INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
Republic of Ireland v China PR, Estadio Nuevo Mirador, 1pm (Irish time)
TV
Live coverage on the RTÉ News channel from 12:55pm
ONLINE
Live tracker on RTÉ.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Updates and match footage on RTÉ Soccer Twitter and RTÉ Sport Facebook.
WEATHER
Temperatures are expected to reach highs of around 17 degrees in Cadiz with dry weather on the cards
TIME TO BUILD MOMENTUM
A first ever meeting between Ireland and China in what could be a historic year for the Girls in Green.
"We want people jumping on the bandwagon, we want our Walkinstown roundabout moment," as Peamount captain, and former Ireland international, Karen Duggan put it recently at the launch of the new WNL season.
Indeed, might we look back in the future, with a bit of nostalgia, at the national side playing games in Tallaght, in much the same way that a crumbling early 1980s Dalymount Park is remembered by some nowadays from the time before the men's side hit it big, moved to Lansdowne Road, and never looked back.
This could be the year, as Duggan hints, that women's soccer moves onto the next level.
That's all to be decided. For now, Vera Pauw and her players will be looking to spend as much time together as they can in order to work out the gameplans that will needed to get out of a tough group - alongside African Cup of Nations semi-finalists Nigeria, CONCACAF finalists Canada, and joint-hosts Australia - at the World Cup.
NEW FACES
They played a behind closed doors match with Germany last week, although the format encompassed three half-an-hour thirds, rather than two 45-minute halves. It was designed to give both managers a decent look at as many players as possible, but it seems less likely that Pauw will chop and change as much in this game.
What has changed since Ireland's last games, a brace of friendlies against Morocco in November? The manager has elected to bring in three new players, all of whom are qualifying through their heritage rather than their place of birth.
Defender Aoife Mannion played underage for England, fellow defender Deborah Anne De La Harpe did the same for Australia, while Marissa Sheva, born in Philadelphia, had been trying to secure an Irish passport for a couple of years before it finally came through.
Vera Pauw confirmed to RTÉ Sport that Mannion had been on her radar for a while, with the Manchester United defender's ACL injury last March having set back her call-up date.
In terms of the old guard, Ruesha Littlejohn and Megan Campbell, who were both injured against Finland last year, are back in the squad, while the likes of Niamh Fahey, Jess Ziu, Ellen Molloy and Chloe Mustaki are all out injured.
All of the players will be eager to impress in this game, and during this training camp, with opportunities to stake a claim in the World Cup dwindling as we move further into 2023. There are "send off" friendlies against Zambia and France to come at Tallaght in late June and early July.
While the men's World Cup saw nations permitted to bring squads of 26 players to Qatar last year, FIFA rejected a request by some of the big European nations to do the same for the women's competition this year.
As such, it means that there will be 23 places up for grabs in the summer, with just 20 of those for outfield positions.
OPPOSITION WATCH
China come into the fixture as Asian Cup champions, having defeated fellow World Cup qualifiers South Korea with a comeback triumph in last year's final in Navi Mumbai.
They're old hands at reaching the biggest competition in the world, having played in seven of the previous eight World Cups. They were twice semi-finalists, and made it all the way to the decider in 1999, only to lose to hosts the United States on penalties.
Wang Shuang, with over 100 caps, currently plays with Racing Louisville in the US's National Women's Soccer League, having previously spent time with Paris Saint-Germain. She scored five goals in last year's Asian Cup success, including one in their quarter-final victory over Vietnam, and might be one to watch.
Tang Jiali scored four goals in the same tournament, including the goal which started their comeback in the final victory over South Korea. Jiali has over 70 caps for China, and she currently plays with Madrid CFF in Spain, having also spent time with Tottenham Hotspur.
China played Sweden last week and were beaten 4-1. The Swedes will be familiar to followers of the Girls in Green, with Pauw's Tigers managing a point against them in Gothenburg last April, following a 1-0 defeat in their Group A qualifier open in Tallaght the previous October.
Follow Republic of Ireland v China from 1pm Wednesday via our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app, or watch live on the RTÉ News channel.
Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
