Disasterous five minutes before and after half time cost Ireland as Canada come from behind to win 2-1

Canada 2-1 

Republic of Ireland 1

THE Republic of Ireland are out of the race for a place in the knock-out round of the FIFA Women’s World Cup after Canada came from behind and beat them 2-1 at Perth Rectangular Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

The Girls in Green needed a result against the reigning Olympic champions, and it looked like it was going to be a historic day when Katie McCabe scored direct from a corner in just the fourth minute.

Canada hit back, with a Megan Connolly own goal and a close range finish from Adriana Leon making it 2-1.

Despite a late rally by the team, they were unable to equalise despite creating a number of chances.

The game started with a low cross that Lucy Quinn sent in from the right and Kailen Sheridan put the ball out for a corner before Kyra Carusa could get a touch. McCabe’s set piece floated straight in, and Ireland took the lead.

They didn’t stop there. 

The team kept going and creating chances in the final third. Sinead Farrelly almost made it 2-0 with an attempt from outside the area, and this was dealt with by the Canadian goalkeeper. 

Connolly took Ireland’s third corner of the game and this led to McCabe shooting from distance. 

The ball went through the mixer and out for a goal-kick, and Ireland went back to their defensive positions.

Canada grew into the game, and their first chance came from a cross that was flicked on to Vanessa Gilles. 

The defender touched the ball from right in front of the posts and it went out for a goal-kick.

It was a moment that silenced the stands, and Ireland got away with Canada’s first real chance of the game. 

Up until that point, the best they could do was an attempt from distance and Courtney Brosnan caught this with ease.

When Ireland broke, Kadeisha Buchanan fouled and a free-kick was awarded. 

Connolly’s set piece was cleared to Denise O’Sullivan and her shot was clamoured away by the Canadian defence. 

Farrelly managed to get the ball back, and her close controlled led to another shot from O’Sullivan. 

This went high and out for a goal-kick, and Ireland watched this from inside their own half.

Discipline was a big part as to why Ireland frustrated Canada. Each player did their job, stuck to their position on the pitch, and made sure not to deviate from Vera Pauw’s game plan. Their faith was almost rewarded in the 40th minute when Carusa got in behind the Canadian defence.

Her low shot was easily saved by Sheridan, and that was when the rain really started falling in Perth. By added time in the first-half, during a flurry of Irish corners, the skies opened and conditions worsened.

Then a cross went into the box and deflected off Connolly. 

The ball trickled over the line and Canada equalised with their first shot on target.

They took that momentum into the break and used it to create the first chance of the second half. 

Jordyn Huitema tried to score from distance and forced a stretched save from Brosnan, and the Irish goalkeeper dealt with the next chance that was sent her way.

The pressure paid off with a cross that dropped to Leon and she scored from inside the area in the 53rd minute.

Pauw brought on Amber Barrett, Lily Agg, and Abbie Larkin to help the team in attack. 

The big chance to equalise came from McCabe running into the area from the right wing, and this went inches wide in the 78th minute.

Canada: Kailen Sheridan; Ashley Lawrence, Vanessa Gilles, Kadeisha Buchanan, Jayde Riviere, Julia Grosso, Quinn, Jessie Fleming, Adriana Leon, Evelyne Viens, Jordyn Huitema. Subs: Sophie Schmidt for Grosso (45); Christine Sinclair for Viens (45), Shelina Zadorsky for Buchanan (45), Chloe Zoe Eyia Lacasse for Leon (59), Allysha Chapman for Riviere (90) Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Megan Connolly, Aine O’Gorman, Katie McCabe, Sinead Farrelly, Denise O'Sullivan, Ruesha Littlejohn Lucy Quinn, Kyra Carusa.

Subs: Abbie Larkin for Lucy Quinn (45), Marissa Sheva for O’Gorman (58), Amber Barrett for Carusa (64), Lily Agg for Littlejohn (64), Izzy Atkinson for Farrelly (64), Referee: Laura Fortunato