Republic of Ireland 0-2 Austria
The Republic of Ireland Women’s team were beaten 2-0 by Austria this afternoon at the Istria Cup in Croatia.
Austria opened the scoring after 25 minutes through Nadine Prohaska and extended that lead after 55 minutes through Nina Berger.
It was a disappointing result for the Irish who finished bottom of Group A on goal difference after losing to Slovakia on Friday and drawing 1-1 with Hungary last Wednesday.
The team will finish their Istria Cup campaign on Wednesday when they play World Cup bound Costa Rica for ninth and tenth place.
With Slovakia having beaten Hungary 3-1 earlier in the day, Austria needed to beat Ireland by four clear goals to top the group and book a place in Wednesday’s final but it was Ireland who carved out the best chance early on when Niamh Fahey headed wide after meeting Sophie Perry’s deep free-kick at the back post.
Austria broke the deadlock after 25 minutes when Ireland failed to clear their lines and lost possession inside the area which allowed Berger to pull the ball back for Prohaska to turn it home.
Ireland played well for the rest of the half and almost equalised on 40 minutes when Ruesha Littlejohn played in Carol Breen but she was denied a goal on her first international start by the outstretched leg of Austria keeper Manuela Zinsberger.
A couple of minutes later Louise Quinn headed wide from a Russell corner and Ireland went in at half-time with plenty to build on for the second-half.
However, they were rocked on 55 minutes when Berger found space and time outside the box and blasted a right-footed shot high into the roof of the net to put Austria firmly in control.
Needing to score four, Austria did most of the pressing but Ireland managed to counter-attack well and substitute Fiona O’Sullivan almost pulled a goal back on 83 minutes when she danced around three defenders only to see her powerful shot batted away by Zinsberger.
