Ireland 1 Iceland 1: NOEL KING remains confident his team can reach next year's Uefa Championship finals despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Iceland in the first leg of a play-off yesterday at Richmond Park.
The Nordic team hold the advantage of the away goal heading into Thursday's second leg in Reykjavic but King believes Ireland will score at least once to win the tie outright and secure a place at the finals in Finland.
Striker Stefanie Curtis cancelled out a first-minute opener by Iceland with a 63rd-minute equaliser and Ireland came close to winning it when Olivia O'Toole's free-kick with 15 minutes left was tipped around the post.
"I am very optimistic of winning the second leg on Thursday," said King last night. "The girls are not worried about having to score in Reykjavic because, traditionally, we have played better against higher-seeded nations when we meet them the second time.
"I am disappointed we didn't manage to score a second goal today because, despite a nervous opening few minutes when we could have been out of the tie completely, the belief and determination was there within the team to come back fighting.
"We will approach the game on Thursday like any other by trying to win it. The only difference from before is that we are still 90 minutes away from qualifying for our first ever major finals."
That prospect looked bleak within 25 seconds of yesterday's game kicking off. Iceland's Dora Maria Larusdottir was given too much space on the right side to deliver a low cross into the box and Holmfridur Magnusdottir was first to react by smashing the ball to the net from eight yards.
More tentative defending was to follow, as Ireland took time to settle. Gradually, the front trio of Áine O'Gorman, Michelle O'Brien and Curtis began to cohere and Ireland settled into a rhythm.
Their first real opening came on 15 minutes when Mary Therese O'Donnell pushed a pass through to O'Brien in a central position and she worked the goalkeeper with a rasping shot from the edge of the area.
Ireland were afforded a let-off midway through the half. Slack marking allowed Rakel Honnudottir race free into the space down the right and she fired a half-volley past the far post with goalkeeper Emma Byrne well beaten.
The Irish pressed for an equaliser early in the second half, O'Brien failing to get a proper connection three minutes in after Iceland's goalkeeper allowed a cross from the left squirm from her hands into the striker's path.
It wasn't until later that Ireland upped the tempo and substitute Olivia O'Toole made an instant impact after being introduced on the hour. She fed a pass to the onrushing Curtis down the left and the striker crashed her shot into the far corner with the aid of a deflection off defender Arnadottir.
Ireland finished the stronger and Ciara Grant and O'Toole might have nicked a winner.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Emma Byrne (Arsenal); Alisha Moran (Fulham), Yvonne Treacy (Arsenal), Niamh Fahey (Arsenal), Meadhbh De Burca (Salthill Devon); Ciara Grant (Arsenal), Sonya Hughes (Dundalk), Mary Therese McDonnell (Boston Renegades); Áine O'Gorman (Stella Maris), Michele O'Brien (Jerseys Sky Blue), Stefanie Curtis (Bristol Academy). Subs: Olivia O'Toole (Raheny United) for Hughes (60 mins), Jemma O'Connor (Birmingham Ladies) for Curtis (90 mins).
ICELAND: Agustsdottir; A Arnadottir, Joonsdottir, G Gunnarsdottir, O Vidarsdottir; Gardarsdottir; SJ Gunnarsdottir, Magnusdottir, Honnudottir; Larusdottir; M Vidarsdottir. Subs: Omarasdottir for Magnusdottir (73 mins), Gisladottir for Vidarsdottir (82 mins) E Arnardottir for Honnudottir (89 mins).
Referee: Silvia Tea Spinelli (Italy).
