Republic of Ireland 0-0 China
The Republic of Ireland played out a 0-0 draw with China at Estadio Nuevo Mirador in Cadiz on Wednesday afternoon, as Vera Pauw's dogged side took another important step in their preparation for the summer’s World Cup.
Aoife Mannion, Deborah-Anne De La Harpe and Marissa Sheva all made their debuts against a strong Chinese outfit ranked 14th in the world, nine places above Ireland.
Both teams had a goal disallowed in the second half – China’s for handball, Ireland’s for a harsh call against Louise Quinn – but Pauw will be satisfied with another impressive defensive showing.
Manchester United defender Mannion was the big positive of a cagey encounter.
Aggressive in the tackle and composed on the ball, she has without doubt given Pauw serious food for thought.
Ireland have lost just once in their last 14 games, and that came against Russia in the Pinatar Cup last February, when the manager fielded an experimental side.
Bigger tests are still to come, not least April's double-header with the USA, but for now Ireland remain on an upward curve.
Pauw had said the three new faces would feature in Cadiz and proved true to her word, starting Mannion in a central defensive three alongside Louise Quinn and Megan Connolly while Sydney-born De La Harpe was stationed at right wing-back.
Ireland made a sharp start, holding a high line and feeding De La Harpe and Abbie Larkin in particular.
But China aren’t ranked 14th in the world for nothing. Shui Qingxia’s side settled and began to pin Ireland back, albeit Zhang Xin’s tame header and a miscued effort from skipper Wang Shanshan were the only opportunities of note in the first 15 minutes.
The Girls in Green found it hard to penetrate the Chinese in possession, but setpieces remain a potent weapon for Pauw’s charges. A 19th-minute McCabe corner almost bore fruit when Quinn rose at the back post, howling in frustration after her header crashed off the bar.
China had a few corner routines up their sleeves too and one almost paid off as a low delivery and a clever dummy gave Yao Lingwei space to have a shot from inside the area. Courtney Brosnan got her angles right to save well.
There was a moment of concern just after the half-hour mark when McCabe required some treatment on her left ankle. She soon returned to the fray however, grafting to try and knit things together for the Irish.
Indeed McCabe’s sweet crossfield pass to Campbell led to the Liverpool defender swinging in a wicked cross that Payne failed to connect with.
Just before the break Ireland’s best move of the half - involving the excellent Mannion, Larkin and Campbell - ended with another Quinn header, this time the attempt looping harmlessly into the hands of Xu Huan.
Scoreless at the break, Pauw brought on fresh legs with Sheva winning her maiden cap as a replacement for Larkin.
Five minutes into the turnaround China almost took the lead. Campbell misjudged an attempted pass back to Brosnan, Lou Jiahui pounced on the loose ball and squared it to Zhang Lin Yan. Her goalbound shot was deflected wide by the covering Quinn. From the resultant corner Yang Lina went close, this time steering a downward header inches past the post.
The energetic Sheva then showed why she was so highly rated as a middle-distance runner at Penn State. She hared on to a good Ruesha Littlejohn diagonal to win a corner, but China continued to look dangerous.
Ireland have had a goal disallowed against China with Vera Pauw's players mystified as to why it was ruled out #COYGIG #RTESoccer #CHNIRL
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) February 22, 2023
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Xiao Yuyi had the ball in the net on the hour mark as she calmly slotted her finish under Brosnan but Gibraltar referee Jason Lee Barcelo judged that she’d handled in the build-up. Three minutes later Ireland thought they had broken the deadlock.
Huan, under pressure from Mannion, punched a McCabe free-kick into her own net. However it was chalked off for an apparent Quinn infringement - a decision that seemed to leave both sets of players baffled.
The game slightly opened up as legs tired and both teams made changes.
Ireland were indebted to Brosnan in the 76th minute when the keeper made a great stop to deny Lou Jiahui from close range.
In the closing stages, Connolly stung the palms of Huan with a 25-yard free-kick, Jiahui guided a header straight at Brosnan and Ireland threatened to pinch it with a flurry of corners, but it ended in a stalemate.
Next stop the USA.
Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan, DA De La Harpe (Aine O’Gorman HT), Louise Quinn, Aoife Mannion (Diane Caldwell 69), Megan Connolly, Megan Campbell, Abbie Larkin (Marissa Sheva HT), Denise O’Sullivan, Lily Agg (Ruesha Littlejohn HT), Katie McCabe (capt), Heather Payne (Kyra Carusa 74)
China: Xu Huan, Chen Qiaozhu, Wang Linlin, Wang Xiaoxue, Li Mengwen (Gao Chen 90) , Zhang Xin (Wu Haiyan 71), Zhang Rui, Yao Lingwei, Xiao Yuyi (Maidinai Shadike 71), Wang Shanshan (capt), Lou Jiahui
Referee: Jason Lee Barcelo (Gibraltar)
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