England kept their hopes of securing automatic qualification for Euro 2025 alive with a comfortable and controlled victory over Republic of Ireland at Carrow Road.
The Lionesses knew a win was essential to set up an easier scenario against Sweden next Tuesday and got the match started in fine fashion. Alessia Russo making a run into the box, Beth Mead flicking the ball to her and the forward striking home within the first five minutes.
However, Ireland rallied well and kept England at bay until the break. In the second half, Niamh Fahey was caught dallying in possession by Lauren Hemp and brought the forward down inside the box. Georgia Stanway slotted home the resultant penalty and England thought that was that.
Yet, after constant pressure from Ireland Julie Russell turned the ball past Hannah Hampton to net a late consolation for the visitors. But, England take the three points and jump above Sweden in the group knowing that a draw on Tuesday evening will be enough to send them through.
Relive the action with our live blog below as the Lionesses face Ireland:
England v Ireland LIVE
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Lionesses beat Ireland 2-0 in a Euro 2025 qualifier and move above Sweden in group
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France lead Swedes in Group A3’s other fixture this evening and on brink of securing qualification
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90+4’ GOAL! – Russell pulls one back for Ireland (ENG 2-1 IRE)
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57’ GOAL! – Stanway converts from the penalty spot (ENG 2-0 IRE)
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15’ SAVE! – A double save from Brosnan keeps England at bay (ENG 1-0 IRE)
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5’ GOAL! – Russo finishes off a good move (ENG 1-0 IRE)
Lionesses triumph over Republic of Ireland to move within a point of Euro 2025
Friday 12 July 2024 22:34 , Mike Jones
England took one step closer to booking a place at Euro 2025 with a 2-1 victory over the Republic of Ireland in their Carrow Road qualifier.
Alessia Russo fired the defending European champions into the lead after just five minutes in front of a sold-out crowd in Norwich, undeterred by the soggy conditions and delighted to welcome the Lionesses back for the first time since the 2022 Arnold Clark Cup.
Georgia Stanway doubled England’s advantage with a second-half penalty but Julie-Ann Russell denied the hosts a clean sheet in the fourth and final minute of added time.
Lionesses triumph over Republic of Ireland to move within a point of Euro 2025
FT England 2-1 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 22:27 , Mike Jones
England manager Sarina Wiegman speaking to ITV: “Happy with the result. I thought we started really well and scored an incredible goal. After that we created a lot of chances but should have played more in the pockets. We were sloppy in moments too. In the second half we could have put it to bed. I was very frustrated about their goal in the 90th minute.
“They tried to push a little higher but they didn’t do a lot different. We kept playing short a lot and we should have skipped players a little more.
“That’s going to be a totally different game. Today the team was really aggressive in press but you cant do that for 90 minutes. The game on Tuesday we will show that too. Sweden have to win. We always know what we want to do better in the next game.
“In the training sessions they did well. We did some management of load and we had some yellow cards in the team so also wanted to manage that and take some risk out of that.”
FT England 2-1 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 22:20 , Mike Jones
FT England 2-1 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 22:13 , Mike Jones
England’s Jess Park speaking to ITV: “Job’s done. We got the three points. We are disappointed to have conceded that goal but we had lots of opportunities to put the ball in the net and we’re happy with the three points.
“I loved every second. I always want to be on the field so it was a real good game. We’re so focused. We’ve been working really hard and just want to get those three points.”
FT England 2-1 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 22:02 , Mike Jones
Full-time! England 2-1 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:55 , Mike Jones
90+4 mins: England get the three points. In truth it was a comfortable night for the Lionesses who needed to win and did just that.
Sarina Wiegman handed out a couple of debuts, played some of her fringe players and watched Alessia Russo and Georgia Stanway convert goals.
Julie Russell added a consolation goal right at the end which is also Ireland’s first goal of their campaign. That’s a blip for England but they’ll be pleased with the result.
GOAL! England 2-1 Republic of Ireland (Russell, 90+4’)
Friday 12 July 2024 21:53 , Mike Jones
90+4 mins: A long throw from Megan Campbell sends the ball to Caitlin Hayes who nods the ball on. Julie Russell shields the dropping ball then whips it into the back of the net with Hannah Hampton having no chance to stop it from close range.
England 2-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:49 , Mike Jones
90 mins: Four minutes of added time to play.
England 2-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:47 , Mike Jones
88 mins: Aggie Beever-Jones becomes the second England debutant of the evening as she comes on to replace Lauren Hemp. She had a fantastic season in the WSL, can she replicate that on the international stage tonight and on Tuesday versus Sweden?
England 2-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:44 , Mike Jones
85 mins: Very nice game management from England now too. Maintain possession, work the ball across the pitch, keep Ireland running and chasing it.
Competent work.
England 2-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:40 , Mike Jones
81 mins: Alex Greenwood and Millie Bright defend two Irish corners well before England look to counter attack. Kiernan makes a cynical tackle to stop the break from developing and gets herself a yellow card.
England 2-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:37 , Mike Jones
78 mins: This is better from Ireland. Time is running away from them but they’ve moving the ball nicely, pushing England back and making runs past the centre-backs.
Could they possibly score and ignite some drama into the end of this game?
England 2-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:34 , Mike Jones
75 mins: Ireland burst forward quickly and space opens up for O’Sullivan. She lets fly on a decent strike but Alex Greenwood charges her down and blocks the effort on the edge of the box.
Good defending.
England 2-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:31 , Mike Jones
72 mins: There’s a clash of head between Le Tissier and Kiernan with the Irish player seemingly coming off slightly worse. Both players seem okay after a touch of treatment and the match resumes.
England 2-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:29 , Mike Jones
69 mins: Magan Campbell comes on for Ireland replacing Ruesha Littlejohn in midfield. A solid competitior Campbell also has a mean long throw that could be a threat to England.
Sarina Wiegman also makes a change. Alessia Russo goes off with Jess Naz brought on for her debut.
England 2-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:25 , Mike Jones
66 mins: After some slow build-up Maya Le Tissier points down the line then flicks a pass over the top. Chloe Kelly makes the run but gets beaten to the ball and Ireland send the ball out for a throw in.
England 2-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:21 , Mike Jones
63 mins: There’s a loud roar as Chloe Kelly, forever an England favourite after her Euro 2022 heroics, comes on to replace Beth Mead.
Lauren Hemp moves over to the left with Kelly slotting in on the right wing.
England 2-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:19 , Mike Jones
60 mins: An hour played at Carrow Road. England have control and they have a cushion thanks to Stanway’s penalty. Ireland were just starting to click having effective nullified the English attack.
They’ll need to rebuild again.
GOAL! England 2-0 Republic of Ireland (Stanway, 57’)⚽️
Friday 12 July 2024 21:15 , Mike Jones
57 mins: Georgia Stanway steps up for England, slotting the ball to the goalkeeper’s left as Courtney Brosnan dives to the right. England are two goals up.
England 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:14 , Mike Jones
55 mins: Penalty to England!
That’s poor. Niamh Fahey is caught on the ball by Lauren Hemp who dips into the box and looks to shoot. Fahey can’t let her and drags the England forward down knowing her foul will result in a spot kick.
It does.
England 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:12 , Mike Jones
54 mins: Close!
Hemp holds up the ball on the edge of the box before tapping it into the path of Jess Park. Park checks to the right and spies Russo making a run into the area.
Park slots a dangerous ball in for her but, despite a lunging effort, Russo misses the ball and Brosnan can tidy up.
England 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:09 , Mike Jones
51 mins: Oh no. Beth Mead is forced off the pitch trying to challenge for a bouncing ball. She stumbles and lands on a pitchside microphone.
At first it looks like she’s taken a knock to her knee but she gets back to her feet and is okay to play on.
England 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:05 , Mike Jones
48 mins: Slick from England. Alessia Russo receives and turns before feeding the ball out to Lauren Hemp.
He carries it into the box then cuts a pass back to Russo. Russo can’t collect it and Ireland scramble the ball away. Decent work from England at the start of this half.
Second half! England 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 21:03 , Mike Jones
Sarina Wiegman has made a couple of changes at the break for England with Niamh Charles and Millie Bight introduced in place of Jess Carter and Leah Williamson.
Ireland get the ball rolling once more.
HT England 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 20:58 , Mike Jones
Elsewhere in this grou, Sakina Karchaoui has given France the lead over Sweden.
Victory for France tonight will see them qualify out of the group with one game to spare. That result would also be good news for England who would then only need to avoid defeat in Sweden on Tuesday to get through.
HT England 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Friday 12 July 2024 20:54 , Mike Jones
England have been massively dominant in that first half. They’ve had 66.6% possession and have created eight chances with four on target.
Alessia Russo’s goal is the difference but Beth Mead has had two of three big opportunities that Courtney Brosnan has kept out.
HT England…
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