had been able to master the occasion and set the tone. In the second half, Ireland made five substitutions within the first 20 minutes, with teenager Abbie Larkin introduced for Lucy Quinn on the right of the attack during the interval.
"We felt that we could control the game in the first half and we brought Abbie Larkin in for more variety," she said.
"But they stepped up and she was sandwiched, she couldn't get really out. We tried with Marissa Sheva on the right to try and get space forwards, we tried with Lily Agg to get more pressure forward – she's a goalscorer – and then we played 15 minutes with a 4-2-4 which with execution we've done better before.
"But against the Olympic champions, again we can be proud of what we've shown but yeh, we're out."
McCabe entered the record books as the first Irish woman to score at a World Cup, but would have traded that honour for a positive result.
"It's bittersweet," she said. "Of course it was nice to score and get us off to a good start, but it's the result that matters in this game and at this level and in these types of tournaments.
"I'm just heartbroken for the girls because I think we deserved so much more from the game."
The team's approach to the game was unrecognisable from that adopted against Australia in their opener, with Ireland the aggressor from the whistle.
"We took a lot of positives from that second half against Australia," the 27-year-old admitted.
"We decided to be more confident and back ourselves more going forward. We know we have the quality and the pace as well, particularly on the flanks.
"We wanted to start the game with a lot of energy and get in Canada's faces as much as possible and put them under a lot of pressure.
"I felt we did that, it's just about capitalising on those moments."
Of the Canada equaliser which was to prove a catalyst in the match, McCabe added: "It was a sucker punch just before half-time after getting so close to going in 1-0, but even then we felt in the second half that we could push for another goal, but obviously they scored again."
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