ISLAMABAD 3, September 2022(ONLINE): AS THE DUST settles on a famous night for the Republic of Ireland women\u2019s national team, the 2023 World Cup play-offs move into full view.<\/p>\n
Vera Pauw\u2019s side sealed the Group A runners-up spot with a 1-0 win over Finland at an electric Tallaght Stadium on Thursday night, and are now one of nine teams confirmed for next month\u2019s play-offs.<\/p>\n
Ireland round off the group stages against Slovakia in Senec on Tuesday [KO 5pm Irish time, live on RT\u00c9 2], with Pauw and co. stressing that they\u2019ll go for the jugular.<\/p>\n
Another win and three more points would have a direct impact on their play-off standing as they look to reach their first-ever major tournament.<\/p>\n
A complex, convoluted route lies ahead, though. \u201cDon\u2019t sell the skin of a bear before you shoot him,\u201d Pauw stressed this week, referencing a Dutch phrase as she repeatedly refused to be properly drawn on the play-offs.\u201dIt is a very hard and long road to go still.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the winners of the nine qualifying groups progressing directly to next summer\u2019s finals, the group runners-up get stuck into play-offs from October.<\/p>\n
Of those nine runners-up, the three countries with the best records will be seeded directly to Round Two. The six remaining countries contest three single-leg play-offs in Round One on 6 October.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s an open draw, so the games could be home or away.<\/p>\n
As things stand, the Group C runners-up (currently Iceland) and the Group G runners-up (currently Switzerland) look set to take two of the three seeded places.<\/p>\n
Ireland are currently ranked outside the seeded places, but their fate would be in their own hands if the following results go in their favour over the next two evenings:
\n\u2022\tSerbia fail to beat Portugal (Friday, 7pm) \u2014 or, alternatively, Serbia fail to beat Israel on Tuesday
\n\u2022\tNorway beat Belgium (Friday, 7.30pm)
\n\u2022\tEngland beat Austria (Saturday, 4.30pm)<\/p>\n
If those three results go Ireland\u2019s way, they will go to Slovakia on Tuesday knowing that a win of any kind would guarantee them a seeded place. (A draw in Belgium v Norway, or in Austria v England, could see goal difference come in to play.)<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not beyond the realm of possibility that we will get one of those top three [positions],\u201d former Ireland international Karen Duggan told RT\u00c9 on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIreland have to target three points in that Slovakia game, I think the less games we have to play the better!\u201d
\nAlso, don\u2019t forget: Slovakia held Ireland to a draw in Tallaght earlier in the campaign.<\/p>\n
Three teams will come through Round One, where the three best second-place finishers lie in wait.<\/p>\n
The two \u2014 of three \u2014 Round Two play-off winners with the highest ranking (based on results in the qualifying group stage and Round Two play-offs) will qualify directly for the World Cup.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD 3, September 2022(ONLINE): AS THE DUST settles on a famous night for the Republic of Ireland women\u2019s national team, the 2023 World Cup play-offs move into full view. Vera Pauw\u2019s side sealed the Group A runners-up spot with a 1-0 win over Finland at […]<\/p>\n
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